Protein Tubs

[TheBullLady]

We use a similar product called "PVM" tubs. Can get them locally here in central Texas, and we're really happy with the results. They don't go through them like candy, and the cows are doing well on roughage without much protein value. We rarely use them except in a drought year or with poor quality hay/ forage.

 

[rk]

norriscathy wrote

Tubs are the MOST expensive way to go! You're probably paying close to $600 per ton for something you can buy in a sack for $200. They are easy and that's the only thing they've got going for them. The dealers will say they'll eat less; OK pour a little syrup on a concrete block, a whole lot cheaper than tubs. The whole idea is to get protein and minerals into the cow, not see how little they will eat. Try a good 3 and 1 range meal; 1/3 the cost, almost as easy and the cow is actually getting a little feed.

norriscathty - are you recommending free choice of the meal appraoch, or once, or twice a day. I thought the meal appraoch was mainly just a supplement thing and did not stimulate appetite. I really would like to understand this
licktub, vs syrup, vs, meal thing better. I thought the licktub and syrups were meant to stimulate appetite throughout the day as the cattle used them free choice.AND had some supplement value to them also. Its still not clear to me what component (or component combination) in the tubs stimulaltes appetite.

dcara,
Adding protein to the diet stimulates growth of the bacteria in the rumen. These bacteria will help in forage digestion. When they digest the forage quicker, they'll eat more of it, provided it's available!

 

[buckaroo_bif]

I've never used them before this year because of sticker shock.

cfpinz

What's sticker shock Pinz?

I don't feed the blocks myself.

 

[denoginnizer]

I use ultralyx. I have used other brands with good result as well. The ultralyx tubs are 40% protein ,weigh 200 pounds and cost 53.50 delivered. My cattle consume about 1.2 pounds per day. These tubs claim to have all the mineral , salt and protein a cow needs.
A 50 pound bag of 16% cattle cubes cost 5.10 per bag.
I am not endorsing the tubs just putting some numbers out for comparsion value.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I use ultralyx. I have used other brands with good result as well. The ultralyx tubs are 40% protein ,weigh 200 pounds and cost 53.50 delivered. My cattle consume about 1.2 pounds per day. These tubs claim to have all the mineral , salt and protein a cow needs.
A 50 pound bag of 16% cattle cubes cost 5.10 per bag.
I am not endorsing the tubs just putting some numbers out for comparsion value.

Why would you feed a Tub with 40% Protein?? How are any type of Cattle going to utilize that much?I'd be afraid they'd squirt me from 100 yards away.There's too much BS out there in the mind of retailers that more Protein makes for a better Tub/Product. Have you looked at the Urea content?

 

[denoginnizer]

I use ultralyx. I have used other brands with good result as well. The ultralyx tubs are 40% protein ,weigh 200 pounds and cost 53.50 delivered. My cattle consume about 1.2 pounds per day. These tubs claim to have all the mineral , salt and protein a cow needs.
A 50 pound bag of 16% cattle cubes cost 5.10 per bag.
I am not endorsing the tubs just putting some numbers out for comparsion value.

Why would you feed a Tub with 40% Protein?? How are any type of Cattle going to utilize that much?I'd be afraid they'd squirt me from 100 yards away.There's too much BS out there in the mind of retailers that more Protein makes for a better Tub/Product. Have you looked at the Urea content?

.
They have urea and they have been working for me in my enviroment. However, I am certainly not saying less protein would not work just as well.I would like to hear more about how much protein cattle can utilize. My cows dont have the squirts just normal nice turds.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I use ultralyx. I have used other brands with good result as well. The ultralyx tubs are 40% protein ,weigh 200 pounds and cost 53.50 delivered. My cattle consume about 1.2 pounds per day. These tubs claim to have all the mineral , salt and protein a cow needs.
A 50 pound bag of 16% cattle cubes cost 5.10 per bag.
I am not endorsing the tubs just putting some numbers out for comparsion value.

Why would you feed a Tub with 40% Protein?? How are any type of Cattle going to utilize that much?I'd be afraid they'd squirt me from 100 yards away.There's too much BS out there in the mind of retailers that more Protein makes for a better Tub/Product. Have you looked at the Urea content?

.
They have urea and they have been working for me in my enviroment. However, I am certainly not saying less protein would not work just as well.I would like to hear more about how much protein cattle can utilize. My cows dont have the squirts just normal nice turds.

My opinion? Beef Cattle can't utilize much over 14-15% Protein.You could probably save yourself a little $ by buying a Tub with less protein, and achieve good results. Bottom line is your Cattle are not getting any better nutrition with 40% protein product.They'd do just fine with an all natural tub at about 15%.Cut out the Urea, you're not doing them any favors with it.

 

[cfpinz]

I've never used them before this year because of sticker shock.

cfpinz

What's sticker shock Pinz?

I don't feed the blocks myself.

Sticker shock: When you go to the feed store, TSC, or other farm related store and leave with a pallet of goods that is worth more than the truck you're riding in.

Of course, my trucks won't win any beauty contests, either!

cfpinz

 

[orcow]

I use NAP tubs. When the pastures are gone and sometimes in the winter depending upon weather conditions. I have seen dang good results from the heifers and cows. Ya pay for what ya get.

 

[norriscathy]

We use them, and really like them, great for heifers, and can cut back on grain when feeding these, one is good for about 20 head, and they last for almost a month. I buy mine from a local MFA, pay $65.

GMN

I assume you're purchasing a 200# tubb for $65; that is $650 per ton! Holy Moly! If your tub is 20% all natual and 20 cows eat 200# per month that means each cow is only getting 10 pounds per month or 3/10 of a pound per day. At 20% P you are only giving your cows .0667 pounds of P supplement per day! What a waste. You might as well pour syrup on that concrete block. Read the label on the tub and get out your pencil. You'll never buy another tub again! My cows get 3# per day of 3-n-1 cottonseed salt mix which is about 32% P. I am giving the a FULL pound of P as a supplement and you're only providing 6 one hundredths of one pound! Mine cost $200 per ton and yours $650. Tubs are nothing but a COMPLETE waste of money!

 

[norriscathy]

norriscathy wrote

Tubs are the MOST expensive way to go! You're probably paying close to $600 per ton for something you can buy in a sack for $200. They are easy and that's the only thing they've got going for them. The dealers will say they'll eat less; OK pour a little syrup on a concrete block, a whole lot cheaper than tubs. The whole idea is to get protein and minerals into the cow, not see how little they will eat. Try a good 3 and 1 range meal; 1/3 the cost, almost as easy and the cow is actually getting a little feed.

norriscathty - are you recommending free choice of the meal appraoch, or once, or twice a day. I thought the meal appraoch was mainly just a supplement thing and did not stimulate appetite. I really would like to understand this licktub, vs syrup, vs, meal thing better. I thought the licktub and syrups were meant to stimulate appetite throughout the day as the cattle used them free choice.AND had some supplement value to them also. Its still not clear to me what component (or component combination) in the tubs stimulaltes appetite.

To my knowledge there is NOTHING in a tub that stimulates appetite except protein. We dont't feed meal daily. The reason for the salt is that it acts as a limiter. A cow will generally eat one pound of salt per day. Young cows less, older cows a little more. We put a weeks worth of feed out once a week. It will take them several days to clean it up.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Norris, How do you put a weeks worth of feed out once a week. If I did that my Cattle would eat til they fell over dead.If you are going to feed, why not feed them a smaller amount everyday?

 

[buckaroo_bif]

We had this feller near here that turned his cows out last winter on a self feeder full of starter pellets. Had nearly 50 diad ones to drag off! Then he tried to blame the CO-Op for having bad feed!

 

[norriscathy]

Norris, How do you put a weeks worth of feed out once a week. If I did that my Cattle would eat til they fell over dead.If you are going to feed, why not feed them a smaller amount everyday?

No question, feeding cows a little feed once a day is cheaper and better. You pay almost as much for salt as you do for feed. If you have a 3 & 1 salt and meal mix the cow will only eat 4 to 5 pounds a day. Salt limits their compumption. In really bad weather when I'm trying to get more TDN in them I'll go to a 9-n-1 mix and feed twice a week (they'll eat 10 to 12 pounds per day). The key is the salt. A cow will only eat 1 pound of salt a day. I would perfer to hand feed every day, but with just two of use tending to 225 cows on a "part-time" basis, we just don't have the time or labor.

 

[dcara]

Norris, How do you put a weeks worth of feed out once a week. If I did that my Cattle would eat til they fell over dead.If you are going to feed, why not feed them a smaller amount everyday?

No question, feeding cows a little feed once a day is cheaper and better. You pay almost as much for salt as you do for feed. If you have a 3 & 1 salt and meal mix the cow will only eat 4 to 5 pounds a day. Salt limits their compumption. In really bad weather when I'm trying to get more TDN in them I'll go to a 9-n-1 mix and feed twice a week (they'll eat 10 to 12 pounds per day). The key is the salt. A cow will only eat 1 pound of salt a day. I would perfer to hand feed every day, but with just two of use tending to 225 cows on a "part-time" basis, we just don't have the time or labor.

Interesting. Please tell me what the brand names are for the 3&1 and the 9&1.

 

[norriscathy]

There really is no brand name. It is a generic feed that almost any feed store in the South can get for you. Just make sure they use cottonseed meal and salt to get the protein up. We like a feed put out by a mill in Lewisville, Arkansas; they actually restore the vegtable oil and you get a much better feed. "old process" cottonseed meal was made when the oil was mechanically squeezed from the cottonseed leaving a 4% to 5% oil content. The "new process" chemically removes almost all of the oil and leaves you with a dry product. Since oil is almost 2# of TDN for every 1# of oil, we really think the stuff from Lewisville is great. Plus the extra oil keeps the feed from blowing around in the wind.

 

[denoginnizer]

Norris, How do you put a weeks worth of feed out once a week. If I did that my Cattle would eat til they fell over dead.If you are going to feed, why not feed them a smaller amount everyday?

No question, feeding cows a little feed once a day is cheaper and better. You pay almost as much for salt as you do for feed. If you have a 3 & 1 salt and meal mix the cow will only eat 4 to 5 pounds a day. Salt limits their compumption. In really bad weather when I'm trying to get more TDN in them I'll go to a 9-n-1 mix and feed twice a week (they'll eat 10 to 12 pounds per day). The key is the salt. A cow will only eat 1 pound of salt a day. I would perfer to hand feed every day, but with just two of use tending to 225 cows on a "part-time" basis, we just don't have the time or labor.

I am still thinking the tub is cheaper and better for me than hand feeding everyday.
Do cows need to eat one pound of salt everyday?

 

[Crowderfarms]

Norris, How do you put a weeks worth of feed out once a week. If I did that my Cattle would eat til they fell over dead.If you are going to feed, why not feed them a smaller amount everyday?

No question, feeding cows a little feed once a day is cheaper and better. You pay almost as much for salt as you do for feed. If you have a 3 & 1 salt and meal mix the cow will only eat 4 to 5 pounds a day. Salt limits their compumption. In really bad weather when I'm trying to get more TDN in them I'll go to a 9-n-1 mix and feed twice a week (they'll eat 10 to 12 pounds per day). The key is the salt. A cow will only eat 1 pound of salt a day. I would perfer to hand feed every day, but with just two of use tending to 225 cows on a "part-time" basis, we just don't have the time or labor.

I am still thinking the tub is cheaper and better for me than hand feeding everyday.
Do cows need to eat one pound of salt everyday?

I never saw a Cow eat that much salt. Never. Not Ever.

 

[norriscathy]

No! Salt is just a limiter! Some people feed 2 &1 which means 2 parts cottonseed meal to 1 part salt. The cows will eat 3# per day (1 # salt, 2 # cottonseed meal). No need to hand feed; just put out 21# per cow once a week. 2 & 1 is 28% protein and they will be getting a little over 1/2 of P per day. Just adjust the salt to let them get the amount of P you want. They WILL NOT eat all 21 #'s at one time; they will only eat 3 or so pounds per day.

 

[denoginnizer]

No! Salt is just a limiter! Some people feed 2 &1 which means 2 parts cottonseed meal to 1 part salt. The cows will eat 3# per day (1 # salt, 2 # cottonseed meal). No need to hand feed; just put out 21# per cow once a week. 2 & 1 is 28% protein and they will be getting a little over 1/2 of P per day. Just adjust the salt to let them get the amount of P you want. They WILL NOT eat all 21 #'s at one time; they will only eat 3 or so pounds per day.

I am still confused. I never was very good in math but If the mix is 2 pounds cotton seed and one pound salt and I put out 21 pounds per week per cow isnt that the same as one pound of salt per cow per day?