Trying something different.

[Ned Jr.]

Any opinions yet? I just bought another ton. I'm giving to my yearling bulls and heifers. One thing I've noticed is it seems to really help their hair coat. They're real shinny, smooth and velvet like. Just seems like if it improves their hair that much the overall health has to be better too.

 

[MACVSOG]

I'm often the slowest hunchback in the lineup (that's why she said yes), so I'm gonna need some help here. I see the orange tub and fancy cows, clean snow, freaking cat, etc.
What are y'all talking about?

i felt like i was late to the first day of college and found i was in the wrong class.
interesting conversation. i just checked on riomax for me. the closest dealer to me is about 150 miles, but they will deliver a truck load.

then checked on rite-lix. unless i clicked wrong all the dealers are in canada. that would be fine except i doubt i could afford delivery to texas.

now to plan j.

 

[Silver]

So it's been almost 3 months, do you have a verdict yet?

 

[MACVSOG]

So it's been almost 3 months, do you have a verdict yet?

three months? must have set my clock on speed dial.

settle for mls tubs locally, protein and minerals combo. added fly control for good measure. previously never had much luck with any cattle using minerals, just sat there unused.

moved all younger cattle to another property. they were cautious, but liking it now. will try same with other groups.

 

[gcreekrch]

Very expensive experiment. First four tubs to 190 cows went out February 6. Expected finish was to be March 7. They were gone on February 27. Next four went out following day. Ran out 15 days later. Brought cows home and tubs did not go back out until April 7. 4 tubs to 130 cows lasted 17 days. Last 4 tubs I will ever buy from RioMax went out on the 24th. Contrary to their claim, feed consumption stayed the same or increased.

 

[cowman82]

yea.. just like those lick tanks.. they'll stand around and lick at them all day.

 

[Brute 23]

That's not good.

 

[Lucky]

Very expensive experiment. First four tubs to 190 cows went out February 6. Expected finish was to be March 7. They were gone on February 27. Next four went out following day. Ran out 15 days later. Brought cows home and tubs did not go back out until April 7. 4 tubs to 130 cows lasted 17 days. Last 4 tubs I will ever buy from RioMax went out on the 24th. Contrary to their claim, feed consumption stayed the same or increased.

Thanks for the good info. Had a guy last month try to talk me into a new type of liquid feed that was supposed to work miracles. He claimed it cost $91 a hd per year if we kept it out year round. $91 doesn't sound much can get expensive fast when you do the math. I passed, we've never had any luck out of tubs or liquid feed.

 

[CowboyRam]

I tried the SweetPro tubs a few years ago to ween my calves on. The consumption rate was way higher than what they said it was supposed to be. I think they under state the consumption rate so that they can sell their product.

 

[gcreekrch]

That's not good.

Last tubs cost $1.21 phpd

 

[gcreekrch]

yea.. just like those lick tanks.. they'll stand around and lick at them all day.

Sales man suggested I put a salt block in each tub and move them farther away. I told him they would stand alone here or not be used. We use tubs for various reasons during fall rustling and for young cows and their calves in spring but the tubs that cost 1/3 the price work just as well.

 

[Silver]

Very expensive experiment. First four tubs to 190 cows went out February 6. Expected finish was to be March 7. They were gone on February 27. Next four went out following day. Ran out 15 days later. Brought cows home and tubs did not go back out until April 7. 4 tubs to 130 cows lasted 17 days. Last 4 tubs I will ever buy from RioMax went out on the 24th. Contrary to their claim, feed consumption stayed the same or increased.

Well I guess you never know unless you try. I would consider this a win win. You get a tax write off and I get free first hand cost saving knowledge.
I wish it would have worked though, it sure sounded compelling.

 

[Lucky]

We use tubs in the late summer early fall if the grass starts looking rough. We try to use PVM tubs and on round 2 they'll pretty well consume what the label states. The thing that turned me off on the RioMax tubs was they're hay figures. Every video I watched they used $200 a ton or bale as they're hay cost. Around here hay is $40-45 for an 1,100# pasture grass bale. That's along way from $200. We do have access to really good fertilized and irrigated hay for $200 a ton but at that point I'd think your better off feeding the better hay and getting the added benefits. When companies use inflated figures it gets hard for me to believe in their product.

 

[Travlr]

Thanks for the good info. Had a guy last month try to talk me into a new type of liquid feed that was supposed to work miracles. He claimed it cost $91 a hd per year if we kept it out year round. $91 doesn't sound much can get expensive fast when you do the math. I passed, we've never had any luck out of tubs or liquid feed.

I'm no fan either... If I can't do better using the genetics and selection of animals that perform I'm doing something wrong.

 

[1982vett]

Your orange tub looks like my black tub, likely the similarity ends with a mold.

I've had to use tubs this year to get them to eat the less than stellar hay I have an abundance of. Without any fall rain, pasture was quickly running out and they didn't like the hay until I put the tubs out. So for me, hay consumption was increased. But with that said, wasn't much pasture left so hay consumption would likely have increased anyway so we are down to condition. I wouldn't say hey are in their best condition. I would say condition loss has slowed. We did get some good rain at the end of December and early January. Winter grasses and clover are waiting for some more rain and warmer temperatures (which we are getting). Rain not so much as warmer temperatures. Turned into my last pasture several days ago and they have pretty much ignored the hay. However, still making the round to the tubs. A good rain that greybeard says are promised next week should end the hay feeding (and tubs) for this winter....I hope.

Here is my results for 33 cows, 1 bull, 10-15 calves various ages 5 months and below.

First 3 tubs were put out October 23rd. Hay consumption increased after they cleaned up the last pasture. Second set of 3 tubs put out November 20th. Third set of 3 tubs went out December 20th and 2 more tubs set out January 31st. I mentioned on Feb 9 I had expected to have put out the last bale for the year. Well we did get a good rain that was followed by a hard freeze. That set the grass back and slowed it's growth so the last bale was set out March 11. Took a while for them to finish them off. April 15 I picked up the last two tubs I had put out in January. Both were about half eaten so I'll call it 10 tubs used. Tub use slacked off as the grass greened up.

10 tubs cost $1360/34 animals/126 days + 32 cents per day. Consumption of 2500 #/34 animals/126 days + .58lbs per day not counting for the calves consumption.

Bag of cubes cost $15.

 

[gcreekrch]

Here is my results for 33 cows, 1 bull, 10-15 calves various ages 5 months and below.

First 3 tubs were put out October 23rd. Hay consumption increased after they cleaned up the last pasture. Second set of 3 tubs put out November 20th. Third set of 3 tubs went out December 20th and 2 more tubs set out January 31st. I mentioned on Feb 9 I had expected to have put out the last bale for the year. Well we did get a good rain that was followed by a hard freeze. That set the grass back and slowed it's growth so the last bale was set out March 11. Took a while for them to finish them off. April 15 I picked up the last two tubs I had put out in January. Both were about half eaten so I'll call it 10 tubs used. Tub use slacked off as the grass greened up.

10 tubs cost $1360/34 animals/126 days + 32 cents per day. Consumption of 2500 #/34 animals/126 days + .58lbs per day not counting for the calves consumption.

Bag of cubes cost $15.

For $1.20 per day I could have fed 10 lbs of pea screenings phpd and actually reduced hay consumption by 14 or 15 lbs.

 

[1982vett]

Rough figures on hay consumption: Fed 68 rolls over about 150 days so 2 1200 lb. rolls per cow comes to somewhere around 16# a day.

Inventory shows 325 rolls still in the barns most of which runs 7.5 to 9% crude protein. Have a few clover mix hay that will go 10.5%. I don't usually have to feed that much. In 2024 I fed 30 rolls and no tubs to 43 cows. My hay problem is it's quality. As much as I whine about not enough rain, the past 5 years it's been to rainy to bale on time or like this year, not enough rain to grow it. A little procrastination to bale since I really don't need it hasn't helped the situation either.

 

[anewcomer]

gcreek, thanks for the figures, confirms my thoughts.

 

[Dave]

I used Vita-Licks tub this winter. One 250 pound tub lasted the 60 cows for 14-15 days. Figuring for 14 days it works out to 4 ounces per cow a day. Feeding big square bales at the rate of a bale and a half per day. Given that the bales weigh 1,100 lbs each that works out to 27.5 pounds per day for each cow. At $120 a ton for grass hay that is $247.50 per cow for hay. That is somewhat ball park figuring because I didn't have all the cows here on the same day to start feeding. I am well under $300 per cow to feed for the winter. I am about $1,550 per cow to buy them. So that is about $1,850 per pair. Those BM pairs sold for $2,400 at the sale today. I do like being in the black before they even go to grass.

 

[BFE]

I've started using tubs for newly weaned calves. Give them a little something extra, and the calves don't go through them very fast. I use the purina, there's definitely a difference in consumption between them and the black or yellow Rural King tub. It's not much extra money for any benefit. Too expensive for cow use for me.