Protein/molasses tubs?

Anyone on here use this for cattle and goats? I am going to pick one up in the morning and am interested in recommendations. Confirmed of the 4 types the feed store has, none have copper, all have selenium and urea.

[Lazy J]

What brand of tub does your feed store carry?

[InvalidID]

After pricing things out I've found (for my area) protein tubs are the most expensive option. FOr me it's better to feed them wheat hay or alfalfa.

Over the phone they told me Purina, Blue Seal and Ultralyx. They are a Southern States branch so i'm their own brand as well.

[genebo]

I use the store brand of 24% protein molasses tubs.

They are hard, so the cattle can't eat much at a time. They have a lot of molasses in them. This does something important for the cattle: it feeds the microbes in their rumen. Cattle eat mostly cellulose, which is very hard to digest. Their microbe populations makes it possible for them to digest the cellulose. By feeding the microbe population, they increase and help the cattle get more good out of the grass and hay they eat.

A cow with a very good population of microbes can subsist on poorer feed and still prosper. It makes the quality of their hay less important.

My cattle and goats go through one 200# 24% tub for every 40 or so round bales.

Once the tub is empty, it makes a great toy for them until I go get it and use it for something else, like being a flower planter or holding feed.

[bruce2288]

There high energy tubs and high protein tubs, so it depends on what you are trying to balance in your ration. Young animals should not be fed a high urea ration.

[Brooks WV]

Here in southeast WV, the protien tubs are $70... I fogot the weight, but they're heavy...

I'm fortunate to have a very large organic dairy close by, and I buy 22% protien dairy alfalfa in 1000 pound bales for $150/ea. All my animals get this all winter; pigs, Jersey, and Highlands. Smells great too!

[Lazy J]

We use Crystalyx brand of Low Moisture Blocks for our cattle, sheep, and horses. We don't depend on the blocks/tubs to provide their protein needs, rather we use them to provide minerals and vitamins along with some protein.

We are firm believers in the Crystalyx product as they provide consistent performance, regulated intake, and are reasonable on a $/head/day basis.

Jim

[myersfarm]

$90 for 250. Equals is $720 a ton. That's higher than you can make on it. Just buy better hay and a few range cubes now and then

[rancher1913]

myersfarm it may equal that per ton but you don't need a ton to stretch poor feed. I use cornstalks or millet straw and the cows need that protein to make it. could I use range cubes---yes but with the tubs its a more hands off and gives me time to do more important jobs. if I was feeding alfalfa thats currently at 300 per ton in my area I would not need the tubs and I'd be out of business already.

[myersfarm]

How long will a 250 lb tube last for 25 cows

[MO_cows]

We use them sometimes. Last year, the hay just wasn't as good as usual even though it is the same source we have used for several years. Something about the growing season, it just didn't have the usual nutrition. The cattle were eating a lot more of it and losing weight. So we put the tubs out. The ones we get also have minerals and vitamins added to them, and some salt to control the intake. They slowed down on the hay after the tubs were offered. We went thru a tub a week for $50, it would have cost more than that to buy alfalfa hay in the dead of winter.

[myersfarm]

Mo cows how many cow were on the tubes that week

[ksfarmer]

Originally Posted by myersfarm

How long will a 250 lb tube last for 25 cows

How long it lasts usually depends on the quality of the hay they have. I used to put out 2 tubs for about 50 cows and they would last maybe 3 weeks when being fed brome and prairie hay. They ate more when running on milo stubble, but milo stubble doesn't have a lot of energy and the cows needed more.

[Ken Scharabok]

I offer them to my 14 cows during winter simply as a treat. I have one cow who has figured out after a rain there is soda water in them.

Current tubs are quite heavier than previous ones. I drill holes in the bottom and then pick up manure out of my yard for my BILs mulch pile.

Weight on the ones I get is 200 pounds. I have them placed in the back of my pickup so I can pull them off until they fall on the ground.

Haven't had the cattle play with them I've seen, but once empty and on side the wind will really work them.

[ksfarmer]

And, those tubs make great planters, especially the red or green colored ones. The black ones tend to heat up if in the direct sun.

[sassafras manor]

Not to mention that they make great stock tanks for smaller calves or goats.

[MO_cows]

Originally Posted by myersfarm

Mo cows how many cow were on the tubes that week

8 cows, the bull, and 3 calves. The hay consumption didn't cut in half or anything that dramatic, we just got an extra day out of each big bale it seemed like. We think the hay was lacking in protein due to a weird growing season in 2010.

Lonelyfarmgirl posted a good thread about their similar situation and they actually had cattle dying before it all got figured out. When we saw our cows losing condition and acting hungry all the time in spite of having hay available all the time, we put the tubs out. Could have fed range cubes, too, but the tubs are more convenient since they are "self service."

[Allen W]

Meyers farm the feed rate is going to vary from product to product. A good quality protein tub should run about 3/4 to 1 1/2 lbs. per head per day.

[myersfarm]

I use a product called Mix30....it runs $183 a ton.... in a lick tank...I was just curios what it cost in real life to feed the tubs..$600 to $800 a ton is way to high for me in the tubs