mineral...Nutrena, Purina? TexasBred?

[fnfarms1]

Ok so I've feed just the generic Stockade or Tractor Supply(ranchers pride I think) brand mineral for 5yrs now as free choice mineral. I've figured its better than what alot of guys feed in the trace mineral blocks or just nothing. My dad fed mineral much like I do with the addition of bag salt.
Is the Purina WindnRain or Nutrena Right Now minerals worth the extra $? I mean the stuff I've been buying is $14/bag versus $24-30/bag for the Purina. The guys at the feed stores swear you'll have better conception rates, easier calving, even a bit better weaning weights due to better milk. I do get hi-mag in spring and general purpose rest of year.

 

[TexasBred]

Ok so I've feed just the generic Stockade or Tractor Supply(ranchers pride I think) brand mineral for 5yrs now as free choice mineral. I've figured its better than what alot of guys feed in the trace mineral blocks or just nothing. My dad fed mineral much like I do with the addition of bag salt.
Is the Purina WindnRain or Nutrena Right Now minerals worth the extra $? I mean the stuff I've been buying is $14/bag versus $24-30/bag for the Purina. The guys at the feed stores swear you'll have better conception rates, easier calving, even a bit better weaning weights due to better milk. I do get hi-mag in spring and general purpose rest of year.

fnfarms I've never used the Nutrena Right Now mineral so really don't know that much about them. When I get a chance I'll google it and see what I can find out. I'm personally using the Purina Wind and Rain AV-4. Off the top of my head I think it has 12% calcium and 7% phos (can't remember the salt). But the AV-4 is abbreviation for Availa-4 which are organic minerals manufactured by Zinpro Corporation and included in the mix in the form of amino acid complexes. You'll see Zinc, manganese, copper and cobalt in the list of ingredients as amino acid complexes. The bioavailability of minerals in this form is around 90% compared to oxides at around 10% and sulfates at around 35% so even if you have a lesser amount of each of these listed on the tag they will still utilize much more of them. My cattle consume the Purina at about the recommended rate also so have no complaint there.

Vigortone has always made a avery good mineral but sometimes a bit pricey and in some places hard to find. Vitaferm is really coming out with some very good minerals as well but use a cheaper version of organic minerals as "protienates". One in particular with Concept-Aid in it is getting great reviews from some of the members here on the forum for increasing their first service conception rates. Hope this helps. I'll try to check out the Right Now mineral asap.

 

[fnfarms1]

Thanks TexasBred. I don't know anyone using the Purina WindnRain, but I bought 3bags to try. I have found its cheaper at tractor supply by 5bucks per bag so that hurts a bit less. The Right Now mineral is comparable to the Purina, I picked up a brochure and got a tag off the Purina to compare. www.RightNowMineral.com is on the brochure. I know it won't be real noticeable, but hate to just throw away money on high priced junk. Purina anything usually seems to be well researched and good stuff.
I keep hearing the term ceolated..... I'm not in mineral terms what that does. An old timer said that was a fad years ago, something with minerals tied to amino acids etc.

 

[Amo]

Ive used Vitaferm/Peetz. Hubbard is what I use the most of. TB has a lot of good info there....I presume organic is the same as chealates (keylates). Where iron oxide is rust. Are you having major problems? A saying Ive heard is if you buy everything that is available you should have 236% preg rate and wean off 900#'s if you use every product that is sold. Ive never personally used the Concept Aid product. I think you can get chealates without the concept aid? IIRC its not cheap. If your selling registered bulls or something where a good AI stick is important, then its probably worth it. Comercial cow set up, well just depends on what your preg rate is. Multi min 90 is a good product for that too, once again chealates are cheaper...just takes longer. One of the bigger mineral suppliers in the area that sell mineral to some of the pickyest people use a lot of oxides in their mineral. We are in an area where extension will try to tell you we don't need to feed hardly any mineral....just a little phos, some copper & zinc. So we can probably get away with a cheaper mineral where others cant. Do you know what your grass & water have for vitamins & minerals?

Know some that feed Right Now product. I think the big deal with their product is the use of colors for when you need to feed what product....marketing. Its been around a long time here anyway. I always thought if I went away from Hubbard, I wouldn't mind trying KayDee mineral. I feed a higher rate mineral 60 days pre calving through first cycle. If your wanting to change things up but not go whole hog you can feed Purina or Cargill then switch back to TSC after you have everything bred?

 

[JMJ Farms]

I've fed purina, nutrena, FRM, southern states, and several more. I like vigortone the best. Expensive though. And not sure if they are available in your area. Most of the time, though not always, you get what you pay for.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I use wind and rain and the cows seem to like it . I like it because even with our humidity it doesn't clump up or get hard .. My cows won't eat the right now mineral..

 

[fnfarms1]

Ive used Vitaferm/Peetz. Hubbard is what I use the most of. TB has a lot of good info there....I presume organic is the same as chealates (keylates). Where iron oxide is rust. Are you having major problems? A saying Ive heard is if you buy everything that is available you should have 236% preg rate and wean off 900#'s if you use every product that is sold. Ive never personally used the Concept Aid product. I think you can get chealates without the concept aid? IIRC its not cheap. If your selling registered bulls or something where a good AI stick is important, then its probably worth it. Comercial cow set up, well just depends on what your preg rate is. Multi min 90 is a good product for that too, once again chealates are cheaper...just takes longer. One of the bigger mineral suppliers in the area that sell mineral to some of the pickyest people use a lot of oxides in their mineral. We are in an area where extension will try to tell you we don't need to feed hardly any mineral....just a little phos, some copper & zinc. So we can probably get away with a cheaper mineral where others cant. Do you know what your grass & water have for vitamins & minerals?

Know some that feed Right Now product. I think the big deal with their product is the use of colors for when you need to feed what product....marketing. Its been around a long time here anyway. I always thought if I went away from Hubbard, I wouldn't mind trying KayDee mineral. I feed a higher rate mineral 60 days pre calving through first cycle. If your wanting to change things up but not go whole hog you can feed Purina or Cargill then switch back to TSC after you have everything bred?

JMJ I agree that generally I think you get what you pay for, however I also know some are good at marketing and make Kool-aid that alot of people start drinking.
Amo, I haven't had any issues to speak of, just always curious of ways to improve my operation by altering a feed, mineral, new herbicide, etc. I figure if its not that much higher and has benefits that out weigh the cost, it makes sense. So just changing it up to see if I've been short changing them. Never had conception rate issues, no more than average grass tetany, pink eye, etc. I think I'm going to try this WindnRain through June-ish and in fall I'll know if my cows are any closer on calving closer together. May switch back to TSC June-Dec, see how it goes.

 

[TexasBred]

Strictly a personal opinion but I wouldn't buy anything considered "feed" from TSC.

 

[Rafter S]

I've had good luck with mineral from Lone Star Feed: http://www.lonestarfeed.com/

 

[TexasBred]

I've had good luck with mineral from Lone Star Feed: http://www.lonestarfeed.com/

That's an old company and has always had a reputation for making excellent feeds. Usually a little more expensive but also usually worth the money.

 

[TexasBred]

Thanks TexasBred. I don't know anyone using the Purina WindnRain, but I bought 3bags to try. I have found its cheaper at tractor supply by 5bucks per bag so that hurts a bit less. The Right Now mineral is comparable to the Purina, I picked up a brochure and got a tag off the Purina to compare. http://www.RightNowMineral.com is on the brochure. I know it won't be real noticeable, but hate to just throw away money on high priced junk. Purina anything usually seems to be well researched and good stuff.
I keep hearing the term ceolated..... I'm not in mineral terms what that does. An old timer said that was a fad years ago, something with minerals tied to amino acids etc.

Actually chelated minerals are relatively new (30 years) and definitely not a fad. I used the word "organic" which will be a chelated mineral in one form or the other whether a proteinate, a chelate or an amino acid complex. The type or organic mineral used will be disclosed on the list of ingredient as such. Here's a link to a power point presentation which will be much easier for you to understand than for me to try to type it here.

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+re ... 8&oe=utf-8

 

[fnfarms1]

Strictly a personal opinion but I wouldn't buy anything considered "feed" from TSC.

My actual feed comes from a local COOP that custom mixes. But is mineral what you refer to as 'feed'? I made the assumption that Purina was the same whether sold at TSC or my local NEO Feeds store. I assume you mean you wouldn't feed a store brand from TSC of mineral or even cubes, feed, etc. But Purina is a brand name right, same quality no matter where its sold? Although I try to do my business at the mom n pop stores all o can to keep them going. I hate to see them drove out by the TSC's of the world.
That Powerpoint helps. Alot of what I ask on is what I hear, then try to find out for myself what I think to be true or relevant/feasible to my operation.

 

[TexasBred]

Strictly a personal opinion but I wouldn't buy anything considered "feed" from TSC.

My actual feed comes from a local COOP that custom mixes. But is mineral what you refer to as 'feed'? I made the assumption that Purina was the same whether sold at TSC or my local NEO Feeds store. I assume you mean you wouldn't feed a store brand from TSC of mineral or even cubes, feed, etc. But Purina is a brand name right, same quality no matter where its sold? Although I try to do my business at the mom n pop stores all o can to keep them going. I hate to see them drove out by the TSC's of the world.
That Powerpoint helps. Alot of what I ask on is what I hear, then try to find out for myself what I think to be true or relevant/feasible to my operation.

Not necessarily. Much like Wal Mart, TSC will demand a certain price for everything and the only way to usually get down to that price is to change the formulation. And the Purina you get today won't be exactly the same as the same product you got last week. Least cost formulations across the board and when their buyers make a really good buy on something they reformulate everything. The Dumor Brands and Country Acres brands are pretty darn trashy. Not to mention down this way they are usually the highest price in town.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I use Purina simple because the cows likes it the best, and I don't have to worry about rain. For in a bind, Ragland actually makes a pretty good high mag. mineral with their Raingard. I have a suspicion that it's bagged by land o lakes, because it's just like land o lake, and purina (same company).

 

[fnfarms1]

Strictly a personal opinion but I wouldn't buy anything considered "feed" from TSC.

My actual feed comes from a local COOP that custom mixes. But is mineral what you refer to as 'feed'? I made the assumption that Purina was the same whether sold at TSC or my local NEO Feeds store. I assume you mean you wouldn't feed a store brand from TSC of mineral or even cubes, feed, etc. But Purina is a brand name right, same quality no matter where its sold? Although I try to do my business at the mom n pop stores all o can to keep them going. I hate to see them drove out by the TSC's of the world.
That Powerpoint helps. Alot of what I ask on is what I hear, then try to find out for myself what I think to be true or relevant/feasible to my operation.

Not necessarily. Much like Wal Mart, TSC will demand a certain price for everything and the only way to usually get down to that price is to change the formulation. And the Purina you get today won't be exactly the same as the same product you got last week. Least cost formulations across the board and when their buyers make a really good buy on something they reformulate everything. The Dumor Brands and Country Acres brands are pretty darn trashy. Not to mention down this way they are usually the highest price in town.

Thanks again TexasBred. I'll have to compare tags to make sure its the same mineral. Hasn't been jacked with just for TSC to sell it. To be honest I do NOT like TSC, because they are a big box/chain kind of store like Walmart. However sometimes to make do I buy from there in a pinch or if price it just that much better. Atwoods it still a chain, but I like them alot better, just don't have one in town.

 

[kjonesel]

I have used a lot of the store brand minerals and finally been able to require enough mineral to begin buying McNess. It is a excellent quality mineral consistently made with high quality ingredients. Another important aspect is that it has vitamins present in sufficient amounts. When switching over to it it took six months for the cows to reduce consumption to levels where it is actually less expensive than the store brands. I personally think it is a no brainer to stay with a high quality mineral.

 

[TexasBred]

I use Purina simple because the cows likes it the best, and I don't have to worry about rain. For in a bind, Ragland actually makes a pretty good high mag. mineral with their Raingard. I have a suspicion that it's bagged by land o lakes, because it's just like land o lake, and purina (same company).

Purina (PMI) is owned by LOL but they operate as totally separate operations even competing against each other. Regardless of the many times it's sold the old checkerboards always survive.

 

[TexasBred]

I have used a lot of the store brand minerals and finally been able to require enough mineral to begin buying McNess. It is a excellent quality mineral consistently made with high quality ingredients. Another important aspect is that it has vitamins present in sufficient amounts. When switching over to it it took six months for the cows to reduce consumption to levels where it is actually less expensive than the store brands. I personally think it is a no brainer to stay with a high quality mineral.

McNess has always made good mineral but often pretty darn pricey. Unless they are using some chelates their ingredients will pretty much be like all the others...your basic oxides and sulfates. :welcome:

 

[kjonesel]

They do. That is why the consumption will decrease. The actual usage will decrease because a higher percentage is available to the animal.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I use Purina simple because the cows likes it the best, and I don't have to worry about rain. For in a bind, Ragland actually makes a pretty good high mag. mineral with their Raingard. I have a suspicion that it's bagged by land o lakes, because it's just like land o lake, and purina (same company).

Purina (PMI) is owned by LOL but they operate as totally separate operations even competing against each other. Regardless of the many times it's sold the old checkerboards always survive.

That's what I was saying, but I wondering if ragland was bagged by land o lakes.
Yes, purina has been around, and probably won't be disappearing anytime soon.