High protein feed

[stifflej]

What high protein feeds are available/recommended for calves, besides the pre-bagged calf starter? I am looking for a type of hay or a grain that is high in protein.

Thanks.

[southerngurl]

Alfalfa or any legume hay is generally high in protein.

[oneokie]

Complete feed or supplement? How high does the protein need to be?

For a supplemental protien, Soybean meal or Peanut meal.

For a complete feed, if 16% is high enough, several feed makers make a 16% protien creep feed pellet.

[oldtimer]

j,
Re:

What high protein feeds are available/recommended for calves, besides the pre-bagged calf starter?
I am looking for a type of hay or a grain that is high in protein.

I think I know what you are trying to do. Take a look at this and see if this fits your intent.

I use Purina’s Crossroad Sweetmix.
http://cattle.purinamills.com/
You should be able to find exactly what you want there.

Crossroad Sweetmix is an “all stock” feed, meaning you can feed it to all and any of your stock, settled & open cow and calves of all sizes.
But it does come in a bag, so open the bag and pore it in a drum.
The crude protein (min) is 12 %

The main ingredients are:
Wheat middlings
Ground soybean hulls
Ground peanut hulls
Cane molasses
Cracked corn
Course barley

To adjust the protein level when needed I can use either crack corn or wheat mids.
Present/my cost for :
ground corn is $277/ton or . (14 cents per lb) protein 10%
Wheat mids is $175/ton or ( 09 cents per lb ) protein 15 %
Sweetmix is $ 240/ton or ( 12 cents per lb ) protein 12%
All prices are without discount for large purchases.
Ground corn and wheat midds are loose, not bagged and can be bought in and quantity.

I mix either ground corn or wheat midds with sweet mix to reach the desire (16%) protein level.
( I also have a candy mix available at $125 per ton ( 06 cents per lb ) protein 6%. It to is sold loose.

From there using a little simple math or the SWAG system, I think you can mix exactly what you want and not have to worry about any ill effect to your animals.
Plus you will see your free choice salt/mineral cost go way down as they are all in the mix.

Here is another site that may help you.
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/beef/as1238w.htm

Hope this helps
OT

[Allen W]

What do you want to do? There are several protein sources or complete supplements that can be used with your grain and hay.

[Tad]

Legumes are higher in protien than grass around the 20% mark for legumes. Soy is the major protien sorce in complete grains. CAlves need high protien other cows do not, check your forage levels before you figure your grain. If you feed high protien to older cows they just crap it out. Loose manure usually means too much protien or money down the drain.

[stifflej]

I am looking for a cheap source to increase their protein. I though Alfalfa hay was higher, but wasn't sure. I can find it at a reasonable price. The reason I don't want the bagged stuff is strictly cost. I can get 100lbs of grain feed, about 10% protein for $13 a bag. Around here, the 50lb bags of higher protein feed goes for about the same price, thus doubling my costs. I can get alfalfa for just slightly higher then what I pay for my hay now, and was just wondering if there is a particular grain I could add (like soybean meal, as mentioned above) to up the protein. Some of the answers starts me in a direction to look for to see if I can get them at a good price. Thanks all.

[arabian knight]

There is always the time tested "Calf Manna" to be added for extra protein.

[oldtimer]

j,
My supplier also has corn gluten.
Its $170 per ton ( .08 cents per lb ) protein is 15% but he hasn’t got a clue about the sulfur content.
OT

[myersfarm]

my supplier has DDG for $75 a ton delievered thats .0375 a lb

[myersfarm]

Corn Gluten Feed...
Fairly fluffy fiber
Crude Protein from 18-25% (typically not regulated or guaranteed)
Energy level approx 90% of corn
Typical inclusions from 10-40% of the fed diet
Two primary types:
40% DM
60% DM
Also available in dry pellet





Distiller Grains
Can be wet or dry
Most cattle feeders use wet
Dry matter 35-50%
Crude Protein from 25-33%
Fat runs 8-14%
Typical inclusion rates from 10-30% of the fed diet
Energy equal to corn to 15% higher

Gluten is a by product of food grade alcohols where Dry Distiller Grain (DDG) is a by product of ethanol production.

[oldtimer]

Re:

my supplier has DDG for $75 a ton delievered thats .0375 a lb

Does he know the sulfur content?
Can he tell you how to mix it without killing your cattle?
OT

[myersfarm]

oldtimer I even show YOU HOW TO FEED IT...MY 9 YEAR OLD MILK COW HAVE BEEN EATING IT FOR 5 YEARS and a memeber of this board saw me buy her at the sale 5 years ago.....she has been on it ever since....RIGHT MATTMAN



IT MIGHT ONLY BE 4 YEARS as they go by so fast but thing it is 5

[myersfarm]

oldtimer just a question how can you take a 12% protien sweet feed then add corn a 10% item and INCREASE THE PROTIEN...DO NOT THINK THAT WILL WORK.....


btw HAS SOMEBODY SHOW YOU HOW TO FEED YOUR COWS WITH CORN AND NOT KILL THEM......you dpo not just back up a truck and shovel out 50 bushels to 10 head of cows



form your post oldtimer
To adjust the protein level when needed I can use either crack corn or wheat mids.
Present/my cost for :
ground corn is $277/ton or . (14 cents per lb) protein 10%

[myersfarm]

oldtimer please do not say you use corn to lower you protien
because it cost more


ground corn is $277/ton or . (14 cents per lb) protein 10%
Wheat mids is $175/ton or ( 09 cents per lb ) protein 15 %
Sweetmix is $ 240/ton or ( 12 cents per lb ) protein 12%



sweet mix at 12% precent protien and costing $240 a ton acording to my program cost $1.39 to put on a pound of flesh on a 500 lb calf......hope when you sell you get more then $1.50 a lb or your in the hole bigtime

[oldtimer]

Re:

oldtimer just a question how can you take a 12% protien sweet feed then add corn a 10% item and INCREASE THE PROTIEN...DO NOT THINK THAT WILL WORK..…

Easy!
Take 1 lb of sweet mix, ground corn and wheat midds to UTC and ask them to give you the ration to equal 16% with the sweet mix being the base.
In the feed room I have a chart now to be able to mix it myself by 5 lb scoop, 5 gal. bucket and by the 100 lb.
Or I can get out my old 1934 edition of “Feeds and Feeding” it has all the charts I wiuld ever need.

Re:

btw HAS SOMEBODY SHOW YOU HOW TO FEED YOUR COWS WITH CORN AND NOT KILL THEM...…

Yep! My grandad, my dad, and about 10 different feed mills.
Up until about 30 years ago almost all cattlemen and farmers mix and ground their own feed . Back then the bible of feeds was “feeds and feeding”. My copy, that I got from my dad was a 1934 edition.
I think the publisher is still out there.

Yep,
Livestock Feeds and Feeding (5th Edition) [Hardcover]
Price: $121.00
http://www.amazon.com/Livestock-Feed.../dp/0130105821

OT

[myersfarm]

do not tell me you can add 10 % to 12 % and increase the protien......SHOW ME HOW MUCH OF EACH TO GET 12% MORE BY JUST ADDING CORN AND NOTHING ELSE


I SHOWED YOU IT IS YOUR TURN



AS YOU STATED THAT IS A REAL BIG .....OR ...NOT BOTH JUST THE CORN
To adjust the protein level when needed I can use either crack corn or wheat mids.

[stifflej]

Originally Posted by myersfarm

my supplier has DDG for $75 a ton delievered thats .0375 a lb

Sorry for dumb question, but what is DDG?

Nevermind...found it in the posts above...my bad.