Why do you buy cake?

[gcreekrch]

This is getting a little off course for this thread but how many of you have used a bale wrapper for haylage. About the same cost as a processer and you have a machine that ensures good feed. I figure it pays me about $7.50 a bale after plastic cost for my labour when you factor in ONLY spoiled feed from weathering. I haven't taken the time to figure in what the difference for bad hay.
We roll them out, can't justify a machine that turns black hay into black hay and good hay into dust that blows off



My opinion

[per]

The big bonus of cake is there are no twines and no plastic to deal with.

[HAY MAKER]

Yup,lotsa differnt methods to get protein/energy into cattle once the grasses go dormant and or you have a barn full of poor quality hay like I do,figgerin which protein source to utilize around here is pretty easy,the one that costs less.........this year that was liquid,cows did alright.grass is turning green and spring planting is in full swing.
good luck

[Soapweed]

From what I've seen on Alfalfa the little bit I've fed once they had some they would'nt eat my poor quality hay which I have lot's of.

Now I remember why I feed cake instead of alfalfa. Thanks, Denny.

[CattleArmy]

In this area the reason we buy cake over alfalfa is it is very hard to find alfalfa that is put up right. To often alfalfa is not put up right and it's brown or another problem is if the leaves are beat off when put up and a person gets stems. Lack of protein there.

Cake is easier to handle and you know the product you are buying.

[loomixguy]

You cake feeders may need to check your options next season. No way will you get your cake as cheap as you did this season, even if you contract several semi loads. What does it cost you to cake? Your time, gas, and equipment add significantly to the overall cost. What about fines? ADM makes the best cake I have ever seen, with the fewest fines. Cake is a lot like creep, poor pellets make for a lot of fines, and fines are a waste of money, moreso if feeding on the ground.

[Nebraska Sandhills]

You cake feeders may need to check your options next season. No way will you get your cake as cheap as you did this season, even if you contract several semi loads. What does it cost you to cake? Your time, gas, and equipment add significantly to the overall cost. What about fines? ADM makes the best cake I have ever seen, with the fewest fines. Cake is a lot like creep, poor pellets make for a lot of fines, and fines are a waste of money, moreso if feeding on the ground.

Feeding alfalfa bales requires time, gas, and equipment as well. We usually supplement with cake, but occasionally use alfalfa in different scenarios and I can assure you in our situation it takes a lot more time to feed alfalfa than to run the cake truck around. Some of the cattle are wintered on hay meadows, but a lot of the cows are run in the hills where places with hard sod are not available to feed them--and it is sure a lot easier for them to pick cake out of the sand than alfalfa leaves. Another advantage for us when feeding cubes is that we feed just give them two-days worth every other day, which saves a lot of trips. We also get a mineral pack right in the cube to assure the cows mineral needs are being met. (we still offer free choice mineral)

The company we buy cake from bags most of the fines right off the back of the truck. We just feed them to odds and ends in the corrals, but alot of people make them take the fines back and subtract off their bill.

Both cake and alfalfa have their place, and everyone's operation is set up to work in a different way, but for us, 9 times out of 10 caking sure works better for us as we are usually short of time, short of help, and the cattle are spread out 20-30 miles.

Also, I might add just as a side note, we sample quite a bit of our native prairie hay, and this year for example, our protein levels ranged from 5 to 9%.

Just my opinion FWIW

[loomixguy]

As of today, COST for a 20% range cube, in bulk, before any freight is added, or discounts applied is almost $290/ton. That is at the ADM mill in Grand Island. ADM is back to offering 0% feeder finance this year. It might not be a bad idea to see your dealer and look into it.

[CattleArmy]

Puts self out there and waits for someone to tell me how dumb I am.........with the raising costs of feed either cake or alfalfa I'd like to look into feeding more distillers. My father doesn't like to feed them on the ground and that's why he prefers cake. With the cost and the fact I know of an operation that does feed distillers on the ground I think it would be worth thinking about that option.

Anyone here do much with distillers?

[loomixguy]

Never said or thought anybody was dumb.........Just posted what dealer cost would be on a 20% AN range cube, before adding margin, freight, or applying any discounts. Sorry if you thought I insulted you.

Distillers "can" open up a whole other set of problems, though..........

[Denny]

Never said or thought anybody was dumb.........Just posted what dealer cost would be on a 20% AN range cube, before adding margin, freight, or applying any discounts. Sorry if you thought I insulted you.

Distillers "can" open up a whole other set of problems, though..........

What kind of problem's with distiller's? I've heard how the cow's won't breedback,you'll get brainer's etc.etc.etc. I fed my cows 30#s of wet per head per day last winter was cheaper than hay the cows were fat and not one brainer.Now it's a year later and the cows are calveing faster than any year in the past.To me it's a feed company seeing a loss of money if they don't convince the farmer/rancher to buy their miracal in a bag or tank.If you want an honest answer ask someone who's done it.I've over fed wet distillars 3 times more than they reccommend with no ill effects.You can load a trailer full of it and park it right out with the cows they will eat until they are full and walk away.This was all done with wet distillars grain so the dry would be different.Plus the hay intake was cut in 1/2.Our local feed mill put on meeting/meal talking about feeding distiller's they had those old farmer's scared to death of the product.It worked on many of them as they keep selling lick barrel's.Feed salesman are like the government they only worry about their own bottom line.I've seen a good friend go broke on advice from his feedman.He was a dairy farmer.

[CattleArmy]

Never said or thought anybody was dumb.........Just posted what dealer cost would be on a 20% AN range cube, before adding margin, freight, or applying any discounts. Sorry if you thought I insulted you.

Distillers "can" open up a whole other set of problems, though..........

Loomixguy it was never directed out you I was just preparing myself for when or if anyone on the board thought it was a crazy or dumb idea.


Every producer has different opinions of what is the "right" thing to do. I think with the way that costs keep rising it's time to look outside the box for nutritional suppliments that still pack benefit but are more cost effective. I think in the next few calf crops we are all going to have to be watching every buck that we put in closer.