liquid protein worth the expense?

[greybeard]

I know some have used liquid protein but it's been well over a decade since I've tried it and the last time, the vendor was not good at keeping the tank filled, and went out of business shortly after we got it, so I don't really have any gauge of effectiveness to go by. I see a new ad for a different vendor locally.
35% protein/63% dry matter@$1.99/gal with 100gal minimum. No other info on what is in it other than:
"Delivery of your liquid feed is included in our price. We do have a 100-gallon minimum. We service a 100-mile radius of Cleveland Texas but will go farther for a large order. ". I'm 8 miles from downtown metropolis of Cleveland.

Good deal--bad deal? Is the whole liquid protein thing good or not so good for spring and summer?
Al suggestions or comment welcome

 

[callmefence]

:2cents: Most use urea for about 50 percent of the available protein. Just like tubs.
Imo the place for these products is when you have a large stockpiled of dry standing grass or poor hay. I prefer the 225 pound tubs because I can move them, even put em up in the barn.
Again the urea will make your cows eat just about anything and lots of it. :2cents:

I would never use it on even fair grass

 

[greybeard]

I did call the guy after I posted that and it is molasses with urea, a QLF company is his supplier. but he was kinda short on details.

Sounds like something better used for dry summer or over winter then.. and not now when grass is nice and green?

I'm already using the 200lb tubs to get the IGR and they aren't hitting them very hard.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I know some have used liquid protein but it's been well over a decade since I've tried it and the last time, the vendor was not good at keeping the tank filled, and went out of business shortly after we got it, so I don't really have any gauge of effectiveness to go by. I see a new ad for a different vendor locally.
35% protein/63% dry matter@$1.99/gal with 100gal minimum. No other info on what is in it other than:
"Delivery of your liquid feed is included in our price. We do have a 100-gallon minimum. We service a 100-mile radius of Cleveland Texas but will go farther for a large order. ". I'm 8 miles from downtown metropolis of Cleveland.

Good deal--bad deal? Is the whole liquid protein thing good or not so good for spring and summer?
Al suggestions or comment welcome

I loved the old CLS formula for poor hay and getting them to clean up fall pasture.

 

[Caustic Burno]

GB after putting a pencil to it comes out to roughly 400 bucks a ton.
For 2-1-1 it's 320 in a super sack
for 2-1 is 340.

 

[Son of Butch]

57 cents per lb of protein
vs
40 cents? per lb of protein from alfalfa hay.... closer to 55 cents accounting for moisture and waste
but we're talking different types of protein and hay provides other nutrients as well

 

[Rafter S]

I've been feeding it during the winter to supplement mediocre hay for years with good results, but I don't leave it out year-round. When I start feeding hay in fall I call my supplier to bring some, call them again when I need a refill, and try to time the refill so it runs out in spring when they lose interest in the hay. When the grass greens up the cows pretty much leave the syrup, and it's too expensive to waste.

 

[reeler]

I've been feeding it during the winter to supplement mediocre hay for years with good results, but I don't leave it out year-round. When I start feeding hay in fall I call my supplier to bring some, call them again when I need a refill, and try to time the refill so it runs out in spring when they lose interest in the hay. When the grass greens up the cows pretty much leave the syrup, and it's too expensive to waste.

X2

 

[papavillars]

I use qlf liquid feed in the fall/winter. usually filled twice a year, but this year with mild winter only once.

 

[papavillars]

He supplied the tank for free usage , so no upfront cost. My cattle lick it dry and when it gets near empty I add a little water to clean it out. I do think it costs more than good hay but sure entices them to eat subgrade hay and thoroughly clean the pastures.

 

[greybeard]

57 cents per lb of protein
vs
40 cents? per lb of protein from alfalfa hay.... closer to 55 cents accounting for moisture and waste
but we're talking different types of protein and hay provides other nutrients as well

I haven't checked lately, but I'd have to go a ways to find alfalfa hay down here Son of Butch. Either up around Weatherford or into Oklahoma, unless I wanted sq bales and no way am I ever going back to feed sq baled hay.
That's @ minimum a 6-7 hr round trip away.

 

[RanchMan90]

57 cents per lb of protein
vs
40 cents? per lb of protein from alfalfa hay.... closer to 55 cents accounting for moisture and waste
but we're talking different types of protein and hay provides other nutrients as well

I haven't checked lately, but I'd have to go a ways to find alfalfa hay down here Son of Butch. Either up around Weatherford or into Oklahoma, unless I wanted sq bales and no way am I ever going back to feed sq baled hay.
That's @ minimum a 6-7 hr round trip away.

Alfalfa can be had here for $150 a ton, so 7.5¢ per lb. Liquid feed and low quality hay are convenient, people will pay for convenience. Such as gas station food or a home cooked steak for the same price :lol2:

 

[callmefence]

57 cents per lb of protein
vs
40 cents? per lb of protein from alfalfa hay.... closer to 55 cents accounting for moisture and waste
but we're talking different types of protein and hay provides other nutrients as well

I haven't checked lately, but I'd have to go a ways to find alfalfa hay down here Son of Butch. Either up around Weatherford or into Oklahoma, unless I wanted sq bales and no way am I ever going back to feed sq baled hay.
That's @ minimum a 6-7 hr round trip away.

Alfalfa can be had here for $150 a ton, so 7.5¢ per lb. Liquid feed and low quality hay are convenient, people will pay for convenience. Such as gas station food or a home cooked steak for the same price :lol2:

That's 37.5 cents for protein .
You want it cheaper buy cottonseed
You can laugh till you strain something ranchman. But urea has it's place in utilizing burned up summer pasture. And it does with minimal labor...some folks place value on their time.

 

[RanchMan90]

I haven't checked lately, but I'd have to go a ways to find alfalfa hay down here Son of Butch. Either up around Weatherford or into Oklahoma, unless I wanted sq bales and no way am I ever going back to feed sq baled hay.
That's @ minimum a 6-7 hr round trip away.

Alfalfa can be had here for $150 a ton, so 7.5¢ per lb. Liquid feed and low quality hay are convenient, people will pay for convenience. Such as gas station food or a home cooked steak for the same price :lol2:

That's 37.5 cents for protein .
You want it cheaper buy cottonseed
You can laugh till you strain something ranchman. But urea has it's place in utilizing burned up summer pasture. And it does with minimal labor...some folks place value on their time.

I agree with you fence on minimal labor. Check your math though.

 

[callmefence]

Alfalfa can be had here for $150 a ton, so 7.5¢ per lb. Liquid feed and low quality hay are convenient, people will pay for convenience. Such as gas station food or a home cooked steak for the same price :lol2:

That's 37.5 cents for protein .
You want it cheaper buy cottonseed
You can laugh till you strain something ranchman. But urea has it's place in utilizing burned up summer pasture. And it does with minimal labor...some folks place value on their time.

I agree with you fence on minimal labor. Check your math though.

Checked, I think I was generous at 20 percent on the alfalfa??

 

[RanchMan90]

I'm still not seeing your logic here. You may have to draw it out for me.

 

[callmefence]

I'm still not seeing your logic here. You may have to draw it out for me.

A ton of 20percent alfalfa would be 400 pounds of protein. At 150.00 bucks it would be the 37.5 cents per pound of protein.

It's 90 out today. But I'm putty sure that's what the conversation you quoted was about.

 

[RanchMan90]

I'm still not seeing your logic here. You may have to draw it out for me.

A ton of 20percent alfalfa would be 400 pounds of protein. At 150.00 bucks it would be the 37.5 cents per pound of protein.

It's 90 out today. But I'm putty sure that's what the conversation you quoted was about.

I'm picking up what your layin down now. That would put the liquid feed at 57.5¢ per lb. How much many lbs daily per head of it do you feed under your conditions?

 

[slick4591]

I use QLF and my last fill was 1300 lbs @ $260.

 

[Son of Butch]

2,000 lbs liquid at $400 ton = 20 cents lb
2,000 lbs x 35% protein = 700 lbs of protein per ton
$400 div by 700 lbs = 57 cents per pound of protein

There is a lot to be said for anything that is convenient and saves labor.

Alfalfa/high quality grass hay isn't a lot cheaper when you factor in moisture and waste, then labor not much savings.
The thing it has going for it is it's all natural and good hay cures/prevents a lot of problems.