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Ontario | New to this site, been reading it for a while. Thought that I would finally ask a question of my own.
We are in the process of changing our feeding system for our small beef feedlot. We feed out all of our own calves, and have traditionally bought in others, but in recent years have not done this as much as our cow herd has grown. This year will have about 110 to put on feed, give or take a few, and room for more. Our traditional ration for backgrounding has been alfalfa baleage, corn silage, a protein concentrate, and some rolled grain at times. Our finishing ration has been high moisture corn, protein concentrate, and some corn silage, with some lower quality dry hay in a bale feeder. We have been using a tower silo for the corn silage and harvestor sealed silo for the corn. From this we had a belt feeder to deliver the feed (no mixer whatsoever). We have decided to change over the feeders to fenceline bunks as the old belt feeder is has been earning its old age pension for a while now, and have begun this process. This year are putting all of the silage into a bunk, not a big fan of the old silo. Right now just feeding with a skidsteer, been a pain to change stuff with cattle still in the yards. Really, really, what a mixer so that we can weigh the feed to get a better idea of what exactly we are feeding them. As well we are looking to feed byproducts that to old system did not allow for. There is a nearby ethanol plant that we can get WDG out of. Hope that's enough background information.
Anyways, the real questions.
1) How much WDG can be fed to these types of cattle? How long will it say fresh? We are in Ontario so during the winter I would assume we would get a little longer out of it. What would you have in the ration with it, would our feed ingredients need a complete revamp? Also have lots a dry hay available, and could switch to dry corn too.
2) Having never had a mixer what would work best? I know if we want to process round bales of hay we would need a vertical, we don't have a bale processor, and don't want the added job really. Would we be just as far ahead to stick a bale feeder in the yard and feed the rest of the ration with a (cheaper) horizontal mixer? Or would gains be that much better with a vertical and putting everyting in the feed bunk? Have looked at an ArtsWay SupRaMix 425, and a Jaylor 1500 vertical, and maybe a Penta. Problem is they are a little more than we want to spend. But, do we bit the bullet now and get something good had have it for a long time, or go for the just for now solution? Are the vertical mixers that much better? If we want to add in WDG what would work best? Neighbour tried it with a stationary horizontal and said the it balled up a little, especially in the cold.
Sorry for the really long post, but having read these types of posts for awhile I have found that the best answers come from the questions with more background information. Thanks in advance. | |
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Beef feedlot, advice on a big change
