Protein tubs?

[Dlongmo]

Anyone with experience using protons tubs?

 

[slick4591]

Here's another thread on the topic that's new. Hope that helps ya!

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=72425&hilit=tubs

 

[John SD]

Anyone with experience using protons tubs?

Dlongmo, first off :welcome: to CT!

There has been a lot of discussion on protein tubs here over the years and also some discussion quite recently. If you do a search for protein tubs, it will take you at least half a day to catch up. ;-)

I must say Protons tubs is a brand I've never heard of so can't help you with your specific question. I have fed both Crystalyx and SmartLic. Both good products made locally in Whitewood SD and Belle Fourche SD respectively. IMO, the returnable metal tub is a bonus. Or you can keep the half barrel and use it to water a few cattle, or feed salt in it until it disintegrates!

Which reminds me, to get better answers to some questions here, it helps to know your general location. I am now a semi-retired rancher in western SD.

In general, tubs are the most expensive protein/energy you can buy for what you get. You pay for the convenience of setting a tub out to the cattle but don't have to be there every day to feed them. That in itself can be a very good reason to feed tubs. But if you or someone can be there to feed every day or two, good alfalfa hay, cake, DDG, and other feed sources probably give you better bang for your buck. That is my :2cents:

Again :welcome: Good bunch of folks here!

 

[Dlongmo]

Thanks for the reply .. I am in aw missouri.. I feel like our 205 day weaning weight is a little lower than it should be (400#) .. These cattle get only the feed Mother Nature provides.. I am trying to figure out what direction I need to go.. Thanks again

 

[dun]

The weaning weightss could be the breed or frame of the cattle, the forage base or not being adapted to the forage. If you want to try to increase WW with supplements there are a lot cheaper ways then tubs.

 

[Bigfoot]

I think protein tubs are an expensive source of protein.

 

[Dlongmo]

We have around 250 calves a year so if I can gain a little weight here and there it will really add up..

 

[The Livestock Trader]

We have used protein "cake" for some time with our "Bucking Bulls" and I can tell you first hand it makes a significant difference. We did a study with a batch that got it and those that didn't. Those that did had less disease, were more active and had more energy. We fed them 3x a week and then off a week. Just my two cents. Its a bit more $ but its worth it if you can afford it.

 

[TexasBred]

Thanks for the reply .. I am in aw missouri.. I feel like our 205 day weaning weight is a little lower than it should be (400#) .. These cattle get only the feed Mother Nature provides.. I am trying to figure out what direction I need to go.. Thanks again

Then I'd concentrate on making better grass and hay available. If you do supplement, tubs are "convenient" but the most expensive source of supplementation.

 

[CravinGrazin]

Couple of questions... Where's aw Missouri? You mention your 205 day weights are off, but I must've missed when you calve? I assume fescue is your forage base?

I think Livestock Trader's on the right track. I specialized in working with guys looking to build framey calves for years and we'd focus on protein first. If you're looking for convenience you can feed every other or even every third day with an all natural protein that has some decent energy in it. In the feedyard we'd use around 14% and on grass it was usually about 25%with a nice TDN. Course that all depends on the main part of the ration. Balance is key - frame beats fleshy every time. Interested to get more info if you have time

 

[The Livestock Trader]

I haven't messed with protein "tubs" Molasses tubs (yes, and they are great) but make sure you do your homework and buy exactly what you need/want to achieve. Too much protein is simply expensive byproduct out of your animals and wasted money!!

 

[TexasBred]

I haven't messed with protein "tubs" Molasses tubs (yes, and they are great) but make sure you do your homework and buy exactly what you need/want to achieve. Too much protein is simply expensive byproduct out of your animals and wasted money!!

Molasses tubs ARE protein tubs, the molasses simply being the carrier. Seldom will an animal get excessive protein from one of these tubs due to low consumption rate.

 

[The Livestock Trader]

I haven't messed with protein "tubs" Molasses tubs (yes, and they are great) but make sure you do your homework and buy exactly what you need/want to achieve. Too much protein is simply expensive byproduct out of your animals and wasted money!!

Molasses tubs ARE protein tubs, the molasses simply being the carrier. Seldom will an animal get excessive protein from one of these tubs due to low consumption rate.

Couldnt agree more and they tend to provide yet another mechanism to transport the protein.

 

[RoanDurham]

^ excellent point regarding the sugar in molasses being a transport for protein.

Using Tubs is a no-brainer for me. The diesel savings alone from not having to feed daily pays for the tubs. I feed the 32% cooked tubs year round.

 

[TexasBred]

^ excellent point regarding the sugar in molasses being a transport for protein.

Using Tubs is a no-brainer for me. The diesel savings alone from not having to feed daily pays for the tubs. I feed the 32% cooked tubs year round.

I can't justify paying over $800 a ton for anything to feed a cow.

 

[RoanDurham]

^ excellent point regarding the sugar in molasses being a transport for protein.

Using Tubs is a no-brainer for me. The diesel savings alone from not having to feed daily pays for the tubs. I feed the 32% cooked tubs year round.

I can't justify paying over $800 a ton for anything to feed a cow.

Haha you'd really hate to see my diesel bill then. Without tubs, it'd cost me more in fuel to make daily rounds than the cost to actually feed them.

 

[Bez__]

Viscious circle / cycle starting again - the wheel is coming around again

When cattle prices are low people work to find the cheapest way to put weight on cattle.

When cattle prices are good - no one really works to keep the feed costs down as they can "justify the expense" and every Tom, Dick and Harry outfit starts selling Gucci feed.

Then cattle prices drop and people take a while to adjust - forgetting and then re-learning that cost of production truly does affect the bottom line.

People go broke or come close to it while they adjust to lower cattle prices - and Gucci feed producers disappear - only to appear when the cycle comes around again.

Cattle in the field only need good grass, some edible weeds for variety, mineral, salt and clean water - if they do not gain toss them for better genetics.

Cattle in the feed lot do very well on silage based feed, minerals, salt and clean water - or similar based feeds.

I think I will stay away from tubs and maintain my "once a year" winter feed program to keep my cost of production down.

Call me an old time farmer/rancher who avoids all the gimmicks as best as he can and uses breeding and genetics to improve the gain while the bovines get by on plain old "cow feed"

Best to all

Bez__

 

[RoanDurham]

Cattle in which field? (Rhetorical)

 

[John SD]

Viscious circle / cycle starting again - the wheel is coming around again

When cattle prices are low people work to find the cheapest way to put weight on cattle.

When cattle prices are good - no one really works to keep the feed costs down as they can "justify the expense" and every Tom, Dick and Harry outfit starts selling Gucci feed.

Then cattle prices drop and people take a while to adjust - forgetting and then re-learning that cost of production truly does affect the bottom line.

People go broke or come close to it while they adjust to lower cattle prices - and Gucci feed producers disappear - only to appear when the cycle comes around again.

Cattle in the field only need good grass, some edible weeds for variety, mineral, salt and clean water - if they do not gain toss them for better genetics.

Cattle in the feed lot do very well on silage based feed, minerals, salt and clean water - or similar based feeds.

I think I will stay away from tubs and maintain my "once a year" winter feed program to keep my cost of production down.

Call me an old time farmer/rancher who avoids all the gimmicks as best as he can and uses breeding and genetics to improve the gain while the bovines get by on plain old "cow feed"

Best to all

Bez__

Good post Bez. IMO, if there truly is a need to feed 32% tubs year round, there is something seriously out of whack with the operation.

Either the available forage lacks quality and/or quantity for the herd's needs. Or the genetics and performance in the herd need improvement.

Bez and others are correct. IMO, the best route to cost effective overall herd improvement is through breeding, not feeding. :2cents:

 

[RoanDurham]

Blatant foolishness. Do yourself a favor and look up the nutritional value of dormant Bermuda.

My cattle will STAY a full bcs point higher throughout the year when given access to quality tubs than they will without them. I personally get much more satisfaction appraising my cattle in a BCS of 6 than in a BCS of 4.5-5. Quantify that.