Feed prices

[Britesea]

The thing with us and might apply to some here as well. Is we live 21 miles to the nearest gas station . So we try hard to have at least 1/4 tank of gas all the time. If the power is out in town the next town with a gas station is 37 miles away. Yep I live in the boonies of corn cob.

We tend to only go into town once a week, and we refill the tank when we get home (mom and pop in our town). It's usually only a couple of gallons, but I remember my Dad telling me that the emptier the tank is, the more the gasoline will vaporize (especially in the heat), and you get reduced mileage. This also protects us a bit more from sudden rising costs, and a shut-down.

 

[wyoDreamer]

When I bought my first pickup, it had a bad fuel gauge. On the day I picked it up from the dealer, I went to the gas station and filled the tank. I then drove across the state wo Wisconsin, a 4 hour drive, to visit my parents. The gauge went down like it should. By the time I got home, the gauge read a full tank of gas ... what? I went to the gas station and filled it up. Gauge read 1/2 tank ?!?!
I called the dealer and set up an appointment to get it fixed. When they called to confirm my appointment later in the week, the receptionist said "the guys asked me to ask you to not fill the tank before bringing it in as they will need to drop the tank to fix it." So I went to the gas station and filled the tank full and wrote down the mileage. Knowing how big a tank it was and what gas mileage I was getting, I calculated how far I could drive before needing to add more fuel so I didn't run out. I had a 5 gallon jug of gas in the bed of the truck and I think I was sucking fumes when I drove onto their lot. I got a BIG thank you from the mechanics for leaving them with an empty gas tank. They were surprised a "girl" could figure out how to drain a gas tank so close to empty and not run out, lol.

 

[CLSranch]

One more question. How long do you do this? How often? Do you do this annually, quarterly or always have it in the feed? Maybe more than ONE question.

I have been feeding DE in feed for years. We get our feed custom made.... we run a cow calf operation, and so get our feed by the ton delivered bulk. The best way to incorporate DE in a small operation is to add to the loose mineral/salt mix... or in a sweet feed. Our custom mix has about 100-150 lbs per TON.... very miniscule in the scheme of things.
Use like a TSP mixed in a 2 qt scoop of feed once or twice a week... or a pinch daily....
The same with our chicken feed...I have some purebred show birds, had a free range laying flock and also, I raise broilers (CCX) that I get from a couple commercial poultry houses when they come and get the birds.... I get the left over "culls" that are usually the small ones..... sometimes get 10, sometimes get 100 or more; about every 8 weeks or so if they leave any behind. Don't do them in the coldest weather because they come out of a climate temp controlled house and cannot take the cold shock.... So I also get a 16% layer feed delivered bulk.... 2 tons at a time..... and feed it to the layers and the ccx. I have the DE added to the feed when it is being made... I feed pellets so they don't waste it like a finer ground mash feed.
The DE actually is "rough enough" in the gut tract that it will puncture the soft bodies of worms/larvae and they will die and be expelled. It also does the same in the manure... as the larvae hatch from the eggs.... It works the same as a dust... and I add it to say ashes that I put in the coops for a dust box... especially in the winter if the birds cannot get out to dust. And I have used it direct on them as a dusting powder instead of a commercial brand if they have lice.
DE is VERY IRRITATING to any soft moist tissue... don't breathe it as it will iritate your nose and throat and eyes if you get in a "cloud" of it. But it does the job without "chemicals" if used properly. Some people feel that it is not good to use. The vet did some fecal samples on some cows that were wormy, fed DE and then did some again. That is the ONLY thing we changed.... fecals came back nearly 100% clean in a month and the cows looked 200% better just by getting them "wormed". Sold me on it. I did it after another small "hobby " farmer swore by it. We were using the same vet, and he mentioned it, so I tried it. Now I wouldn't do without it.

I started using it on my feeder steer/bull and allowing the time for butcher. I imagine it would be a lot less different than a normal dewormer for wait time. Does it matter much & how long does it take to work efficiently?

 

[Daisy]

Petrol is really going up here too. I paid $1.24 a litre last top up and its predicted to reach $1.60 a litre by next month.

Feed went up last year. Hay jumped from $10 a square bale to $15!! So I switched to compressed bales, much better quality for not much more at $18 a bale. Duck feed went up a few dollars.

Minimum wage in australia is over $17 an hour. It does not apply to agriculture. The farms rely on people with temporary working visas. There was a lot of fuss when the boarders shut to these workers with the pandemic, but it seems to have amounted to nothing. In my state, harvest went well and the summer fruit is the best I have tasted (from the shops) in years. Perhaps because of a slower picking season resulting in fruit that was more ripe when picked.

A few tweaks, the third verse and the outro came to me last night.

Just to be absolutely clear. This song was freely given to me. So I share it freely with everyone. There is no need for a copyright, it's free, the way it'a it's intended to be.

My prayer is this is a inspiration to someone. Someone will record it and hear it played on the radio.

Thanks for letting me use this thread as a notepad

"Again" complete lryics:

Verse 1
I'm, like a long highway
the road, that guides your way
That leads you back home again

I'm, like a street light shining
The white light, blinding bright
Turning off and on again.

Oh yeah

Chorus
It's times like these to learn to live again
It's times like these to give and give again
It's times like these to learn to love again
It's times like these, time and time again

Verse 2
I'm, like a new day rising
a new sky shining
To hang the stars upon again

I'm, like a breath of fresh air
I'm everywhere
To breathe in and out again

That's right

Chorus
It's times like these to learn to live again
It's times like these to give and give again
It's times like these to learn to love again
It's times like these, time and time again

Verse 3
I'm like a strong tower
Protection from the shower
Untill the strom blows over again

I'm like a best friend
Aways here to defend
Untill you are made whole again

It's times like these to learn to live again
It's times like these to give and give again
It's times like these to learn to love again
It's times like these, time and time again

Don't fear

Outro (sung overdub)
It's times like these to learn to live again
That leads you back home again

It's times like these to give and give again
Turning off and on again.

It's times like these to learn to love again
To hang the stars upon again

It's times like these, time and time again
It's times like these, time and time again

It's times like these to learn to live again
Untill the strom blows over again

It's times like these to give and give again
Untill you are made whole again

It's times like these to learn to love again
It's times like these to learn to love again

It's times like these, time and time again
It's times like these, time and time again

I wonder if you have ever heard this song by the Foo Fighters? Very similar lyrics and just a great song

I, I'm a one way motorway
I'm the one that drives away
Then follows you back home
I, I'm a street light shining
I'm a wild light blinding bright
Burning off and on
Ah-ah-ahh
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
I, I'm a new day rising
I'm a brand new sky
To hang the stars upon tonight
I am a little divided
Do I stay or run away
And leave it all behind?
Ah-ah-ahh
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again

 

[farmerjan]

@CLSranch ... the DE is in the feed and/or mineral all the time. There is no withdrawal time since it is not a drug and does not get into the blood stream or the meat. It passes through the gut tract. Or it is on the skin if used in a back rub or something? There is no kind of chemicals to deal with.
Hopefully you will see a difference in the steer, but it will take a bit.... not as dramatic as some of the harsher, chemical type wormers..... Are you feeding it through the feed or using it as a "dust" for lice or something? If you are using it in the feed, it will take a month or more to see much difference... and hopefully you will see the animal start to look just "perkier" and have a better hair coat.... round out a bit and also to not consume as much feed once they are truly filled up without having the internal parasites "pull down" it's condition.

 

[CrealCritter]

When I bought my first pickup, it had a bad fuel gauge. On the day I picked it up from the dealer, I went to the gas station and filled the tank. I then drove across the state wo Wisconsin, a 4 hour drive, to visit my parents. The gauge went down like it should. By the time I got home, the gauge read a full tank of gas ... what? I went to the gas station and filled it up. Gauge read 1/2 tank ?!?!
I called the dealer and set up an appointment to get it fixed. When they called to confirm my appointment later in the week, the receptionist said "the guys asked me to ask you to not fill the tank before bringing it in as they will need to drop the tank to fix it." So I went to the gas station and filled the tank full and wrote down the mileage. Knowing how big a tank it was and what gas mileage I was getting, I calculated how far I could drive before needing to add more fuel so I didn't run out. I had a 5 gallon jug of gas in the bed of the truck and I think I was sucking fumes when I drove onto their lot. I got a BIG thank you from the mechanics for leaving them with an empty gas tank. They were surprised a "girl" could figure out how to drain a gas tank so close to empty and not run out, lol.

Petrol is really going up here too. I paid $1.24 a litre last top up and its predicted to reach $1.60 a litre by next month.

Feed went up last year. Hay jumped from $10 a square bale to $15!! So I switched to compressed bales, much better quality for not much more at $18 a bale. Duck feed went up a few dollars.

Minimum wage in australia is over $17 an hour. It does not apply to agriculture. The farms rely on people with temporary working visas. There was a lot of fuss when the boarders shut to these workers with the pandemic, but it seems to have amounted to nothing. In my state, harvest went well and the summer fruit is the best I have tasted (from the shops) in years. Perhaps because of a slower picking season resulting in fruit that was more ripe when picked.


I wonder if you have ever heard this song by the Foo Fighters? Very similar lyrics and just a great song

I, I'm a one way motorway
I'm the one that drives away
Then follows you back home
I, I'm a street light shining
I'm a wild light blinding bright
Burning off and on
Ah-ah-ahh
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
I, I'm a new day rising
I'm a brand new sky
To hang the stars upon tonight
I am a little divided
Do I stay or run away
And leave it all behind?
Ah-ah-ahh
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again

It could have been influenced, I listen to a lot of different genes of music. If it is, then I need to go back and pull it all back down.

Edit... I listened and Thank You so much for pointing this out to me. The Last thing I would want is to show dis-respect. Being a recoding artist is a very hard life to live.

Just another validation that proves to me I am so imperfect, I deleted my previous posts. Thank You again.

Maybe I should just stick to pictures!

 

[CLSranch]

Are you feeding it through the feed or using it as a "dust" for lice or something

A Dust added to the feed.

 

[farmerjan]

So it is a "feed thru" .... as in added to feed. Yes, we have it in the feed and/or mineral all the time. Most of our animals do not get feed/ grain regularly.... being beef cattle and expecting them to earn their living grazing which is what they were designed to do. We supplement/feed the young ones that we wean. and supplement the old cows with calves through the winter. But they do have salt/mineral in front of them all the time so they ingest it that way.
So, yes, they have it in front of them all the time.

 

[CLSranch]

Thanks again and agreed on earning their own keep.
I have a very small herd and just use blocks for mineral and salt intake. The "feeder" is the only one who gets regular feeding.