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    cow mineral

    Was wondering what would be good mineral mix for cows calving mid february. What is better loose mineral or lick tubs? Also whats thought on mineral with rumensin in . thanks

    #2
    I guess it depends what you think your mineral
    problems are. Lick tubs are always cost prohibitive in
    my experience. We winter the cows on trace mineral
    salt blocks but use some loose mineral through the
    summer mainly to get some reseeding done. We don't
    calve in February but I'm not sure how much that
    really changes mineral requirements.
    For any of you in central AB the Viterra outlet in
    Ponoka is the best place I've found for minerals/salt.
    Trace mineral blocks with selenium are currently
    $8.85 where many places are quoting $12 .

    Comment


      #3
      With loose mineral you will get better uptake. Lick
      tubs need to be supplied at a ratio of about 40
      head to 1 tub. If not used at this ratio the intake
      will be too high or too low. Mainly the problem is
      too little intake because the tubs are frozen solid.

      If using loose mineral take away the blocks or I
      have been told cattle can end up with to much
      selenium.

      We bought a pallet of loose mineral a month ago
      and man are the girls going thru it! But if you
      cheap out you soon will have limping cows.

      Comment


        #4
        Really? which mineral are you so short of that the
        cows limp if they don't get enough?

        Comment


          #5
          Organic iodine

          Comment


            #6
            The most economical I find is the salt free mineral from COOP and loose cobalt salt mixed together , 1 bag to 1 bag. The cattle only intake what they need never any problems with excess intake. The tubs are like watching a old cash register wheel go round and round a hundred miles an hour.

            Comment


              #7
              forage: I use exactly the same as you from Co-op.

              Comment


                #8
                Thats what I use through the breeding season -
                except it comes from the Ponoka outlet I mentioned -
                mineral is @$17/bag versus what $23ish at the Coop?
                They make the mineral that UFA retails for about $25
                so you may as well buy direct.

                Comment


                  #9
                  The great about this is you can add to it with extra magnesium or calicum,etc.
                  I even add extra phosphorous during breeding time . I also add silent herder a week before they head into spring tame grass, sure eliminates grass tend. ,well it time to catch forty winks before the next night shift sstarts.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Ufa sells a iodine fortified salt block for like $11/ea
                    If you contact the ufa provincial nutritionist and
                    send him in your mineral tag he will compare it
                    with the products ufa sells. He sent me back a
                    spreadsheet with a cost/head/day comparison
                    what I am using to what they sell. This was a
                    couple years ago and at the time my cost was
                    0.09$/day and the closest ufa had was 0.14$ and
                    it was not as good of stuff. He said our local feed
                    mill was selling actually an illegal product. He said
                    that high of nutrients in a mineral are not
                    supposed to be sold unless it is a special batch
                    for signal producer. I don't remember if we were
                    supposed to have a vets approval or not.

                    Northern Complete winter mineral has

                    5000 mg/kg of copper
                    150 mg/kg of iodine
                    3000 fluorine
                    5500 iron
                    8000 manganese
                    100 selenium
                    13000 zinc
                    1200000 vitamin a
                    120000 vit d
                    3000 vit e

                    Cost/tonne $1760

                    If your having problems with your cattle Champion
                    Feeds in Westlock has a Beef Cattle Mineral
                    Deficiency table that they put out. If you want I
                    could email it to you. Maybe today I should learn
                    how to use photo bucket. Anyone what to post the
                    directions again?

                    The minimum recommended level for iodine is 0.5
                    mg/kg of diet. The max. Tolerable is 50 mg/kg

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Alberta Ag publishes a "The Beef cow-calf
                      manual" It's a very good resource for its
                      money....like 25 or 30$

                      310-farm

                      Comment


                        #12
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                        Comment


                          #13
                          The simpler way if you have a good mill
                          around is to test your feed, and buy a
                          custom mix. We use Greenbelt Farms at
                          Wainwright and are super happy. The
                          mineral program we are on with them is
                          quite a bit cheaper than UFA salt and
                          works better. We do pickup the product
                          in minibulk bags (tonne at a time).
                          They can bag it but it costs a fair bit
                          more.
                          This covers issues such as high Phos in
                          land that has been continually swath
                          grazed (add Ca to mineral), or ration or
                          local weather issues affecting quality.
                          Would have to get our last bill out but
                          it is a very small investment per head
                          per day.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Most of the minerals you listed are a little higher than
                            in the one I use Allfarmer. However we have no
                            fertility or performance concerns with our herd that
                            would interest me in moving to a $1760/T mineral
                            versus a $915/T mineral.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I'll have to see if the coop here sells mineral.

                              Comment

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