Preconditioning and receiving by Purina

[cowwrangler]

has anyone used this feed made by Purina? its for weaning and receving new cattle,i am gonna try it this year,it has a limiter in to keep them from overeating,so i was thinking the timid calves will hopefully have something in the bunk at weaning

 

[Texan]

I don't use the Precon, but I've got a neighbor that uses it and he wouldn't use anything else. I use their Stocker/Grower Supreme 14 for starting calves - usually about 30 days just to get them kicked off good while I'm trying to get them straightened out. After about 30 days I start switching them over to a cake in the bunk and then switch them over to eating cake off the ground. I like the Stocker/Grower because it's not medicated, has a little more fat, and it's all natural protein. The Precon has 2% NPN.

The Stocker/Grower works for me because I like to hand feed calves that I'm starting so I can see who doesn't come up to eat. So that won't work for your purposes because it doesn't have a limiter. But the quality of the Precon should be real similar to the quality of the Stocker/Grower and I don't have any complaints about the consistency or palatability. In fact, sometimes I try to use a textured feed with a touch of molasses to start some lighter calves and many of them will eat the Purina pellets before they eat the textured stuff.

Here's a good link that tells you a little bit more about some of their starters in case you haven't seen it:

http://cattle.purinamills.com/LifeStageFeeding/Calves/default.aspx#preconditioning

 

[lazy ace]

We have used precon for several years it works great. You can feed it free choice or put it in the bunks and hand feed it. The calves will get a little loose if you keep them on it for more than 10 days (from our experience) but after that time frame they are usually ready to start eating something else. We usually put in some long stem hay but we have done it with out hay too.

What are you going to feed after weaning them TMR?

have a good

lazy ace

 

[Anonymous]

One of the things I learned from the local feedlots is to make a tub or two of the Smart-Lic Stress Lic tubs available to the new weaned calves...
They were doing it- and said it greatly cut their sick calves rate-- and since I started doing it a couple of years ago- have not had any sick calves...
Just something to keep them going good until they learn to eat good..

http://www.smartlic.com/products/stresslic.html

 

[Just Ranchin]

2 things from the backgrounding lots that i have talked to about incoming calves......Cargill Mineral with Biomos and CTC and/or Draxxin on every calf coming in

 

[cowwrangler]

i was surprised at how fast they ate this stuff,an hour after they were weaned they was eating ,i didnt give them alot right away cause it was supposed to rain,but they cleaned up the first batch and i give them more,this morning about half of them came right up to eat right away,they are also getting grass hay along with this,these calves have not had any creep either,seems like good stuff,time will tell

 

[cowwrangler]

We have used precon for several years it works great. You can feed it free choice or put it in the bunks and hand feed it. The calves will get a little loose if you keep them on it for more than 10 days (from our experience) but after that time frame they are usually ready to start eating something else. We usually put in some long stem hay but we have done it with out hay too.

What are you going to feed after weaning them TMR?

have a good

lazy ace

yes they will move on to corn silage and hay

 

[gcreekrch]

What do they mean by Fat in this ration? Where is the source for Fat.

Thought you folks weren't feeding beef fat back to your cattle but it doesn't sound like it in that ration.

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

What do they mean by Fat in this ration? Where is the source for Fat.

Thought you folks weren't feeding beef fat back to your cattle but it doesn't sound like it in that ration.

gcreek:

Are you asking about the Purina Precon? If so, I think it comes from the cottonseed in the product. If I remember right, the Precon has cottonseed in it. It sure is fluffy and smells good too.

Remember, there are plant based fats too; of which soybean or corn derived fat are probably the most famous. But as of recent, sunflower and canola have become equally as if not more popular because of the their little to no trans fat content.

In the U.S. fish meal can still be fed too.

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

 

[Rambo]

What do they mean by Fat in this ration? Where is the source for Fat.

Thought you folks weren't feeding beef fat back to your cattle but it doesn't sound like it in that ration.

Nice try

 

[Larrry]

Here is a label for some feed I contracted

Sunflower Meal

MECHANICAL EXTRACTED

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein .............. min 27%
Crude Fat .............. min 10.0%
Crude Fiber .............. max 25%

INGREDIENT STATEMENT
Mechanical Extracted Sunflower Meal


? All Natural High Protein and Fat, old

process, Expeller Pressed oilseed meal.

? High Fat, not added, Naturally included.

? Highly Palatable, even to the pickiest

animals.

 

[gcreekrch]

What do they mean by Fat in this ration? Where is the source for Fat.

Thought you folks weren't feeding beef fat back to your cattle but it doesn't sound like it in that ration.

gcreek:

Are you asking about the Purina Precon? If so, I think it comes from the cottonseed in the product. If I remember right, the Precon has cottonseed in it. It sure is fluffy and smells good too.

Remember, there are plant based fats too; of which soybean or corn derived fat are probably the most famous. But as of recent, sunflower and canola have become equally as if not more popular because of the their little to no trans fat content.
In the U.S. fish meal can still be fed to

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

Thanks TTB, I thought the US had discontinued feeding beef fat in cattle rations but that put a question in my head. It was less than a year ago that there was an article in Canadian Cattlemen's magazine about the merits of feeding beef fat by David Pratt. :roll:

They got an earfull in a letter from me. :wink: