Any one feeding beets

Dieselrider · #1 07/16/11, 09:50 AM

as a corn substitute? Was reading an article by the Michagan Feed Exchange on it but haven't tried it. How would you grind beets or mangles for feed? How about drying? Just curious to see if anyone is and the how to's.

We do not feed a lot of grain to our cattle and I am interested in this more for pigs but thought someone here might have some input. Thanks

sammyd · #2 07/16/11, 10:57 AM

usually kept whole and chopped when fed although some folks feed them whole.
You can still find root cutters at some estate sales or tucked away in sheds around here. Getting rarer though.

RdoubleD · #3 07/16/11, 11:49 AM

I feed beet pulp. It comes dry and I soak it. My cattle love the stuff, but it only has about 9% protein. Corn has way more protein then that. Beets must have higher protein when fed fresh and whole.

If I was feeding fresh beets I would chop them up to prevent the risk of choking. Lots of people feed apples around her and I have heard of cattle choking on them.

Dieselrider · #4 07/17/11, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyd

usually kept whole and chopped when fed although some folks feed them whole.
You can still find root cutters at some estate sales or tucked away in sheds around here. Getting rarer though.

A root cutter? Are they like a brush chipper or a hammer mill? Or maybe nore like a modern grinder mixer? Thanks.

sammyd · #5 07/17/11, 09:01 AM

I don't think you'd want to grind them, it would be a wet sticky mess.
The root cutter we had was a wooden box on legs. the bottom sloped towards a big hand cranked wheel with openings in it that were very sharp and cut the root crops as they came down. Made bigger chunks not a fine grind at all like a chipper or grinding mill.
We don't plant any more than we can feed in the fall till freezing and just hack a few up with an axe as we feed them.

Root crops are worth less than corn silage as a feed but it may be easier to throw a few ton down in the root cellar vs. making trash bag silage out of an acre of corn.

francismilker · #6 07/18/11, 10:17 AM

I've been grinding and feeding excess squash and they love it. I've tried feeding it whole in the past and they didn't clean it up well. But, with grinding and letting it dry for a day or two they are tearing it up like corn chops. I have no idea of it's nutritional value but it's good filler at the least.