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Liquid feeds, Good or Bad?

diesel

Active member
Joined
Sep 23, 2006
Messages
38
Location
northwestern S.D.
I just started feeding our 1st calvers Loomix liquid feed. They have been grazing out all winter and started them on it about 2 weeks ago. Now I've heard that Nutra-lix liquid feed is better. Wondering if anyone has got more info than I have. Went to liquid feed vs cake for the reason of man power and cost of cake and fuel. The Loomix feed guy guaranteed consumption to be at 1 and a half pounds per day. They have been right at that for two weeks now. He comes out once a week and checks the consumption and fills if needed. One thing I like is he will help out on the ranch, for free if I need more help. Wondering about the pro's or con's of either type of feed. Thanks.
 
I'm sure the Loomix is good stuff, but what does it cost? Any liquid feed must be a sizeable % water content. But what keeps it from freezing?

I've never fed any liquid feed supplement. Only SmartLic and Crystalyx. They are good too but expensive protein in terms of $$$ per ton. Haven't priced any lately. The calves are still working on the first barrel I put out for them when I weaned last fall.

I'm feeding the cows some 2 yr old hay right now and free choice mineral. I'm feeding the same hay to the calves with cracked corn/DDG @ $198/ton.
 
liquid feed is actually alot drier than one would think, but you are right that you need to take into consideration the water content. I have never fed loomix, but I did feed someQLF and I was not happy with the results. If it fits your program and you are happy with the results then stick with it.
 
Personal opinion only---I tried Loomix one year- when we were short on hay, had low protein grass, and trying to give the cows some extra protein/mineral/OOMPH-- but with the price of it almost had a coronary with all they dribbled all over the ground....Lot cheaper to go cake- or even tubs if you're not set up to feed cake....

Lots of folks throwing out 22% protein tubs this winter around here because there is grass- little snow- but the grass is short on protein..
 
It looks to me the best place for liquid feed would be a situation where if a guy had some very poor quality hay or cornstalks and a way to feed it ground would be to spray the liquid feed on the ground hay/stalks. Would increase palatability, increase protein and energy, and cut dust to a minimum.
 
LOOMIX is actually cheaper to supplement than tubs or cubes, when you are comparing apples to apples.

It is the most convenient way to supplement range cattle.

LOOMIX is 100% safe for horses. Keep your sheep away from it, though.

LOOMIX is 97% ALL-NATURAL. K-State doesn't think 3% urea is harmful. In fact, K-State thinks 3% urea is beneficial.

If cattle aren't eating LOOMIX like they should, you have a pi** poor dealer who isn't servicing your account like he'she should. CALL THEM!

All liquid feeds aren't created equal. Comparing any other liquid feed to LOOMIX and saying they are the same is like saying a Hyundai is just like a Rolls Royce. They will both get you where you are going (maybe), but that is where the similarities end.

No other liquid feed is fed in open top troughs, because LOOMIX is consumption controlled with 2 different products. IF you could buy the dry version of LOOMIX's vitamin and chelated trace mineral package, it would cost in the neighborhood of $1000/ton.

ORE-BAC LOOMIX is the only liquid feed with a US Patent issued. If the tag says mineral is included, you best believe it is included, as every load has to be identical to the last load that was built. We proved to the Government that LOOMIX digests more fiber than ANY OTHER product out there, PERIOD. When you buy any patented product, it has to be consistent, time after time.

Water is not added to LOOMIX, so it doesn't freeze. It flows and pumps easily at 40 below. As far as moisture having no nutritive value, it all depends on what the moisture is made of, now doesn't it?

The big selling point with LOOMIX is that there is NO COMPETITION amongst the cows for it, like there can be with tubs, cubes, or other liquid fed in lick-wheel troughs. The Boss cow doesn't get 5 times more than she needs, whilst the timid cows, who need it the worst, get none.

There are generally 2 kinds of tubs, cooked and pressed. The cooked tubs are so hard that a few tubs can last a herd weeks, even months. Pressed tubs are so soft that cows can inhale them as fast as you put them out. Neither scenario is what you are really looking for when you buy supplement for your cows.

Now, OldTimer, they might dribble a little on the ground, but what percent fines does your cake contain? 3%? 7%? They don't eat fines very well either. LOOMIX is available 24 hours a day, but when your cake is eaten, or your tubs are empty, they ain't no more supplement until you go out there again. It takes at least 2 pounds of cake to equal the energy in one pound of LOOMIX. What are your cubes costing/pound? I sell Loomix for .23 cents/pound.

If you ever had a problem with LOOMIX, chances are it can be laid at either your dealer or PPM. I've been a LOOMIX dealer for 12 years, and I have been disappointed by people working for LOOMIX, but I have never been disappointed in any of their products.

One last thing. LOOMIX is wholly owned by Americans. When you pay your feed bill, a portion of the proceeds doesn't go to a foreign country.
 
Im wondering how Loomix compares to purinas Sup "R" lik,I am having good luck with it ,cows are eating 5% hay as fast as I can feed it and are about a 6 and some 7's on body score
good luck
PS costs about .13 cents a pound.no delivery,you haul your own.
I posted the price wrong at .26 cents its .13 cent lb,which is $260 ton.
 
I personally know of a horse that licked the bottom of the liquid tank where the product was concentrated and became seriously ill as a result.

I got this from U. of Arizona. It was written about Urea Poisioning in horses and cattle. It isn't a huge problem but one needs to be careful with it in certain situations.

"Note: Horses, although less susceptible than cattle to urea intoxication, can be poisoned if they eat enough of a urea-containing supplement. Horses are roughly equivalent to cattle in susceptibility to poisoning by other types of NPN (e.g. ammonium salts). "

Here's the link.

http://microvet.arizona.edu/AzVDL/infoAlerts/UreaPoisoning.html
 
I fed loo-mix this year for the first time. Cost wise there is no comparison to anything else plus you don't have to do anything. $.20 per day guarenteed from our distributor with the mineral package. Cake here comes to $1.01 per week plus fuel and mineral, and as far as barrells the cheapest I found was $.13-.15 per day and that was only because they limited to 1/3 to 1/2 pound per day.
 
The heifers are doing great on the loomix. Not much waste on the ground or no loss to the snow, mud or cracks in the ground. I am paying 25 cents per pound. If I am figuring right its cheaper to go loomix than cake at $215/ton for a 20% range cake, Plus I still have to go and buy Mineral for them. I have Right Now mineral in a tub next to the loomix just to have it there if they want, but there is still half a bag left since I put it there 2 weeks ago. I fed distillers grain to our replacement heifers and was not to happy with the way they looked at the end of feeding time. They got all the first cutting alf they wanted and 2 pounds of distillers. I like to feed cake, but seems the price just keeps jumping and the last semi load we got there was a lot of crushed cubes that produced way to much fines on the floor. I am not trying to say this or that is better, but just trying out one of my different options to try keeping my cost down and the most important to me is keeping my cattle in good shape.
 
Faster horses said:
I personally know of a horse that licked the bottom of the liquid tank where the product was concentrated and became seriously ill as a result.

I got this from U. of Arizona. It was written about Urea Poisioning in horses and cattle. It isn't a huge problem but one needs to be careful with it in certain situations.

"Note: Horses, although less susceptible than cattle to urea intoxication, can be poisoned if they eat enough of a urea-containing supplement. Horses are roughly equivalent to cattle in susceptibility to poisoning by other types of NPN (e.g. ammonium salts). "

Here's the link.

http://microvet.arizona.edu/AzVDL/infoAlerts/UreaPoisoning.html
One horse with access to concentrated product hardly indicates that it's dangerous for horses. In any kind of practical situation with decent management, there's just not much of a chance of a problem.

I'm not a fan of Loomix, and I would not recommend feeding in open troughs. Just much more reliable control and less chance for a problem with lick-wheel feeders.
 
Loomix guy wrote "No other liquid feed is fed in open top troughs, because LOOMIX is consumption controlled with 2 different products. "

What about Anipro? When I fed it we used an open trough.
 
Other ways LOOMIX adds value to an operation is that the dealer provides the troughs to the customers. Some dealers may charge rent for troughs, but I never have. We also move troughs from pasture to pasture or stalk field to stalk field. I don't charge for that service, either. Unlike my competitors who bill stop charges at every trough they service, charge rent for troughs, and can't move them, my delivered cost is fed cost.

For some reason, in South Texas, LOOMIX doesn't work as well as the molasses products in lick wheel tanks. But it must work pretty darn good just a little ways north. The largest LOOMIX dealer in the world is H & H Feeds, in Guymon, OK. They and I will guarantee you that you CAN control consumption with LOOMIX in open top troughs.

With urea at or less than 3% in LOOMIX, a critter would have to eat well over 100 pounds of it in a day to have adverse or toxic effects. My horses have access to pure ORE-BAC sweet, and I don't care how much of it they consume, and they look good. We also supplement several rodeo strings in the winter, as they run the bulls out along with the broncs, and there are no problems.

My own personal veterinarian, who has retired, told me several yeares ago that the urea killing horses thing was an old wive's tale, since horses are simple gutted, like people, and the urea just passes through them, as opposed to a ruminant with 4 stomachs. I would tend to believe him, as he still does consultations for the Jockey Club, and was the very first vet to ever do a standing C-section on a mare, save the colt, save the mare, and the old girl came into the foal heat the next week just like she should have. But I have not seen any research to back the harmless urea thing up. My vet said when instances like this occur, there are other mitigating factors causing the problem other than the urea. Quien Sabe?

I did have a feller buy some tubes of Cellerator Turbo on Friday. He bought some sale barn calves and they began scouring on him pretty bad. The product worked so well for him he bought 6 more tubes this evening.

I'm not trying to crap in anyone's Wheaties here. I just know that these products WORK.

Govern yourselves accordingly.
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
Loomix guy wrote "No other liquid feed is fed in open top troughs, because LOOMIX is consumption controlled with 2 different products. "

What about Anipro? When I fed it we used an open trough.

Never have run up against Anipro. Is it patented?
 
Sounds like a LOOMIX knock-off. It says the Ruma-Pro in Anipro is patented, but not the total Anipro product. Must be like Biuret in Moorman's Roughage Buster products. Nobody really knows what it is, but it works.

I do applaud folks who are wise enough to supplement, no matter what they use. An outstanding dealership network is essential to any products success.
 
Loomix works well in certain timed situations. I believe it is a good product, if you can justify the cost for your particular situations. The one thing that enters my mind often is: am I getting what a pay for. How accurate is that measuring stick. If the delivery man is off 1/2 inch on every tank that could add up. When they leave their place of business they know how many lbs. they have on. When they get back after delivery, every lbs gone from that tank would be charged out whether it was spilled, or one customer shorted by the measuring stick and another customer got a extra favorably reading on the measuring stick. Yes, there is spillage I have seen it and I know someone is paying for it.
 
Yeah, yeah, yeah....Heard it all before. Did the guy in the gravel truck bring out 9 yards or the 10 yards that you ordered? Is the fuel guys meter accurate, or the propane man's? Like the old saying goes, "Figures lie and liars figure." Was the guy at the sale barn standing on the scale with those calves that I bought? There has to be a certain level of trust by both the dealer and the customer. I'm trusting that the customer will pay their bill in a timely fashion, and they are trusting me to deliver what I say I deliver, and adjust the blend accordingly. That stick is accurate...damned accurate. Water seeks it's own level, and so does LOOMIX, even if the trough is tipped, you know what is in the trough and what you are putting in it.

Bottom line, you treat folks like you described, and you won't be in business very long, cause there ain't a new crop of customers out there every year to Hornswoggle. I for one don't need it that bad to treat customers the way you described.

I can't speak for any dealer but myself, but if I'm guilty of anything, it's generally leaving the troughs 3-5 gallons fuller than I charge for. Any spillage is on me, NOT the customer.

Having had the privilege of knowing and listening to the late Wes Tibbets of Miles City and being good friends with Mike and Dorothy Slattery of Sunnyslope LOOMIX at Rozet, WY, gave me a real good education on how to deal with customers and people in general. Wes, Mike, and Dorothy helped make LOOMIX what it is today.
 

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