molasses tubs when to use or not

[chapman]

I am wanting to find out when to put out molasses tubs and when they are not needed. I have an idea but wanting to see what the board's view is. Central Texas area. Hay available. cubes twice a week (3 lbs per head).

Thanks

 

[CJohnson]

You probably do not need to use tubs if you are feeding cubes. Would need to know what the protein content of your hay is and if cows are dry or lactating. Assuming hay is 8-10% CP and dry pregnant cows, could feed them 2-3 lb / head / day. OK to feed just twice per week just increase the amount. Feed more for bad weather and watch condition of the cows. If you want to change to tubs then should not need to feed cubes. Tubs are likely to be more expensive for you.

 

[deenranch]

Due to our lack of rain lately. I have put out MIX 30. First time trying it. It has helped them gain some. I put it out to where the cattle have to travel to get it... I made a triangle with the water, hay, and liquid feed.

 

[1982vett]

I'd use them when the forage in the pasture is not nutirious to meet the needs of your cattle. When the pasture is short or gone and you are feeding hay that needs just a little help to meet their needs would be the next step.

Probably cheaper ways to get weight gain.

 

[irked]

I am wanting to find out when to put out molasses tubs and when they are not needed. I have an idea but wanting to see what the board's view is. Central Texas area. Hay available. cubes twice a week (3 lbs per head).

Thanks

while they have some place for absentee ranchers, molasses tubs probably work out better for the manufacturers and purveyors of molasses tubs than they do for cattlemen. particularly in your case where you are able to feed cubes twice per week. if you have plenty of hay (energy) available and are able to feed cubes twice per week, you would get much more bang for your buck by using a 38-40% cube and adjusting the rate fed to the quality of your hay and the condition/lactation/gestation of your cows.

so my vote would be that they are never needed for someone like yourself who is able to hand-feed a more economical source of protein.

 

[Jogeephus]

I base it on the size of the patties and the needs of the cow. If they are lactating and I'm feeding poor hay and the patties are rising up I might fill the tubs but normally I just switch to better hay or grazing or both.

 

[Kingfisher]

I am wanting to find out when to put out molasses tubs and when they are not needed. I have an idea but wanting to see what the board's view is. Central Texas area. Hay available. cubes twice a week (3 lbs per head).

What are you using for minerals?

 

[TexasBred]

I am wanting to find out when to put out molasses tubs and when they are not needed. I have an idea but wanting to see what the board's view is. Central Texas area. Hay available. cubes twice a week (3 lbs per head).

Thanks

I'd feed the cubes if you have the time and are able to do it regularly. More protein and cheaper as well. Some folks just don't ahve the time so the tubs would work for them as a protein supplement.

 

[Anonymous]

I just did a 3 weeks test to find out for myself which was cheaper...cubes or tubs...ended up costing me an extra 15% to feed the tubs vs cubes...

 

[cowboy43]

Hook
In the 3 wks. time how much of each per head was fed and at what cost per head?

 

[Anonymous]

Tub cost was 1.15 per head per day fed free choice. Cube cost was right at a 1$ day/head

 

[Anonymous]

That's feeding 5.5 lbs/head/day avg

 

[Brute 23]

You put out the cubes every day or had some way to limit them to #5.5?

 

[Anonymous]

Putting out cubes every day

 

[dieselbeef]

round here they put them tubs out and thats it...the old timers say them cows will eat palmetto scrub once they git to lickin them tubs. gits thier bellies upset i guess ...

citrus pellets are cheaper and they git ya thru same as the range cubes...cows got hay also so theyre good. i give em bout 5 lbs /hd everyday also..feeding 20 head right now

hook where u at..you need some o these pellets

 

[Anonymous]

Geneva, NE of Orlando. What's the breakdown on the pellets?

 

[TexasBred]

Putting out cubes every day

Hook did you use the cooked tubs or poured tubs and what was the daily consumption of the tubs per head per day?

 

[Anonymous]

Poured tub, can't find any cooked around here. Consumption was around 3.5 lbs/day/head

 

[Anonymous]

One more thing...mineral consumption also went upo with the tubs vs cubes..cubes must be better fortified with minerals. I didn't factor that onto the cost increase

 

[TexasBred]

Poured tub, can't find any cooked around here. Consumption was around 3.5 lbs/day/head

Cooked tubs promote consumption at half that or less....but they cost twice as much too so your cost per head per day would ahve been about the same. Don't know why mineral consumption would have gone up. The cows might have also grazed more heavily or eaten more hay if it was available so needed more supplementation. Both the tubs and the cubes have vitamins and minerals. If the tub had some NPN that might have been part of the cause.