LCP said:Has anybody tried this? I'd like to background my steer calves this fall/winter but don't have the facilities to keep them all at home. I was thinking this might be a viable alternative to buying a mixer wagon and more bunks.
redrobin said:Joe there's not much I believe about your scenario including and beginning with the evolution. I think the salt limiter would be acceptable other than a delivery method that works. DDG is pretty fluffy for a self feeder.
Just for grins, what was the percentage of salt in ocean water "when life was beginning on earth" ?littlejoe said:Ya? You even eat anything salty? Did it make you thirsty?
You ever cut your finger and stick it in your mouth?
Did it taste salty?
You ever warm up any water?
Did it take any energy?
More properly, I should have said that the % of salt in mammals blood is similiar to salt levels in the oceans when life was beginning on earth.
Whatever---our blood contains perhaps 1% salt and our bodies will try to maintain that level.
lefty said:I feed salt as a limiter in the winter time or have in the past . with soybean meal & mineral .We feed mostly native hay some is pretty ruff with salt & soybean in the mineral I can get much better intake on mineral than just a mineral mix in the bunk . the last year I did it I used dry distillers instead of soybeans It worked just fine . But not as a ration just free choise in bunk .
Once again free advice can be expensive ...
I was cutting some rippgut swamp hay one time , the neighbor stopped & asked me If you ever get that in a cow how would you get it out .
redrobin said:Just for grins, what was the percentage of salt in ocean water "when life was beginning on earth" ?littlejoe said:Ya? You even eat anything salty? Did it make you thirsty?
You ever cut your finger and stick it in your mouth?
Did it taste salty?
You ever warm up any water?
Did it take any energy?
More properly, I should have said that the % of salt in mammals blood is similiar to salt levels in the oceans when life was beginning on earth.
Whatever---our blood contains perhaps 1% salt and our bodies will try to maintain that level.
Regarding the DDG limited with salt, I might see things your way if you can give specifics. You sound like you're quoting lick tub sales men for your source. Give us an example of actual costs if he's feeding salt limited ddg .
My main point was that if animal is eating a lot of salt, it's going to drink way more water, to keep system in balance. And if it's cold and there is not any 'surplus heat' available, much of the energy you've just gotten into them with your 'salt control' is going to be burnt up warming up the water they drank to water down the salt---that you put in to control the consumption of the energy that's being used to warm up the water......and round and round we go.......
flyingS said:Is your nutritionist selling any of your ingredients or working for any companies that are selling them? My thoughts on salt are different than most. In my experience any time I have seen anyone cut mineral with salt consumption is average based on a 2 oz/day allowance. It must be working then or is it? Just for argument sake lets say you are paying 1200/ton for mineral and 150 for salt. Are you paying 150 to control your mineral consumption or are you paying 1350/ton for salt. To get to the point, ever time I have been somewhere where the mineral was cut I have seperated the salt and mineral and fed both in seperate bunks. The salt is almost always cleaned up and mineral consumption is very little. I believe cattle will eat what they need, if you keep them in salt and mineral they will consume what they need, unless their is an additive to get them to consume more. For example look to see what the salt content on your existing mineral is. If it is say 25% and you pay 1500/ton for mineral you are paying 375/ton for salt. That is not very economical for me. I would think that if you want your cattle to consume more cut with salt. I am not a cattle feeder nor a nutritionist, I just am going off of observation.
lefty said:ddg is a pretty hot feed on its own 22% protien or so it could be an expensive test if things go wrong . The salt ,calories , water & energy thing is interesting food for thought .