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handling & feeding cake

L

LCP

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2008
Messages
240
Location
north central SD
I've never used cake before as a protein supplement, but I'm looking into it this year. Turns out we have high selenium levels and I haven't found a commercial protein supplement around here whose mineral package does not include selenium. So I'm looking into having a custom mineral package put into cake. Have not got prices yet, waiting on our nutritionist to figure that part out.

I don't want to invest a bunch of money in feeding equipment, at least not this year until I see how things go. I'm wondering what the best way would be to store/handle/feed cake given my current resources: a couple of 1100 bu grain bins (not hopper bottoms), a couple of 300 bu barge boxes with hoists, '92 Toyota pickup, Ford f-250 with bale bed, and a scoop shovel :D

My initial thought was to bulk fill those barge boxes and then dump them into the Toyota when it's time to chore, but I'm not sure how well cake would flow out that hole in the back of the barge box or how easily the trap would shut when I want to close it. I'd guess the hole is 2 ft wide and 10-12 inches tall.

Feeding a pound a day, delivered every 3 days probably, to two bunches of about 225 cows each. So that's 675 lb per herd every trip. Figured I'd put the pickup in gear and ride in the back, scooping out cake as I go along.

What could I do to make it work better?
 
Teach wifey to operate the shovel.......... :D


We kind of did that last year with 5 lbs. of pellets every day for 600 cows. I was in pretty good shape for the shape I was in. Going with a pellet feeder that my son is building for us this year.
 
Well this takes me back to my youth, but we just purchased cake in bulk in a ground bin. Got out a bucket fill it from the bin while it would flow and empty into a gravity caker. They(gravity caker) can still be had or made quite easily. Then when gets to low to flow either get someone to push it down or crawl in and fill buckets to empty into the caker. Not a bad job just takes time. I have seen some take a small elevator and use it to fill caker. Elevator like the ones they used to use on picked corn on the cob. I seen some people just dump on concrete floor and scoop it up with skid loader or buckets and shovels. Good luck :D
 
To bad it cost so much to get it bagged. Could have just set the pallet lifts in a shop or shed and took it out that way.

How big are the cubes/pellets? I have a hopper with auger and 12V motor on it,

What about a old combine hopper put on wheels?
 
I quit cake when the cost to make it exceeded the price of the ingredients. Before that, I was using a pull type fert spreader, it held several tons. I'd just drag it to cake plant with diesel pu and park it by cows.

I didn't like letting it fall in a line, too much walked on. So made a scoop or open ended box that caught it and dropped about every 40', about 10#, if memory serves. This was driven off the apparatus that moves the drag chain in floor. The little drive tire that rubs against big tire, you gotta chain up if there's snow on the ground. weigh the 'scoops', count them, then you know how many 1/10's of miles to drive. it's quick and if you circle it's pretty fair.

Are you sure you want to do this? I'm a guy that if I want mineral, I feed loose mineral, not tubs, etc. If I want protein, I price it as protein.

On the mineral, somebody's making it---and they'll make it for you, what you want. Whatcha gonna use for the protein in the cake? If grain is biggest part, not that high and different bugs needed in gut and counter productive to the bugs needed for forage.

I like top quality alf hay for protein,---figure the price for # of protein and see how to beat that, usually. and no bug antagonism. our cows eat a lot of straw, I like it yr old or older and have bovatec in the mineral.

if you're gonna auger it, don't, find an 'all crop' elevator with solid bottem and slats. all just imho.
 
I've used a fertilizer spreader, the trip hopper would be a nice touch.

Op has a bale bed- I bought my first hydrabed to use premium alfalfa for protein. If you're raising it yourself, it's pretty easy to exceed 20%.

If I read right about feeding 1# per animal - that won't work. If that was 1 unit of 20% and 5# actual, that seems right. Protein pool 48 hours.

Feeding near 500 cows, buy an overhead feeder and pickup feeder. Use it for 5 years. Sell back into market and recapture most of original cost. Pay almost no interest - 4%. Cost per cow will be a rounding error.
 
I've used the old fertilizer spreader deal. An over center drop box is a must as the ground drive floor chain doesn't move fast enough and the ribbon of feed is too thin. The trick is in keeping the thing on if your ground is rough at all, not much clearance.
Some guys use mini bulk bags. They hold about a ton and are cheap or free. Just untie the bottom and drive along. I thought of doing this but our feed dealers can't legally re-fill a mini bulk bag. Would be pretty easy to have a month's feed lined up and ready to go.
 
in that you already have a bale truck... would one of these work for you


http://hi-hog.com/nifty-feed-dispenser/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv5hXEASd3E
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
Hayguy said:
in that you already have a bale truck... would one of these work for you


http://hi-hog.com/nifty-feed-dispenser/
Click to expand...

I forgot about those, I had just looked them a month ago as a friend was looking for one. Get them from the Coop up here.
Click to expand...

I have seen these cake feeders homemade from old combine tires with plywood to cover the opening in the middle of the tire and a hole cut on the circumference for the cake to come out every revolution.
 
turning grass into beef said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
Hayguy said:
in that you already have a bale truck... would one of these work for you


http://hi-hog.com/nifty-feed-dispenser/
Click to expand...

I forgot about those, I had just looked them a month ago as a friend was looking for one. Get them from the Coop up here.
Click to expand...

I have seen these cake feeders homemade from old combine tires with plywood to cover the opening in the middle of the tire and a hole cut on the circumference for the cake to come out every revolution.
Click to expand...


I think Archie Sabin at the Hargrave ranch built one of the first tire ones I ever saw.
 
I have seen these cake feeders homemade from old combine tires with plywood to cover the opening in the middle of the tire and a hole cut on the circumference for the cake to come out every revolution.[/quote]


I think Archie Sabin at the Hargrave ranch built one of the first tire ones I ever saw.[/quote]

That is a great idea! I would leave on the original rim, mount a spinal and you could turn the feeding hole to the top to fill. This could be mounted in a trailer with a cylinder to raise and a plate mounted to stop the rotation when raised. With the new 12V actuators you could accomplish without hydraulics to pull with a pick-up.

I do not need anything like this as with only 18 head I just feed in the barn but I love tinkering!
 
Faster horses said:
I would caution against putting the mineral package in cake. It is my understanding when the mineral is heated, it loses some of the nutrients.
Can you can find a place that can custom mix mineral for you without selenium?
Click to expand...

Yes I have a nutritionist I'm working with on it. He has worked with Hubbard in the past, putting his mineral in their cake for his customers. It was actually my vet who suggested it though. She thought is would be beneficial to make sure everyone is getting the mineral, as opposed to putting it out free-choice. It was a rough year herd-health wise for me. Doctored sick calves off and on from July to October. Thankfully only lost 3 calves, all of which had high selenium levels in the liver. So hopefully we can get the mineral side of things straightened out this way.
 
littlejoe said:
I quit cake when the cost to make it exceeded the price of the ingredients. Before that, I was using a pull type fert spreader, it held several tons. I'd just drag it to cake plant with diesel pu and park it by cows.

I didn't like letting it fall in a line, too much walked on. So made a scoop or open ended box that caught it and dropped about every 40', about 10#, if memory serves. This was driven off the apparatus that moves the drag chain in floor. The little drive tire that rubs against big tire, you gotta chain up if there's snow on the ground. weigh the 'scoops', count them, then you know how many 1/10's of miles to drive. it's quick and if you circle it's pretty fair.

Are you sure you want to do this? I'm a guy that if I want mineral, I feed loose mineral, not tubs, etc. If I want protein, I price it as protein.

On the mineral, somebody's making it---and they'll make it for you, what you want. Whatcha gonna use for the protein in the cake? If grain is biggest part, not that high and different bugs needed in gut and counter productive to the bugs needed for forage.

I like top quality alf hay for protein,---figure the price for # of protein and see how to beat that, usually. and no bug antagonism. our cows eat a lot of straw, I like it yr old or older and have bovatec in the mineral.

if you're gonna auger it, don't, find an 'all crop' elevator with solid bottem and slats. all just imho.
Click to expand...

I don't know the price yet, or the formulation of the cake exactly, but I do believe it is made by Hubbard. I'm guessing its their 20% cube but can't say with certainty. Haven't nailed down details with my nutritionist yet. Good quality alfalfa is not readily available where I'm at. Too much farming, and most guys who put it up feed it themselves. Freight would eat me up I'm afraid. Also I want to use the cake as a carrier for the mineral to try to correct some imbalances - want to make sure everyone is getting it.
 
turning grass into beef said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
Hayguy said:
in that you already have a bale truck... would one of these work for you


http://hi-hog.com/nifty-feed-dispenser/
Click to expand...

I forgot about those, I had just looked them a month ago as a friend was looking for one. Get them from the Coop up here.
Click to expand...

I have seen these cake feeders homemade from old combine tires with plywood to cover the opening in the middle of the tire and a hole cut on the circumference for the cake to come out every revolution.
Click to expand...

I'm wondering if these setups would result in too many fines due to the tumbling? Looks pretty slick though.
 
You do realize that 1# of 20% cake, take out the moisture, say 10%, leaves you only .18# of protein. Without looking back, what are you feeding with it? Brad S made this point on the first page of this topic, I believe. I am a fan of feeding mineral free-choice. If you put out enough stations, say 1 for every 30 head, most cattle will eat it. Sorry to hear you had sickness in your calves. That is not fun.
 
I don't know, never used one myself. If I get a chance I will check with my neighbor and see if he got one and how he likes it. With the weather we are having if he got it he might not even be using it it. I'm having trouble getting my calves started on some Alfalfa pellets while they are out in the pasture.
 

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