Tub question

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farmguy

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I went to Fleet Farm to buy a ton of 28% protein tubs. They were short so I took two 20% tubs. I winter graze and the manure indicated a little more protein may be needed. The cows went for the 20% tubs and they are gone but the 28% tubs are hardly touched. Visibly they look the same and the tag shows only difference is that the 28% tubs have "plant Protein products". Any idea?
 
Are they processed the same? Meaning are both cooked or are they pressed? If you have one of each that would lead to a big difference in consumption or at least it always has for me.
 
farmguy":1hcrde7a said:
I went to Fleet Farm to buy a ton of 28% protein tubs. They were short so I took two 20% tubs. I winter graze and the manure indicated a little more protein may be needed. The cows went for the 20% tubs and they are gone but the 28% tubs are hardly touched. Visibly they look the same and the tag shows only difference is that the 28% tubs have "plant Protein products". Any idea?

Were they priced about the same (give or take a couple of bucks)?? Cooked tubs have most of the moisture cooked out of them and are very hard. All the cow can eat is what the humidity in the air softens on the surface of the tub. The poured tubs or chemically hardened tubs are much softer and cows can literally eat big chunks of them. Not saying this is the case but just one possibility.
 
They were priced about the same $58 and $55 for a 200 lb tub. It has been cold, up to -28F, so maybe now the weather is going to be in the 30s for highs for a few days things may change.
 
I didn't realize it (the why behind it) at the time, but I too had similar situations occur. I personally didn't like their ability to bite off chunks of the tub. The idea was to lick the tub, get their belly hot and go over and eat the sometimes questionable hay....especially when I ran short of my normal hay reserve (because it was too good and they pigged out and ran short) and I had to find what I could, usually of poor quality at an exaggerated price.....if you could find it at all in the winter months.
 
farmguy":11wgyaq4 said:
They were priced about the same $58 and $55 for a 200 lb tub. It has been cold, up to -28F, so maybe now the weather is going to be in the 30s for highs for a few days things may change.
If that's for a 200 lb. or heavier tub the price tells me it's a chemically hardened tub. Cooked tubs that weight usually run around $80. Should expect high consumption, often as much as 3-4-5 lbs. per head per day. The plant protein products should be good and a non factor. Some will use feather meal which has a pretty funky smell and taste but mixed into molasses works ok. Some manufacturers also use beet molasses rather than cane molasses but is seldom a problem.
 
Don't all tubs say on the label recommended consumption? And aren't the soft ones designed for more consumption anyway? No matter which type, if they eat the amount they are supposed to, tubs are pricey, which is why this winter for the first time we're trying a high protein high energy feed instead. Cows are in better winter shape than ever before and I think it's going to save $ although won't know for sure until its all added up.
All our land is within 5 miles. If I had to drive 30 miles to feed or work a public job til dark, I'd still be using tubs.
 
Midtenn":2kbctcev said:
Don't all tubs say on the label recommended consumption? And aren't the soft ones designed for more consumption anyway? No matter which type, if they eat the amount they are supposed to, tubs are pricey, which is why this winter for the first time we're trying a high protein high energy feed instead. Cows are in better winter shape than ever before and I think it's going to save $ although won't know for sure until its all added up.
All our land is within 5 miles. If I had to drive 30 miles to feed or work a public job til dark, I'd still be using tubs.
Feeding directions usually will give you an idea of the consumption to expect.
 
TexasBred":2qwy2cpt said:
farmguy":2qwy2cpt said:
They were priced about the same $58 and $55 for a 200 lb tub. It has been cold, up to -28F, so maybe now the weather is going to be in the 30s for highs for a few days things may change.
If that's for a 200 lb. or heavier tub the price tells me it's a chemically hardened tub. Cooked tubs that weight usually run around $80. Should expect high consumption, often as much as 3-4-5 lbs. per head per day. The plant protein products should be good and a non factor. Some will use feather meal which has a pretty funky smell and taste but mixed into molasses works ok. Some manufacturers also use beet molasses rather than cane molasses but is seldom a problem.

I bought the chicken feathers tubs once!
 
Texasmark":3da1ikxc said:
TexasBred":3da1ikxc said:
farmguy":3da1ikxc said:
They were priced about the same $58 and $55 for a 200 lb tub. It has been cold, up to -28F, so maybe now the weather is going to be in the 30s for highs for a few days things may change.
If that's for a 200 lb. or heavier tub the price tells me it's a chemically hardened tub. Cooked tubs that weight usually run around $80. Should expect high consumption, often as much as 3-4-5 lbs. per head per day. The plant protein products should be good and a non factor. Some will use feather meal which has a pretty funky smell and taste but mixed into molasses works ok. Some manufacturers also use beet molasses rather than cane molasses but is seldom a problem.

I bought the chicken feathers tubs once!
A plant about 40 miles down the road from me makes one. I've never used them but he says he sells a lot of them. They're used in a 30% tub.
 
TexasBred":2am5gr65 said:
farmguy":2am5gr65 said:
I went to Fleet Farm to buy a ton of 28% protein tubs. They were short so I took two 20% tubs. I winter graze and the manure indicated a little more protein may be needed. The cows went for the 20% tubs and they are gone but the 28% tubs are hardly touched. Visibly they look the same and the tag shows only difference is that the 28% tubs have "plant Protein products". Any idea?

Were they priced about the same (give or take a couple of bucks)?? Cooked tubs have most of the moisture cooked out of them and are very hard. All the cow can eat is what the humidity in the air softens on the surface of the tub. The poured tubs or chemically hardened tubs are much softer and cows can literally eat big chunks of them. Not saying this is the case but just one possibility.

I only tried a couple of them but when it's real cold, even the cheaper poured tubs got too hard for the cows to eat chunks of them, but when the sun shined directly on them, the top 1/2" was like tar.
The good stuff here is over $70/200lb tub and comes in a returnable steel drum. I don't remember who makes 'em but 2-3 of those empty tubs floated off my place not long ago... I don't know how the feed store does that..charge me a core maybe..
 
greybeard":1eyhk2am said:
I only tried a couple of them but when it's real cold, even the cheaper poured tubs got too hard for the cows to eat chunks of them, but when the sun shined directly on them, the top 1/2" was like tar.
The good stuff here is over $70/200lb tub and comes in a returnable steel drum. I don't remember who makes 'em but 2-3 of those empty tubs floated off my place not long ago... I don't know how the feed store does that..charge me a core maybe..
GB some of them did use to charge you for that metal drum and refund it if you brought back the tub. Crystalyx was one of them
 
farmguy":bxtx9yv4 said:
I went to Fleet Farm to buy a ton of 28% protein tubs. They were short so I took two 20% tubs. I winter graze and the manure indicated a little more protein may be needed. The cows went for the 20% tubs and they are gone but the 28% tubs are hardly touched. Visibly they look the same and the tag shows only difference is that the 28% tubs have "plant Protein products". Any idea?

This sounds asinine, but I was told by a guy that used to run one of ADM's tub plants that if they are consuming too much of pressed tubs (the ones that look like grain not molasses) you need to put more out because they soften via saliva. So more tubs=more surface area/tounge and they won't be able to eat as much. The other thing he said was some companies will change their formula every day to make the cheapest tub they can. Which can also cause crazy things when trying to control consumption.


My guess is one tub was softer than the other (because of formula/brand difference) & the cows figured that out & had a feast. If you want them to consume less go with the harder tub & add another one if you are still over consuming.
 
TexasBred":lus537yc said:
greybeard":lus537yc said:
I only tried a couple of them but when it's real cold, even the cheaper poured tubs got too hard for the cows to eat chunks of them, but when the sun shined directly on them, the top 1/2" was like tar.
The good stuff here is over $70/200lb tub and comes in a returnable steel drum. I don't remember who makes 'em but 2-3 of those empty tubs floated off my place not long ago... I don't know how the feed store does that..charge me a core maybe..
GB some of them did use to charge you for that metal drum and refund it if you brought back the tub. Crystalyx was one of them
Probably did and it probably was crystlyx or sweetlyx. They had a bunch of empties on a pallet last time I was there.

Someone around here buys lots of them..I see those round pasteboard covers on the side of the road everytime I go to town.
 
cjmc":14lqfr5j said:
farmguy":14lqfr5j said:
I went to Fleet Farm to buy a ton of 28% protein tubs. They were short so I took two 20% tubs. I winter graze and the manure indicated a little more protein may be needed. The cows went for the 20% tubs and they are gone but the 28% tubs are hardly touched. Visibly they look the same and the tag shows only difference is that the 28% tubs have "plant Protein products". Any idea?

This sounds asinine, but I was told by a guy that used to run one of ADM's tub plants that if they are consuming too much of pressed tubs (the ones that look like grain not molasses) you need to put more out because they soften via saliva. So more tubs=more surface area/tounge and they won't be able to eat as much. The other thing he said was some companies will change their formula every day to make the cheapest tub they can. Which can also cause crazy things when trying to control consumption.


My guess is one tub was softer than the other (because of formula/brand difference) & the cows figured that out & had a feast. If you want them to consume less go with the harder tub & add another one if you are still over consuming.

Well you can throw the :bs: on that one.
 
The daytime temps are now in the 30s F and they are going after the 28% tubs now. farmguy
 
TexasBred":3oydnqe7 said:
Texasmark":3oydnqe7 said:
TexasBred":3oydnqe7 said:
If that's for a 200 lb. or heavier tub the price tells me it's a chemically hardened tub. Cooked tubs that weight usually run around $80. Should expect high consumption, often as much as 3-4-5 lbs. per head per day. The plant protein products should be good and a non factor. Some will use feather meal which has a pretty funky smell and taste but mixed into molasses works ok. Some manufacturers also use beet molasses rather than cane molasses but is seldom a problem.

I bought the chicken feathers tubs once!
A plant about 40 miles down the road from me makes one. I've never used them but he says he sells a lot of them. They're used in a 30% tub.

I wouldn't want to be down wind within 20miles of that place. Grin.
 
Texasmark":1i9bczkf said:
TexasBred":1i9bczkf said:
Texasmark":1i9bczkf said:
I bought the chicken feathers tubs once!
A plant about 40 miles down the road from me makes one. I've never used them but he says he sells a lot of them. They're used in a 30% tub.

I wouldn't want to be down wind within 20miles of that place. Grin.

Oh mercy. That is some funky stuff.
 

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