# Protein/molasses tubs?



## Guest (Feb 20, 2012)

Anyone on here use this for cattle and goats? I am going to pick one up in the morning and am interested in recommendations. Confirmed of the 4 types the feed store has, none have copper, all have selenium and urea.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

What brand of tub does your feed store carry?


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## InvalidID (Feb 18, 2011)

After pricing things out I've found (for my area) protein tubs are the most expensive option. FOr me it's better to feed them wheat hay or alfalfa.


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2012)

Over the phone they told me Purina, Blue Seal and Ultralyx. They are a Southern States branch so i'm their own brand as well.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

I use the store brand of 24% protein molasses tubs.

They are hard, so the cattle can't eat much at a time. They have a lot of molasses in them. This does something important for the cattle: it feeds the microbes in their rumen. Cattle eat mostly cellulose, which is very hard to digest. Their microbe populations makes it possible for them to digest the cellulose. By feeding the microbe population, they increase and help the cattle get more good out of the grass and hay they eat.

A cow with a very good population of microbes can subsist on poorer feed and still prosper. It makes the quality of their hay less important.

My cattle and goats go through one 200# 24% tub for every 40 or so round bales.

Once the tub is empty, it makes a great toy for them until I go get it and use it for something else, like being a flower planter or holding feed.


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

There high energy tubs and high protein tubs, so it depends on what you are trying to balance in your ration. Young animals should not be fed a high urea ration.


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## Brooks WV (Jul 24, 2010)

Here in southeast WV, the protien tubs are $70... I fogot the weight, but they're heavy...

I'm fortunate to have a very large organic dairy close by, and I buy 22% protien dairy alfalfa in 1000 pound bales for $150/ea. All my animals get this all winter; pigs, Jersey, and Highlands. Smells great too!


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

We use Crystalyx brand of Low Moisture Blocks for our cattle, sheep, and horses. We don't depend on the blocks/tubs to provide their protein needs, rather we use them to provide minerals and vitamins along with some protein. 

We are firm believers in the Crystalyx product as they provide consistent performance, regulated intake, and are reasonable on a $/head/day basis.

Jim


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

$90 for 250. Equals is $720 a ton. That's higher than you can make on it. Just buy better hay and a few range cubes now and then


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

myersfarm it may equal that per ton but you don't need a ton to stretch poor feed. I use cornstalks or millet straw and the cows need that protein to make it. could I use range cubes---yes but with the tubs its a more hands off and gives me time to do more important jobs. if I was feeding alfalfa thats currently at 300 per ton in my area I would not need the tubs and I'd be out of business already.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

How long will a 250 lb tube last for 25 cows


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

We use them sometimes. Last year, the hay just wasn't as good as usual even though it is the same source we have used for several years. Something about the growing season, it just didn't have the usual nutrition. The cattle were eating a lot more of it and losing weight. So we put the tubs out. The ones we get also have minerals and vitamins added to them, and some salt to control the intake. They slowed down on the hay after the tubs were offered. We went thru a tub a week for $50, it would have cost more than that to buy alfalfa hay in the dead of winter.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Mo cows how many cow were on the tubes that week


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

myersfarm said:


> How long will a 250 lb tube last for 25 cows


How long it lasts usually depends on the quality of the hay they have. I used to put out 2 tubs for about 50 cows and they would last maybe 3 weeks when being fed brome and prairie hay. They ate more when running on milo stubble, but milo stubble doesn't have a lot of energy and the cows needed more.


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

I offer them to my 14 cows during winter simply as a treat. I have one cow who has figured out after a rain there is soda water in them.

Current tubs are quite heavier than previous ones. I drill holes in the bottom and then pick up manure out of my yard for my BILs mulch pile.

Weight on the ones I get is 200 pounds. I have them placed in the back of my pickup so I can pull them off until they fall on the ground.

Haven't had the cattle play with them I've seen, but once empty and on side the wind will really work them.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

And, those tubs make great planters, especially the red or green colored ones. The black ones tend to heat up if in the direct sun.


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## sassafras manor (Dec 5, 2009)

Not to mention that they make great stock tanks for smaller calves or goats.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

myersfarm said:


> Mo cows how many cow were on the tubes that week


8 cows, the bull, and 3 calves. The hay consumption didn't cut in half or anything that dramatic, we just got an extra day out of each big bale it seemed like. We think the hay was lacking in protein due to a weird growing season in 2010. 

Lonelyfarmgirl posted a good thread about their similar situation and they actually had cattle dying before it all got figured out. When we saw our cows losing condition and acting hungry all the time in spite of having hay available all the time, we put the tubs out. Could have fed range cubes, too, but the tubs are more convenient since they are "self service."


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Meyers farm the feed rate is going to vary from product to product. A good quality protein tub should run about 3/4 to 1 1/2 lbs. per head per day.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

I use a product called Mix30....it runs $183 a ton.... in a lick tank...I was just curios what it cost in real life to feed the tubs..$600 to $800 a ton is way to high for me in the tubs


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## kycrawler (Sep 18, 2011)

I used to feed mix 30% in a lick tank with the wheel untill i started getting the 200lb tubs at our local rural king The ragland brand tubs are $41 dollars and the refills are $36 60 head of 4-500 lb holstiens will eat 2 a month on top of silage , hay and ddg/soy hull pellets , 20 cows will go through 1 a month . I buy 4 pallets of the tubs when they do their ladies and seniors 10% off they take a fork lift and load them on the truck for my lady and i unload them with a bobcat at home to put them in pasture we slide 2 in the bucket take them out and set them


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

myersfarm-- I put out a half tub for each cow for the winter, about 5 months. I use the 250 pound 22 percent protein. I have looked into the lick tank like you talk about but the tubs just work better for me, not to mention the wife make flower pots out of the empty's.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Kycrawler your the only other one on this board that I know of that feeds on top of silage , hay and ddg/soy hull pellets ....would like to talk to you more one another thread about your mix...I use a NDE grinder


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2012)

Picked up the tub yesterday. When I showed up there was only one type in stock. Blue Seal 20% protein 250 lb. Placed it in the field about noon and seems to be a big hit. Will try to update on the results if any one it has been out there for a couple of weeks.

Also placed placed out a high magnesium loose cattle mineral free choice. Before yesterday they were sharing my Purina goat mineral with the goats. Still learning what role the high mag plays with cattle.

Thanks everyone for your replies.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Davstep how much was it ?


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2012)

$130 for the tub and $25 for the 50lb mineral bag.


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## Karen in Alabam (Jul 21, 2010)

We use the liquid Molasses stuff.

We had issues with bad hay last year, the vet came out and told us to get one of those at the Co-op. We paid $300.00 for the tub alone--didn't know it didn't come full Cost us another 500.00 to get it filled. They didn't finish it all before winter came again--and now we have less cattle--so didn't fill all the way it this time around. Don't remember what the price is.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Wow, prices sure do vary, don't they? From $36 for a Ragland refill to $$$.$$! I just paid $60 for a Southern States 24% 200# tub, and I thought it was high. I've been watching for them on sale and usually pay $47 for them. I got caught short and had no choice.

I never considered going without one for a while. I bale native grass and it probably isn't very high in nutrition, so I feel that I need to give the cattle a little help.

It must be working. An 18 month old steer (#142) that entered cold weather without a drop of fat on him anywhere is showing some fat now. A younger steer has really packed on the weight during this winter.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

The reason for varied pricing is the variety of blocks which affects intake.

The low moisture blocks like crystalyx have the lowest intake per day. other forms have higher intake sotheir price is lower. 

You need to look atprice divided by intake to get a true cost.


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I just paid $55 for the only one my feed store had in stock, a 16% 200Lbs. I've been worrying about weight in one of my cows, all the calves prefer her and I like the idea of having free choice extra out there if she needs it so I bought a tub. I'll see how it works for her and the other cow in that pasture with her.


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## sassafras manor (Dec 5, 2009)

The role that the high mag mineral provides is that it prevents the grass staggers also known as spring bloat. If you turn out hay fed cattle onto fresh lush spring pasture or pasture with a high clover content you run the rsk of having them bloat. I experienced this last season when i noticed a holstein steer one morning leaning on its side onto the hotwire. I walked out into the pasture and as i approached the steer he stood up and proceeded to walk backwards in a zigzag pattern back to the barn. I was able to save him by rubbing his side and helping him pass the gas that had built up inside of him. I had been mixing the mineral into their feed but after this episode i always make sure they have free-choice high-mag mineral available March-June.


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

around here the 250 pound tubs sell for 100 to 150 each, of course I wait till they go on sale and stock up--this year I paid 80 each. the lick tanks work fine too but in our area for some reason the tubs work out cheaper and are more convenient, I can move them from pen to pen as needed.


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

My old girls have bad teeth, now I'm afraid they're going to lick their tongues down to stumps on those danged tubs. They sure like 'em!


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

rancher they make skids that the lick tanks set on and you can pull around with a tractor


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## SteveO (Apr 14, 2009)

Which reminds me. Do you use the tubs with the added fly chemical in them??
tubs around here are 55$
Steve


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

Take a look at the resources at the Crystalyx website. The Crystalyx products are Low-Moisture Tubs which are designed for low intake, 1/4 to 1/2 lb/hear/day.

Crystalyx brand Low-Moisture Tubs


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Davstep said:


> Still learning what role the high mag plays with cattle.


Here's an article about grass tetany and the role of high magnesium.

http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/beef/articles/GrassTetanyBloat.pdf

You'll find more information if you google "grass tetany in cattle." Some people just use the high mag minerals in the spring; others use it year-round. I think there can be some negatives using it year-round. You can also check with your extension agent or vet about what's recommended where you are.


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