Range cubes

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In this hay shortage it is an advantage to feeding cubes 50 lb sack 20% protien 4.50 square bales poor quality 6.50 Round bales not to be found in this area everyone is holding it if they got them.
 
I try to help my cattle all I can, They get cubes every Saturday.Have a constant supply of hay in the ring,get molasses tubs & loose mineral. I found some 37% protein blocks at Tractor Supply the cows seem to like and those are also put out. I sure wouldn't want to try to survive on hay and dried up pasture grass.
 
slb714, that is exactly the rate I paid yesterday at TSC for essentially the same % protein cubes --- half a ton would be twenty 50 pound bags and they went for $5.55 per bag --- 20 x $5.55 = $111

As I recall, TSC gives you a 50 cent per bag discount if you buy 20 or more (if you can adequately store them).

Of course, depending on the distance you are from a supplier and the quantity you purchase, unbagged bulk purchases would probably be even cheaper (storage capability is obviously an issue here as well).
 
Arnold Ziffle":11ozi7s8 said:
slb714, that is exactly the rate I paid yesterday at TSC for essentially the same % protein cubes --- half a ton would be twenty 50 pound bags and they went for $5.55 per bag --- 20 x $5.55 = $111

As I recall, TSC gives you a 50 cent per bag discount if you buy 20 or more (if you can adequately store them).

Of course, depending on the distance you are from a supplier and the quantity you purchase, unbagged bulk purchases would probably be even cheaper (storage capability is obviously an issue here as well).
I have always got the 20% cubes for $5.05 per bag before discount. Usually purchase 2 pallets at a time.

BTW: This is at the Decatur TSC.
 
cowboy43":zc89n9ln said:
How do you feed the cows ,do you spread out on the ground or feed them in a trough?

Small piles on the ground about 15 foot apart. Cows will circle the piles a few to each. If you pour out in a line always one wants to walk down the line. Stomping em in the ground.
 
callmefence":25zovgih said:
cowboy43":25zovgih said:
How do you feed the cows ,do you spread out on the ground or feed them in a trough?

Small piles on the ground about 15 foot apart. Cows will circle the piles a few to each. If you pour out in a line always one wants to walk down the line. Stomping em in the ground.
And a couple more want to bow up and pee or crap right down the middle of the line.
 


I use a pick up with a Trip Hopper mounted on a flat bed. I just make a large circle making piles about 10' apart. I then park the truck. Then get out and walk around to closely check and count the cows, calves, and bull. When I'm going to work them, I start feeding them in the working pens about 2 weeks ahead of time
 
So, can the range cubes be a replacement for protein tubs? Or, do any of you use both?
 
I've never seen range cubes for sale around here. The local TSC was supposed to order me in a few bags to try over a year ago, after they were done looking at me like I had three heads and I showed them on the website. They never called to say they were in and when I stopped in a month later nobody knew what I was talking about, again. Local feed store had heard of them but doesn't carry them. I use tubs. People can say what they want about them being expensive but they are easy and they work. They only seem to hit them hard when they need it, which makes them even more worth it. How many are feeding cubes more than is really needed?
 
Cucumber35":1uj0b4u8 said:
I've never seen range cubes for sale around here. The local TSC was supposed to order me in a few bags to try over a year ago, after they were done looking at me like I had three heads and I showed them on the website. They never called to say they were in and when I stopped in a month later nobody knew what I was talking about, again. Local feed store had heard of them but doesn't carry them. I use tubs. People can say what they want about them being expensive but they are easy and they work. They only seem to hit them hard when they need it, which makes them even more worth it. How many are feeding cubes more than is really needed?
How many are feeding tubs at "more than is really needed" and how do you know how much is needed. If they are there they will eat them whether they need them or not. And at $800--1,000 a ton I can't stand to feed anything free choice except hay and it's been tested. I often wonder if cattle get enough supplementation from tubs. Assuming consumption of 1 lb. per head per day that's not much protein...25 to .35 lbs. per head per day. Double the intake and it's still not much.
 
Not saying one way or another is wrong, just seems like a lot of responses on here saying they feed cubes as more of a treat or incentive to make handling easier than a supplement. Which I totally understand, I use a bucket of steer feed here or there for the same purpose. Just seems like if you're putting cubes out every week or however, the cows are going to eat them like candy sure, but do they really need the nutritional supplement? Maybe they would eat the tubs too much also but that's not my experience. I'm aware they aren't considered the most economical but they seem to fill in the gap as long as it's not too large. If I had access to cubes I'd probably try them too. If I had really poor hay I'd certainly look into another way to supplement. I'm currently feeding some decent second cutting hay and almost 50 head haven't finished a 200lb tub in a month. Before I was steadily feeding hay and the pastures were slowing up, they were easily consuming double that. My thought is they provide an easy solution to bridge any small gaps in nutrition. They might not always need it but it's there if they do. I generally have good enough hay that they would stay in fair condition on that alone. I like the peace of mind knowing that if they need a little more it's there. If I had lousy hay, I'd think there are better ways to supplement than tubs or range cubes. Just another tool in the box. Wish cubes was an option for me, seems most people on here use them in one way or another.
 
We have a product put up by a local coop called msg....wheat mids, soy hulls and corn gluten mostly....14% protein....
I give heifers about 2 lbs per day with grass.
AI group gets about a lb per head per day for thirty days setup and thru AI breeding.
When they first made it it was pretty inexpensive....now it is about 10.00 per bag...
I feed it in a trough and the fed animals come to call every night.
 
Really need a sharp pencil when supplementing cattle.
You can turn them from red working cattle to blue welfare cattle quick.
There are products out there to hook the cattlemen not the cattle.
Tubs are one of them at 800 to 900 a ton will take the profits out quickly.
 
Caustic Burno":3kesmjll said:
Really need a sharp pencil when supplementing cattle.
You can turn them from red working cattle to blue welfare cattle quick.
There are products out there to hook the cattlemen not the cattle.
Tubs are one of them at 800 to 900 a ton will take the profits out quickly.

I agree....
I only supplement pre breeding for the AI group....
AND only thru the AI period.
my rationale is if I am going to spend the money on synchrony and semen and breeding expense then I don't want nutrition to be the missing factor in conception....

The feed is as much a management tool to get them to come to the barn every night as it is a supplement.

th AI breeding group is still grazing as of today and should still have grass for another week or so.... :cowboy:
 

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