Distillers to show calves

[nkotb]

I know it has been discussed on here before, but when I tried to search for it the search brought up a lot of pages.  I was curious what the benefits/disadvantages of feeding wet distillers to show calves would be. 

 

[R1Livestock]

I like this analogy:

You're not going to put second-hand warn out tires on a brand new corvette, why feed a by-product to your show project?

Sure you can use it, sure you'll save some money.

It's really your choice based on what you want to get out of the project.  If you want to learn how to most efficiently feed a steer for maximum gain per dollar of feed, use by-products in some formulation or your ration.  If you want to get the most out of the genetic potential your calf has, go with one of the multitude of other choices.  It's not wrong or right, just what you want to do.

 

[farwest]

I've fed it to my show calves. Fed it to my cows in winter. Didn't like either one. There is zero scratch factor for a show ration. Nothin that will had a full look.  The phos is high so you need to adjust the minerals in your ration so it balances. On cows feeding alfalfa for the same amount of protein has resulted in my cows looking in way better condition.  I'm not one to support the ethenol business anyway. Its one of the biggest subsidy jokes in this country.  I refuse to use the gas.  I don't know whÝ anyonw would. The poorer mileage offsets the lower price.

 

[ratmama2]

We get a brewers grain from a microbrewery. It is mainly barley and my heifers and steers have blossomed from it. It is still hot when we get it and I didn't have to cook barley for them this year.They eat it like it is candy. They also get a commercial feed as well but it has helped cut our costs on that. We top dress the barley with their commercial feed so they are getting the best of both worlds.

 

[R1Livestock]

Do they hold hair with that barley-based ration rat mama?

 

[firesweepranch]

We fed Dried distillers grain to our cow that we showed cow/calf pair. We got it wet when we fed it, and she gobbled it up. It was tons cheaper than the show grain the show heifers were on, and she kept her weight. We were third overall at our Nationals, was champion overall female at our LARGE district fair, was Champion cow/calf in 4-H at Missouri state fair, and reserve champion in the open division at Missouri State Fair. So she did well on it. But we DID NOT feed it to the heifers, they got show grain. It was just a cheaper option to feed a cow nursing a calf (she was kept on pasture and supplemented with DDG), last year we got slammed because she was not heavy enough (as a two year old). So we pushed her hard this year and will do it again with any pair we show.

 

[Show Steaks]

My feed lot observation of disttlers. lose hair, grow well but a hard type of grow(they dont have that nice soft look), dont put on condition as well as corn, usually not as deep bodied as they should be. moderately cheaper but nothing too special.

P.s. i agree with farwest, fuel economy sucks and your only saving $1 per ten gallons of fuel, only good thing about the ethanol plant is a close place to sell corn. and the gluten syrup cows love it even though your pretty much paying to give your cows flavored water, it does help them eat corn stalks

 

[hamburgman]

Beet pulp is a by-product of sugar production, and I think a lot of ppl would feel lost without it.

 

[blackcows]

I like this analogy:

You're not going to put second-hand warn out tires on a brand new corvette, why feed a by-product to your show project?

Not really a good analogy, by-products aren't second hand worn out feedstuffs that are inferior products...many are very useful and very necessary in animal agriculture such as soybean meal, cottonseed meal, fat, blood meal, beet pulp, and many others.

Mike

 

[ratmama2]

Do they hold hair with that barley-based ration rat mama?

I have not had any prblem with hair. We rinse and put under fans. I think it hasn't burnt any hair off at all. Not like with the corn.

 

[R1Livestock]

I like this analogy:

You're not going to put second-hand warn out tires on a brand new corvette, why feed a by-product to your show project?

Not really a good analogy, by-products aren't second hand worn out feedstuffs that are inferior products...many are very useful and very necessary in animal agriculture such as soybean meal, cottonseed meal, fat, blood meal, beet pulp, and many others.

Mike

As the quote says, we're talking about "show calves."  You think that distillers is a top of the line show feed?  And it is "second hand" as it is the part that someone else couldn't use.  Do they have their place in agriculture, sure.  Are they going to get the most out of your calves that other feeds can, probably not in most cases.  So yes, they are "inferior products" when talking about show feeds.

 

[blackcows]

I like this analogy:

You're not going to put second-hand warn out tires on a brand new corvette, why feed a by-product to your show project?

Not really a good analogy, by-products aren't second hand worn out feedstuffs that are inferior products...many are very useful and very necessary in animal agriculture such as soybean meal, cottonseed meal, fat, blood meal, beet pulp, and many others.

Mike

As the quote says, we're talking about "show calves."  You think that distillers is a top of the line show feed?   And it is "second hand" as it is the part that someone else couldn't use.  Do they have their place in agriculture, sure.  Are they going to get the most out of your calves that other feeds can, probably not in most cases.  So yes, they are "inferior products" when talking about show feeds.

I think that you can use distillers to make a very good show ration, it will add moisture to the diet and increase palitabilty and intakes.  I think you will find that most, if not all, commercially avaialable show feeds are going to contain by-products like DDG, SBM, and others. 

 

[cattlemanr]

You are correct, most commecially produced show feeds contain DDG's, SBM, etc in their pellets but they balance thier rations with the proper nutrients and the better feed companies have qulality control on the ingredients comming in.  When you feed distillers on the farm you don't have the same qality control or ability to compinsate for the high sulphur or high phosphorus levels.  It should be classified as a by-product or a Feed ingredient not a show feed.

 

[simtal]

Calling distillers a "second hand" feedstuff is way off base, considering it has 135% to 145% the energy value of dry rolled/ high moisture corn.

 

[Ag Man]

WOW... the ignorance shown on this website tends to boggle the mind!

Calling DDG's, soybean meal, corn gluten, wheat midlings, beet pulp, and cotton seed hulls all inferior feed products is just unbelievable....but not surprising for I have seen people promote genetic defects and cheating in the showring.

I've used all of the above....cattle that have hair will have hair...by-products or not under ceteris paribus conditions.  In fact I truly love SBM...high in oil, promotes a great hair coat.  BTW I grind my own, mix my own rations...and have for over 40 years.  Been through all stages of the beef production industry...just about done with the show ring though...one more year.