One Feed, multi-speicies, is it Possible?

[Muleman]

We have chickens, goats, sheep and pigs. I have been having a simple 14% supplement feed mixed in bulk for my pigs, basically corn and soy ( the soy to get the protein up where it need to be 14% to 16%) with minerals and lysine added. We have been buying laying pellets by the pallet, which is a bit cheaper and the goat and sheep feed, as we need it in bags also. I have been looking at the ingredients and analysis of each feed and they are fairly similar. So I have been thinking. Is it possible to get one feed mixed in bulk and still provide decent nutritional values for a variety of farm animals? Comparing labels the only thing I really see missing for the chickens would be calcium, but that could be added as a supplement easy enough. The other animals would not need the high 3% calcium levels. Other than that, it looks like a corn, soybean mix to get up to 14% to 16% protein would cover all of the above. Any thoughts on this or has anyone else looked into it? Sure would simplify things and also allow me to buy in larger quantities, which would mean a lower price as well. I do notice that the goat and sheep feed has a higher fiber content than the chicken feed at 20% compared to 7%.

What bothers me with the ready made bagged feed as opposed to what I have been having mixed is the "Grain By-products"? Looks to me like I am paying for a lot of filler type materials that is not really doing anything?

[PAHillbilly]

I've thought about this as well. I don't know enough about animal feeds and nutrition to answer, but it seems to me that even if the feed blend is not ideal for each animal, as long as they are out on pasture, or scratching for bugs, or eating brush, or whatever and are not 100% dependent on the feed for their nutrition, there should be some blends of feed which are adequate for all.

[unregistered353870]

I've used 12% all-stock before. As a supplement to GOOD pasture, it worked. It's probably not formulated for optimal growth curve or that kind of thing, but I'm not as concerned about that for homestead livestock. Sorry, I really can't help with the specific numbers you're looking for, as 12% is all I've used, but I think it's certainly doable. One thing to keep in mind is that mineral needs will vary among your different livestock...copper comes to mind as one to pay close attention to, but I can't remember specifics for goats and sheep.

Also, those "grain by-products" probably account for some of the fiber.

[myheaven]

I buy corn and oats direct from the farmer. I buy soy and distillers in bulk from a small co-op. I grind it using my chipper shredder. I mix what animal needs needing met in my compost tumbler. the tumbler works best for mixing feed. I normally do a base mix of 16% then add minerals and any additive. Works great for me. Best yet no fillers and the farmer and I get great prices.

[idigbeets]

As long as you're adding different minerals for each animal type, I would think it possible.

[creeklady2000]

we do that as well we buy corn and oats and some times barley and we run it though out chipper shredder as well it works well and then you can add dif mineral or what ever to each barrel for that animal or a protein source or beet pulp I am finding that almost all critters like warm beet pulp soaked then bring it out add you mix to that the horses , goats, and piggies love it in this cold weather and it gets them a little more moisture as well that way and fills them up good on bitter cold day's along with free choice hay as well ,keeps them fat and warm,,

[Bubbas Boys]

I have wondered this myself. We get corn, SBM, and pig premix and grind our own for the pigs and I have been wondering if we could just give it to the chickens and goats. I figure, the goats get mostly hay and very little grain, and the chickens are free range on 10 acres. Huh?? I wonder now!

[Muleman]

I wish we had oats and barley available here as in some other places in good bulk prices. Here in Arkansas the main crops are corn and soybean along with a good amount of rice. Therefore that is the 3 main grains we have locally to choose from. Everything else is trucked in which raises the cost of course. I am definitely going to keep looking into this as it seems possible as some has stated as long, as mineral supplements are provided as needed for the different animals. I also agree it will work as a supplement to pasture, but not sure I would pursue it as a main diet in a confinement type setup. I know I need at least 14% protein for the pigs, so I am thinking a base mix in the 14% to 16% should be fine for them as well as the goats and chickens and sheep. Then we just get to the mineral content. Provided with good hay in the winter and pasture and forage in the summer months.

[Muleman]

I think I have figured it out. I can get ground corn and soybean meal mix at 14% or 16% protein. No added supplements at all, for about $310/ ton. I think I am going to try that. put out mineral blacks for the sheep and goats along with the hay they are already getting. Put out free choice oyster shells for the chickens. I will get a bag of strait minerals and add a bit to the pig feed as we feed. Even with the added minerals and mineral blocks for everyone, still cheaper than bagged feed and will simplify things greatly. I will still buy 20% starter for chicks when I need it in the spring.

[nobrabbit]

Originally Posted by Muleman

I think I have figured it out. I can get ground corn and soybean meal mix at 14% or 16% protein. No added supplements at all, for about $310/ ton. I think I am going to try that. put out mineral blacks for the sheep and goats along with the hay they are already getting. Put out free choice oyster shells for the chickens. I will get a bag of strait minerals and add a bit to the pig feed as we feed. Even with the added minerals and mineral blocks for everyone, still cheaper than bagged feed and will simplify things greatly. I will still buy 20% starter for chicks when I need it in the spring.

I don't know about goats but sheep should only be fed loose mineral as they can break their teeth on a mineral block. Ours always have access to minerals and are on good pasture in the summer and only hay in the winter. We do not feed any grain to them at all.

[unregistered353870]

I've always been told that goats need loose minerals because their tongue isn't very effective for licking the blocks...could just be some breeds or specific goats, though.

[AmericanStand]

"Feeds and Feeding"
By Savage and Morrison.
Take a good read It will warm you by the fire many a night.

But To make it simple What I did was gather up All the local grains I can get from the farmers, Corn , wheat, milo, sunflowers here then add Soybean meal to hit the protein need and add a specialized mineral pack for each species.

You should be able to get the mineral packs at your local feed store.

[Callieslamb]

Goats need copper, sheep don't. Be sure to keep the 2 feeds apart.

If you are planning on having babies, the nutritional needs increase also so be sure to account for that. I wonder what they fed their animals long ago.

[GeneMO]

I would ask first, what is your goal with these animals? Milk, dinner table, or are they pets? If they are pets I wouldn't spend lots of unnecessary $$ on em. Turn em out, keep em from starving, little supplement and protect them from predators.

So the pigs, they need to be fed to produce good meat, in the shortest, most economical fasion. They need corn and protein and a mineral supplement.

Do you have plenty of pasture, range and woods? Chickens and goats can fend for themselves. Sheep can be pastured. Then just supplement what they get naturally off the land. Old timers didn't spend a lot on their chickens. They picked spilled grain off the ground, and ate grain left in the cows poop.

If you have pasture you do not need to feed grain year round.

Gene

[o&itw]

Can' really answer your question, but I might be ables to shed some light on a few things. I would normally be worried about certain mineral levels. For instance goats need a lot of copper, but that amount is way too much for sheep.

Still, if you find a way to do it, copper can be supplemented for goats. For chickens you can get a bag of oyster shell. That would fullfill their calcium requiremnts (and they proabaly should have some anyway) In a pinch you can screen the dust out of ag lime and give them only the larger stuff. I always gave my chickens oyster shell and granite grit, especially in the winter when they weren't allowed to roam around much but caged up.

Regular chicken feed is designed to have the full nutrients for caged animals that aren't able to find grit etc. on their own. Whatever food you pick though needs to be pelleted as some animals won't it straight ground type feeds.

BTW "grain by-products" are not fillers. Mostly they are bran, wheat germ, etc. which is what is left after they make flour, and are both high in protein and nutritious. Same with "distillers by products" they are what is left after they ferment grains for alcohol, which uses up the starch, but leaves all the protein and vitamins.

[Bubba1358]

I mix whole wheat, whole poats, BOSS's, and maple peas at a ration of 3.5 to 1 to 1.5 to 1.5, by weight. I then soak/ferment the whole thing for 4 days. The whole mix registers slightly above 16% protein.

I feed this to my chickens and pigs. They also get rotated and are on pasture, so it's not the entirety of their feed.

[o&itw]

Originally Posted by Bubba1358

I mix whole wheat, whole poats, BOSS's, and maple peas at a ration of 3.5 to 1 to 1.5 to 1.5, by weight. I then soak/ferment the whole thing for 4 days. The whole mix registers slightly above 16% protein.

I feed this to my chickens and pigs. They also get rotated and are on pasture, so it's not the entirety of their feed.

I used to use a 25% each mixture of corn, wheat, milo, and maple (canadian, yellow, or trapper) peas. The first 3 I could get from a local farmer, and the peas came from a friend who passed by a couple of times a year and grew them in Colorado. With the minerals supplements it was a great (and cheap) feed. A bag peas usually ran me about the same as a bag of soybeans. Actually, soybeans could be used but they have to be roasted first, which is not worth it.

The trouble is, that now that my friend does not travel east any more, I would have to special order the peas, and the cost would be frightful. If anyone lives where you can get peas, and can get the other grains from local farmers, one can't beat the price. Cowpeas, black-eyed peas and other "southern" peas won't work, because they are actually beans and have the same problem as unheated soybeans (trypsin inhibitors).

[FarmboyBill]

Ive said it before, and caught heck for saying it, BUT the ONLY grain that anybody fed after 1960 was corn around us in NE Kans. Oats for the horses went out with the horses, and milo replaced wheat as a cash crop. Milo goes through hogs undigested, and is much to dusty for cows. That left corn ONLY as the grain of choice.

When it was found that the grain from shatter cane was the same size as milo, and it couldn't be separated from milo grain, and it had infested many fields, farmers stopped growing milo and went to soybeans. I never heard of anybody feeding them, as they was worth more money per bu than corn, But, for the most part, Large amounts of soybean ground wasn't produced till after I left home.

[Muleman]

Prices have gone up since I ordered my last batch of 4 tons. However, then the 14% corn/ soybean mix was $265 and the corn was $235. Corn is in the 7% to 9% range, so it seems to me the soybean meal must be fairly economical to almost double the protein for basically $30 a ton more? According to the people at both feed places I deal with, the only way they get soybean is in a meal. The meal is what is left after it has been processed and all of the oil and whatever else they use is taken out. They say there is a 40% and a 48% available to them?

My chickens are out year round, so not too worried about them. Actually everything is out year round, so this is just supplement. Hope to have some more pasture cleared to plant this spring also. Clearing a bit more each year as time allows. I just about got my excavator all back together so looking to start back clearing in the next few weeks if the weather will cooperate?

[jwal10]

I use oats and peas grown together as the main feed and some heavy screenings from a seed cleaner friend (wheat, peas). Chickens and pigs get whole or ground, milk added, whole grains are sprouted. Goats, whole, chickens and pigeons get whole screenings as scratch feed. Minerals are feed free choice and loose, each one different. All except pigeons free roam, chicks are hatched and raised by the hens get ground oats and peas also....James