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Minerals... Loose vs. Block

George said:
But remember if you just keep doing what you have always done don't be suprised you get what you always have.
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I never got the impression that RobertMac was frustrated with getting the same results. It sounds to me like he's made lots of changes, and it just keeps working for him.

George, you're quote above is a good rule to live by for lots of us, it's one of my favorite quotable quips. :wink:
 
leanin' H said:
We use blocks all summer because the country we salt in is pretty rough and the blocks are easier to pack in with horses. Plus the blocks handle the weather better sitting on a ridge or saddle where we place them to pull the cows up out of the bottoms of the canyons. When we wean the calves each fall they go home to precondition till February. They get free choice mineral/protein tubs. When the cows get home in late December they get the same. They hit the mineral tubs hard for a month and then just go for the protein tubs. Almost like they get caught up on what they need mineral wise. They use the mineral a lot more prior to and after calving for the obvious reason. The First calf heifers get mineral all the time to help them through what is a cows most difficult time in life. So both work well for us.
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In my opinion I agre there are just times a block is easier or makes sense. One case we use it is around the bulls. They just fight around the tubs and mess around and dump it so then block salt is used.

My folks put out tubs to the fall cows. They hit them hard and back off and it seems they know the amount of consumption they need.

We also tried the tubs for horses and they consumed them fast. The local feed dealer they use what they need. I'm willing to go along with it but the two men think they liked it and just stood around and ate.

Guess it's another each to their own.
 
A very good loose salt / mineral feeder for bulls.... and anything else. Keeps the mineral dry and it doesn't spill.

DSCF1896.jpg
 
Let me simplify things, friends don't let friends feed blocks.

This is what I use to feed my minerals (brower photo, not my cows)

pg38A.JPG

http://www.browerequip.com/products/brower/mineral/pg38A.JPG
I have a piece of rope that I doubled up, tied a figure 8 knot about half way down and knots at the two tag ends, I put the ends in the notches of the feeder then the loop on the back of the ATV and pull it wherever I need to go with it.

I added the "Fly Killer Kover" to two of the feeders last year.

theflykillerkover_cattle.jpg

http://www.flykillerkover.com/
I don't think the felt on the thing is saturating as good as it did last year, the reservoir keeps getting sediment in it, I think some of the felt is warn off as well.
 
"Let me simplify things, friends don't let friends feed blocks. "

Well put, Ben H and my sentiments exaclty!
I'll have to remember to use that somewhere!!

And CRM, don't kid yourself. Those blocks are so flavored those
horses are gonna eat them whether they need them or not.
And what is the purpose of feeding the horses supplement
tubs? Does it make you feel better?-- because they sure don't need
the protein. Seriously. Your feed salesman is not looking out
for YOU. (but not many do, they make a lot of money selling
PROTEIN.)

And Ben, we sell a mineral feeder like the one you show, it's called
a Dura-bull feeder. I don't sell many because I have a problem
thinking the calves will lift that cover to get the mineral and the
mineral is so important to the calves during the spring/summer/fall.
Do your calves lift that cover to get to the mineral? I've just not
felt right about telling someone the calves will use them.
 
Ben H said:
I added the "Fly Killer Kover" to two of the feeders last year.

theflykillerkover_cattle.jpg

http://www.flykillerkover.com/
I don't think the felt on the thing is saturating as good as it did last year, the reservoir keeps getting sediment in it, I think some of the felt is warn off as well.
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You just need to buy some of Kit's fly resistant rated bulls- then you don't have to worry about mineral or fly killer... :wink: :???:
 
The calves seem to learn from their Mom to lift the cover, it's not that hard. My two goats don't have a problem either. I've put one out with the horses and they got right into it as well. I'll try to pay more attention next spring and maybe get some pictures of the calves.

I think there may be something to Kit's fly grading, it got me looking at my cows and I can see an obvious difference between cows in the same field.
 
Ben H said:
I think there may be something to Kit's fly grading, it got me looking at my cows and I can see an obvious difference between cows in the same field.
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I just had to throw that in - and you're right- there may be something to it...I love reading Kits ideas and theories- and seeing if they will work for me...
But over on the 5BarX site thats the joke- that we all need to spend less time posting- and more time counting flys so we can get another EPD on the books..... :wink:
 
Faster horses said:
And CRM, don't kid yourself. Those blocks are so flavored those
horses are gonna eat them whether they need them or not.
And what is the purpose of feeding the horses supplement
tubs? Does it make you feel better?-- because they sure don't need
the protein. Seriously. Your feed salesman is not looking out
for YOU. (but not many do, they make a lot of money selling
PROTEIN.
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Yes that's it I simply feed shirt to make myself feel better.

Glad to know we have an expert among us.

Not many feed sales people do look out for their customers just out to make the all mighty dollar.
 
Faster horses said:
You didn't answer my question CRM. And why are you so on the defensive"
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Defensive or just sick of simply commenting on a post in ranch talk and having you ask me if I feed a supplement to make myself feel better.

I looked into the horse tubs because we feed the fall cows tubs and their condition is excellent they just shine . We were needing to save grass for the horses and I'm for trying new things and forming my own opinion. Have I purchased another one? No. In my opinion they ate the thing like candy and they were super shiny but I'm not convinced it was saving us a lot of grass in our horse pasture for the cost of the tub.

Why do you think your our resident feed expert and if we aren't feeding a certain over priced mineral we aren't following the right program?
 
You took that wayyyyyy out of content.
I'm tired of feed dealers lying to producers to make money.

You still didn't answer why you are supplementing protein to horses.
I know all about doing it to make yourself feel better. I used to do that
too. I was hoping you'd realize it wasn't necessary--but if it makes
you feel better, so be it. It was kinda hard for me to realize at one
time, too.

On another note, I have had opportunities to sell product to folks that
I didn't think was necessary and I told them so; when I could have made a sale. That's not what it's about for me.
I want to help people understand and I'm proud to say that I have.
I have a passion about it because of a 8 year wreck we went through.
That's why I am the 'resident authority' or whatever you called me.
At least some have benefitted from my posts and that's good enough
for me. Actually, if one person benefitted, that made it worth it.

On to better things, now, OK?
 
Ben H said:
I can see an obvious difference between cows in the same field.
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:agree:

Faster horses said:
Also, guys, cattle with good immune systems will have less flies.
Seriously.
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:o :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :P :wink:

CattleArmy said:
Why do you think your our resident feed expert and if we aren't feeding a certain over priced mineral we aren't following the right program?
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:shock:
 
Well I can say my cow's have been on the lean train all summer they had mineral mixed 50/50 with salt dureing breeding season and fed syrup from the distillars plant in july now with some rains they have been on grass alone nothing else.I have'nt treated one case of anything this year. I would like to be feeding some mineral but baler twine and parts have kept me in short finances. I do know you can't spend your way to profit but you can be to cheap also. Vigortone mineral is the least cost mineral I can buy but I need a couple ton to make it work and there's no money for that right now so they will have to wait.Nov 1st can't get here soon enough this year..
 
Ok Robert Mac, let me rephrase something:

Cattle that do not have a good immune system will have more flies. :shock:

Is that better? Check your own cows out. The ones that might look a little
rougher, perhaps haven't shed off as well, etc will
have a bigger fly load. Their immune system isn't up to par for
some reason.

And CMR, I have tried to help people who buy any brand of mineral
know what they are looking for--what ingredients are good and what to avioid--so they can get the best product for their money. Some mineral is pretty much junk, but not all. You can't say I'm doing it for money,
because most of these folks are too far away to buy from me--I'm doing it because I care and I want to help. Case closed.
 
Denny said:
Well I can say my cow's have been on the lean train all summer they had mineral mixed 50/50 with salt dureing breeding season and fed syrup from the distillars plant in july now with some rains they have been on grass alone nothing else.I have'nt treated one case of anything this year. I would like to be feeding some mineral but baler twine and parts have kept me in short finances. I do know you can't spend your way to profit but you can be to cheap also. Vigortone mineral is the least cost mineral I can buy but I need a couple ton to make it work and there's no money for that right now so they will have to wait.Nov 1st can't get here soon enough this year..
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I thought that cows were supposed to live on grass - in summer at the very least :???: Have you selected your cows to perform on this level of inputs?
 
Grassfarmer to answer your qestion, YES~ cows CAN and DO live on grass in the summer. During the summer,
the calves will eat about as much mineral as the cows. It stimulates
the rumen which helps them eat more feed and thus, adds weight to
the calves.So the performance is better than just on straight grass;
from a weight standpoint and a health standpoint. Plus it keeps the cows immune system up. You
can feed mineral for 6 months of the year, or 12 months, but
we have found they eat the same amount per year in 6 months
as they do in 12. If you recall, I talked about MSU doing
research, taking grass samples and most of Montana is found
to be deficient in copper and zinc. That's a big part of why we
feed mineral in this area. I'm not answering for Denny or telling
you what it is in your area; but I'm very familiar with this area
and here, it's making the guys money to be on a year-round mineral
program. Or they wouldn't do it. Most, if not all, our customers
barely doctor anything anymore because of feeding mineral.
That's HUGE, because most ranchers around here are not spring
chickens any more!!! In fact, our horses are not nearly as good
as they were when we were doctoring a lot of cattle. They just
don't get used as much when cattle are healthy. And we'll throw
away a bottle of antibiotic before it gets used up.

We feed mineral for 3 reasons; improved conception rates, heard health and weight gain.

Hope this helps!
 

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