poultry food and cows

[moloss]

just a quick question from a newbie...I have a bag of poultry feed that I don't need anymore....can I feed it to my cows (I hate wasting stuff)...it does have a little cooper in it(that's why I'm not giving it to my goats)......thank you for your time....Chris.

 

[redcowsrule33]

What's in it?

 

[Howdyjabo]

Goats actually need more copper than cattle-- its sheep that can;t take it.

You have to be careful that the feed has no meat by products- BSE issues

 

[FarmGirl10]

You have to be careful that the feed has no meat by products- BSE issues

Make sure of this.

 

[dun]

Just to be 100% safe dump it out for the birds to eat or turn it under for fertilizer

 

[tom4018]

Just to be 100% safe dump it out for the birds to eat or turn it under for fertilizer

I agree with Dun. If it is not opened or old you might be able to exchange it where you bought it. Our local mill has never gave a problem swapping something out.

 

[Bez+]

Do NOT feed it to cows

Bez+

 

[moloss]

thank y'all....it's off to the pond to feed the ducks.....thanks again for your help.

 

[Jogeephus]

ooops, had a bag of laying mash in the back of the truck today. Had is the key word here.

 

[grannysoo]

ooops, had a bag of laying mash in the back of the truck today. Had is the key word here.

Your daughter is going to be making you buy more of that later...

 

[Jogeephus]

ooops, had a bag of laying mash in the back of the truck today. Had is the key word here.

Your daughter is going to be making you buy more of that later...

Yep, I thought it was out of reach. I had a couple bags of range cubes too and the dang calves went through the bags while I was away from the truck. Thankfully they only ate about half the bag of mash. That stuff is expensive.

 

[djinwa]

As they say, the dose makes the poison. Even if the chicken feed isn't balanced right for cattle, I can't imagine one bag among multiple cows causing a problem.

I would have fed it, and if it scares you, just spread it out over multiple feedings or mix in with other grain.

 

[Bez+]

As they say, the dose makes the poison. Even if the chicken feed isn't balanced right for cattle, I can't imagine one bag among multiple cows causing a problem.

I would have fed it, and if it scares you, just spread it out over multiple feedings or mix in with other grain.

Well, this is the reason there are problems. Your comment about dose and poison is so wrong you have no idea - all it takes is one molecule.

Chicken feed most often has animal by products in it.

Then again - you have no BSE in your part of the world do you.

Bez+

 

[TexasBred]

As they say, the dose makes the poison. Even if the chicken feed isn't balanced right for cattle, I can't imagine one bag among multiple cows causing a problem.

I would have fed it, and if it scares you, just spread it out over multiple feedings or mix in with other grain.

Well, this is the reason there are problems. Your comment about dose and poison is so wrong you have no idea - all it takes is one molecule.

Chicken feed most often has animal by products in it.

Then again - you have no BSE in your part of the world do you.

Bez+

Bez most commercial chicken feed manufacturers in the U.S. use soybean meal and corn gluten feed as the primary protein sources for that very reason. Most reputable feed companies do not even keep ruminant meat and bone meal on the premises. But for those concerned all you have to do is read the list of ingredients and look for animal protein products and even then it might not be ruminant protein. It could be feather meal and/or other poultry by-product protein.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

On most of the bags of poultry feed that I buy, the label says very clearly "Not to be fed to ruminants". 2 of the feeds do contain animal protein by-products.

Katherine

 

[djinwa]

As they say, the dose makes the poison. Even if the chicken feed isn't balanced right for cattle, I can't imagine one bag among multiple cows causing a problem.

I would have fed it, and if it scares you, just spread it out over multiple feedings or mix in with other grain.

Well, this is the reason there are problems. Your comment about dose and poison is so wrong you have no idea - all it takes is one molecule.

Chicken feed most often has animal by products in it.

Then again - you have no BSE in your part of the world do you.

Bez+

I suppose you're right. I was focused more on the copper issue, and wasn't thinking of the BSE, though seems it would be low odds. Interesting, I was just thinking that it is accepted practice to feed chicken crap to cattle. I wonder if all the BSE in chicken feed is eliminated when it passes through the chicken.

 

[djinwa]

Was thinking further about feeding chicken litter to cattle. I assume that some chicken feed is spilled on the floor of the pens and scooped up uneaten to feed to cows. Wonder how much BSE is being spread this way. Sounds like a BIG problem that needs to be addressed.

 

[TexasBred]

On most of the bags of poultry feed that I buy, the label says very clearly "Not to be fed to ruminants". 2 of the feeds do contain animal protein by-products.

Katherine

I wouldn't buy it...to be fed to anything if it has "animal protein products" on the label.

 

[brandonm_13]

Unless it is one of those specialty "vegetarian" poultry feeds, you shouldn't feed it to cattle. Like others have said, you shouldn't be concerned about the levels of copper with goats. They can take alot more than some will tell you. Just find a neighbor that still has chickens and give it to them. Free stuff can make good neighbors.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Was thinking further about feeding chicken litter to cattle.

I don't do that either. Some folks do. This topic has been discussed here on CT many times before and a few of those threads ended up locked.

Katherine