This is why I love cubes...

[True Grit Farms]

I've always referred to them as cubes & yet we used to have a cake feeder on the back of the truck. But just bought some yesterday & the line item/description from the Coop is "6780 lbs 20% range nuggets". They've gone up! Last year I believe we locked in at 1.80 & this year locked in at 2.20. Worth every penny, though - they'll follow you anywhere.

I'd buy a boatload at that price and "supplement" with hay! :lol2: All jokes aside I would feed cubes daily and provide roughage with much cheaper hay than what I currently grow. Cubes are $400/ton here. That's buying in bags. No bulk options that I'm aware of. Sweet deal you've got going TC.

FRM sells cubes in bulk, they were $325 ton a few years ago and you had to pick up at the mill. WCS is way cheaper and better, but a real pita.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I wish I could get WCS. Love it in my show ration.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I've always referred to them as cubes & yet we used to have a cake feeder on the back of the truck. But just bought some yesterday & the line item/description from the Coop is "6780 lbs 20% range nuggets". They've gone up! Last year I believe we locked in at 1.80 & this year locked in at 2.20. Worth every penny, though - they'll follow you anywhere.

I'd buy a boatload at that price and "supplement" with hay! :lol2: All jokes aside I would feed cubes daily and provide roughage with much cheaper hay than what I currently grow. Cubes are $400/ton here. That's buying in bags. No bulk options that I'm aware of. Sweet deal you've got going TC.

FRM sells cubes in bulk, they were $325 ton a few years ago and you had to pick up at the mill. WCS is way cheaper and better, but a real pita.

Funny you said that. I actually checked on FRM bulk options today. Didn't price them but I did verify that it is an option. I may change my winter feeding program somewhat next year. I am currently feeding WCS and hay along with 20/20. Working for the cows. And working me too. I like the WCS a lot. And will continue feeding it this year and in the future. But it is labor intensive. It's not the work that bothers me. It's the time. I need some concrete bunks and a better way to get the WCS into the bunk besides used mineral tubs and plastic lined bunk feeders. But until I can do better I will keep doing it this way I guess. The more I put a pencil to it, bulk cubes seem to be a pretty feasible addition to my feeding program. And they are guaranteed, flood or drought. I need to work out a storage solution as well.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

How do you feed the WCS? Just out of the bag into a feeder with nothing else? I loved the product MIXED with my corn, oats, pellets, etc for show feed. Never thought about feeding it direct as a supplement.
First time hubby brought it home, I said "my calves will never eat that fuzzy stuff". So, I fed it to them, but put it "on top" so they could still eat their ration. Nope, they gobbled up the WCS first!! loved it from the start.

 

[JMJ Farms]

How do you feed the WCS? Just out of the bag into a feeder with nothing else? I loved the product MIXED with my corn, oats, pellets, etc for show feed. Never thought about feeding it direct as a supplement.
First time hubby brought it home, I said "my calves will never eat that fuzzy stuff". So, I fed it to them, but put it "on top" so they could still eat their ration. Nope, they gobbled up the WCS first!! loved it from the start.

I personally feed WCS like this. Probably not the best way. Definitely not the easiest. I pick it up from the gin(bulk) in a peanut wagon. Store it under barn in the wagon. Then I take repurposed protein tubs from years past when I used to feed them and fill them individually with a grain shovel. Each tub weighs approximately 80 pounds when full. Then I load them in the truck and pour them into the cheap 10' bunk troughs available at any farm store. Works real good. But it's a job and it ain't real fast.

 

[True Grit Farms]

How do you feed the WCS? Just out of the bag into a feeder with nothing else? I loved the product MIXED with my corn, oats, pellets, etc for show feed. Never thought about feeding it direct as a supplement.
First time hubby brought it home, I said "my calves will never eat that fuzzy stuff". So, I fed it to them, but put it "on top" so they could still eat their ration. Nope, they gobbled up the WCS first!! loved it from the start.

I personally feed WCS like this. Probably not the best way. Definitely not the easiest. I pick it up from the gin(bulk) in a peanut wagon. Store it under barn in the wagon. Then I take repurposed protein tubs from years past when I used to feed them and fill them individually with a grain shovel. Each tub weighs approximately 80 pounds when full. Then I load them in the truck and pour them into the cheap 10' bunk troughs available at any farm store. Works real good. But it's a job and it ain't real fast.

They make a feeder for a truck that augers wcs into feed troughs or on the ground. I've been making feed troughs out of plastic barrels and a wooden frame. We have $75 in them and there worth $200+ very happy with them. They turned out really heavy duty and should be able to handle moving with a loader and being abused.

 

[JMJ Farms]

How do you feed the WCS? Just out of the bag into a feeder with nothing else? I loved the product MIXED with my corn, oats, pellets, etc for show feed. Never thought about feeding it direct as a supplement.
First time hubby brought it home, I said "my calves will never eat that fuzzy stuff". So, I fed it to them, but put it "on top" so they could still eat their ration. Nope, they gobbled up the WCS first!! loved it from the start.

I personally feed WCS like this. Probably not the best way. Definitely not the easiest. I pick it up from the gin(bulk) in a peanut wagon. Store it under barn in the wagon. Then I take repurposed protein tubs from years past when I used to feed them and fill them individually with a grain shovel. Each tub weighs approximately 80 pounds when full. Then I load them in the truck and pour them into the cheap 10' bunk troughs available at any farm store. Works real good. But it's a job and it ain't real fast.

They make a feeder for a truck that augers wcs into feed troughs or on the ground. I've been making feed troughs out of plastic barrels and a wooden frame. We have $75 in them and there worth $200+ very happy with them. They turned out really heavy duty and should be able to handle moving with a loader and being abused.

I've got some wooden ones that I've made over the years as well. Way stronger than what you can buy. Problem right now is it's so dang wet we are making a sloppy mess everywhere we go. I can hook the Ranger or 4 wheeler to those light bunks and drag them. I have them all chained together like a train. Truck and tractor are rutting up everything. Was looking at the weather while ago on my phone. Starting next Wednesday, there is a 40% chance OR BETTER for the following 10 consecutive days. Gonna be a mess for sure if that comes to fruition.

If you run across a link for that WCS feeder I'd be mighty obliged if you'd post it :tiphat:

 

[Dave]

I make feed troughs using 4 old pickup tires I get from the tire store for free. Bolt them together in two stacks of two. Lay a 16 foot 2x12 on top and bolt it to the tires. A 2x6 on edge along side the 2x12 and a couple pieces of 2x4 for the ends and one in the middle to help brace the 2x6's. I don't have $40 into them and they are indestructible. Moving very far you want to use a FEL but it is easy to swing one end by hand. The very few times I have had one knocked over they stood back up by hand.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I personally feed WCS like this. Probably not the best way. Definitely not the easiest. I pick it up from the gin(bulk) in a peanut wagon. Store it under barn in the wagon. Then I take repurposed protein tubs from years past when I used to feed them and fill them individually with a grain shovel. Each tub weighs approximately 80 pounds when full. Then I load them in the truck and pour them into the cheap 10' bunk troughs available at any farm store. Works real good. But it's a job and it ain't real fast.

They make a feeder for a truck that augers wcs into feed troughs or on the ground. I've been making feed troughs out of plastic barrels and a wooden frame. We have $75 in them and there worth $200+ very happy with them. They turned out really heavy duty and should be able to handle moving with a loader and being abused.

I've got some wooden ones that I've made over the years as well. Way stronger than what you can buy. Problem right now is it's so dang wet we are making a sloppy mess everywhere we go. I can hook the Ranger or 4 wheeler to those light bunks and drag them. I have them all chained together like a train. Truck and tractor are rutting up everything. Was looking at the weather while ago on my phone. Starting next Wednesday, there is a 40% chance OR BETTER for the following 10 consecutive days. Gonna be a mess for sure if that comes to fruition.

If you run across a link for that WCS feeder I'd be mighty obliged if you'd post it :tiphat:

I'll bring you the brochures back from the farm show in February. There was a couple of different manufacturers marketing them up there.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I make feed troughs using 4 old pickup tires I get from the tire store for free. Bolt them together in two stacks of two. Lay a 16 foot 2x12 on top and bolt it to the tires. A 2x6 on edge along side the 2x12 and a couple pieces of 2x4 for the ends and one in the middle to help brace the 2x6's. I don't have $40 into them and they are indestructible. Moving very far you want to use a FEL but it is easy to swing one end by hand. The very few times I have had one knocked over they stood back up by hand.

Thanks Dave, I might try one with 4 tires spread out and 4 plastic barrel halves bolted on top.

 

[5S Cattle]

I personally feed WCS like this. Probably not the best way. Definitely not the easiest. I pick it up from the gin(bulk) in a peanut wagon. Store it under barn in the wagon. Then I take repurposed protein tubs from years past when I used to feed them and fill them individually with a grain shovel. Each tub weighs approximately 80 pounds when full. Then I load them in the truck and pour them into the cheap 10' bunk troughs available at any farm store. Works real good. But it's a job and it ain't real fast.

They make a feeder for a truck that augers wcs into feed troughs or on the ground. I've been making feed troughs out of plastic barrels and a wooden frame. We have $75 in them and there worth $200+ very happy with them. They turned out really heavy duty and should be able to handle moving with a loader and being abused.

I've got some wooden ones that I've made over the years as well. Way stronger than what you can buy. Problem right now is it's so dang wet we are making a sloppy mess everywhere we go. I can hook the Ranger or 4 wheeler to those light bunks and drag them. I have them all chained together like a train. Truck and tractor are rutting up everything. Was looking at the weather while ago on my phone. Starting next Wednesday, there is a 40% chance OR BETTER for the following 10 consecutive days. Gonna be a mess for sure if that comes to fruition.

If you run across a link for that WCS feeder I'd be mighty obliged if you'd post it :tiphat:

Interested in that WCS feeder as well

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

https://www.stullfeeders.com/

I have a small Stull feeder in my Gator. I only use it during the winter when the cows are home. It holds 200lbs of cubes.
A local mill makes cubes out of wheat midds and that's what I buy. Last was 2 tons at $540. They're in bags. I don't think they're a real high protein source but they're fantastic bait.

 

[Brute 23]

https://www.stullfeeders.com/

I have a small Stull feeder in my Gator. I only use it during the winter when the cows are home. It holds 200lbs of cubes.
A local mill makes cubes out of wheat midds and that's what I buy. Last was 2 tons at $540. They're in bags. I don't think they're a real high protein source but they're fantastic bait.

That is what I need. I put the bags out by hand and it can get sketchy. Im usually holding a sack with one arm and my fg stick with the other whopping on their heads. It would be perfect on a trailer that I can pull with a utv.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

I didn't have it in the gator earlier this fall. I was doing like you and dumping a bag out when a heifer pushed me into the tail gate. I was scared to look at my leg cause the way it hurt I expected to see something bad. Never broke the skin but had an awful bruise.
I can regulate the cubes coming out so a bag goes farther. Only problem is now the Gator is a 'food magnet' and if I go into a pen, I can't get out because everything follows.

 

[TCRanch]

I've considered something similar for the back of my Polaris. We haul a portable grain tote to the Coop, fill the tote then spend quality time filling individual buckets, which I carry to the bunks & dump, trying not to get run over. "Trying" is the operative word: one time I got knocked into the feed bunk, still holding the bucket in my lap as my legs dangled over the side. I felt like the main course at a buffet as the cows simply started eating - on & around me. :roll:

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

TC-awhile back I saw an advertisement for a 'valve' (that's what I'll call it for lack of a better word) that went into the bottom of those big totes. You could hang the tote and this 'valve' would open and close the bottom allowing you to fill buckets, etc. I've tried to find it again but haven't. It was reusable and I thought pretty darn cool.

I think those Stull feeders ship unassembled. I bought mine from a local who was quitting cows. He'd put it together wrong so it didn't hold what it was designed for. We took it apart and reassembled it. Made a big difference.