schmitty - 12/1/2016 22:38 I need advice with my mineral program in my cow herd. I have been using crystalyx tubs for a few years now. I feel they are a good product but expensive. Best thing about them: no loss from weather and every cow gets a chance. My problem is my dad thinks they are worthless. He says there is nowhere near enough mineral content in them to keep cattle alive. Every cow we lost this last year he blames on my mineral program. I have been using the rolyx - max tubs during spring and summer months. And BGF-30 fall and winter. Am I really abusing my cows that much? Am I that much of a fool to believe the sales pitch saying the tubs deliver 100% Nutrient requirements? Thanks for the replies. This topic comes up every so often. Hoping to learn something myself, I just printed out and compared the Crystalyx data sheets for your two products above and the Crystalyx Mineral-lyx tubs which I keep out free choice year round, along with separate white salt blocks in trays, for all cows, bulls, calves and yearlings. I've used just Mineralyx for about 10 years now, initially on the recommendation of a very experienced neighbor who has used them for much longer than that. I had a newborn calf die of hypothermia a couple years ago, before I moved my calving date back. I had reasons to suspect something else so my vet and I agreed to have this one posted at the UW Veterinary clinic in Madison. The report came back with no other cause of death which was a relief. However the report also said that in their posts they do a mineral profile and the calf in question had very high scores in all of the mineral deficiencies they check. Basically they said "keep up whatever mineral program you are using". Without going into a long winded discussion: - The Rolyx seems to be a Rabon fly mineral, it has no potassium, otherwise is similar to Mineral-lyx - BGF-30 seems to be primarily a protein (30%) source although it has a similar list of minerals to Mineral-lyx but in different amounts. Per your quote above, are you really using the tubs for "100% of nutrient requirements"??? You must be feeding hay, stalks, etc in addition to the tubs. There should be nutrients in whatever else you are feeding and not just roughage. Imho, a mineral tub should be just that, a mineral tub, and not the primary source of protein. That seems like it would get expensive. I suspect the 30% protein tub is mostly for emergency situations. Without knowing your complete situation, I would suggest you switch to Mineral-lyx + a salt block for your mineral program and find some other source of protein for your herd. Check whatever else you are feeding for protein level first. Beef cattle only need maybe 8-10% total protein daily. What does your hay, etc test for protein? I agree with your comments about mineral tubs - zero waste and every animal gets what they need. I tried dry mineral and ended up throwing most of it out when it turned to rock with very little actually consumed. Not so cheap after all in my opinion. Good luck. Try to keep peace with your Dad also. Maybe you could make a change and not make it a personal stand-off. jmho.
Edited by Jim 12/3/2016 00:48
| 
Who here relies only on lick tubs for mineral?
