Mineral Cost

[Hay Feeder]

Mineral prices here range from 12.20 mag ade. 18.50 kandy mag
and stress mineral up to 30.00 per 50 pound bag
People need to really read the labels on the mineral some feed stores handle as many as five different mixes. Loose salt is much cheaper than block salt and has came down in price. Some mix loose salt with mineral.
Everybody does something different nothing is normal any more. Dealers just ask what do you want and they sell it no matter what the customer needs and most customers buy the cheapest no matter what is in it.
Yea its a little weird....

 

[John SD]

Ben, does your calculator need new batteries? :wink:

At $26 per 50 lb bag my calculator comes up with $1040 per ton.

Thanks for the catch, calculator works fine, I just left out a zero when I typed it. My laptop is hooked up to my LCD TV and I use a wireless mouse/keyboard from my couch sometimes. It actually creates a smaller screen in perspective then the laptop on your lap, therefore it's hard to see your typos. I'll go back and edit.

btw, that has salt mixed in it.

Ben, the sad part is I'm old enough to remember when a good mineral was probably about $140/ton. :lol: :wink:

Years ago when I was a kid Dad always used to feed Watkins Min-Vite. (from the Watkins household product company) Back then it came in several different formulations for both beef and dairy. No salt in it. Dad always mixed it about 50/50 with iodized. Most minerals today contain salt and are designed to be fed straight from the bag.

 

[roger dodger]

Faster Horses, We are in area that has a high calcium level in the ground and water. So we don't need a two to one rato of cal and phos. The mineral does not have any yeast in it, but does have 250,000 iu/lb vitamin A ,45,000 iu/lb vitamin D and 250 iu/lb vitamin E. Don't know if this is the best mineral for the money but seems to do the job as the cattle breed back well in the spring and summer. Hope this answers your questions. We have no temp today it is 0 and snowing hard, hope the wind don't blow. Hope you have a good day. rd

 

[Faster horses]

It is cold here today, but sunny.

Just a little for you to ruminate on. Calcium, which earlier was thought to be adequate in forage, has been found to not be readily available to the cow and is good to be supplemented.

The NRC book has reduced the PHOS requirement of cattle.

Calcium is being found to be as important to cattle as it is to people.
Did you know that in the feedlots, it has been found that supplementing calcium results in added gain?

I cannot begin to tell you how important YEAST CULTURE is to cattle.
It has a lot to do with digestibility of forage, and that makes for heavier calves. I did get this off the Diamond V website. Hope this helps. (Disclaimer: I do not sell Diamond V yeast culture; however it is an important ingredient in Vigortone mineral.)

Proper mineral nutrition is important to both production and health. For mineral programs that work better – three ways better – ask your supplier to be sure Diamond V Yeast Culture is included in yours.
By maximizing the rations' nutritional value, improving mineral palatability and forage digestibility with Diamond V Yeast Culture… ranchers with cow/calf operations, stocker cattle programs or other beef operations can ensure their animals get the proper benefits from minerals, no matter what the nutritional program.


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1. Maximize the ration's nutritional value.

Minerals, of course, are essential to the overall health of any animal. For example, minerals are involved in the co-enzyme function that supports the immune system. By promoting rumen function, Diamond V Yeast Culture helps maximize the value gained from the entire diet… including the minerals you provide, as well as what Mother Nature serves up.

2. Improve palatability for more consistent intake.

Because minerals alone are often unpalatable, it's a challenge to get animals to eat minerals consistently. With Diamond V Yeast Culture in the mineral product, palatability is greatly improved for more consistent intake. In fact, according to research results, Diamond V Yeast Culture can help improve mineral consumption significantly over minerals fed alone.

3. Increase forage digestibility.

In ruminant animals, beneficial fiber-digesting bacteria in the rumen help break down forages to provide nutrients for health. One of the greatest strengths of Diamond V Yeast Culture is its ability to provide a rich nutrient source to fiber-digesting bacteria, increasing the digestibility of forages.

The safe, all-natural way to strengthen a mineral program.

Carefully produced by fermenting select liquid and cereal grain ingredients with yeast, Diamond V Yeast Culture is a safe, all-natural feed ingredient specifically designed for maximum livestock nutrition. To affect mineral intake and enhance productivity, talk to your nutritionist or feed professional about the advantages of Diamond V Yeast Culture in your mineral program.