# SweetPro mineral suppliment



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Has anyone used the Sweetpro supplements. I had seen a advertisement on the stuff and found it interesting. I also taked to a producer that uses it and he swears by it.

Last year I had my cows on the crystalyx, and also used the Cargill and Ragland Mills tubs that I bought at Bomgaars. I have tried all three last year, so I can't really compare them in performance.

Here is what I do know, I started using the Ragland because its cost per pound was cheaper, and had my cows on it before and as the calved. In May I turned them out on the Red desert west of Rawlins Wyoming with an elevation of about 7000 feet. This fall in October when we brought them home I did not have one sick calf; now my cousin he had a bunch of sick calves this fall. I am pretty sure that he did not feed any mineral; I feel pretty sure that my cows and calves went on the range healthier because of the mineral they received, and of course came of that range healthy.

Product Cost of each Cost per pound

Sweetpro 250 pound tub $120 $0.48

Crystalyx 250 pournd tub $120 $0.48

Cargil 20% Farm to Farm 200 pound tub $59.99 $0.29995

Ragland Mill 24% pasture tub 200 pound tub $49.99 $0.24885

Maybe I should feed loose mineral. I sold my calves today, and did real well. My 500 weight steers brought $1.745 per pound.


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

I always fed in tubs until my neighbor told me that cows need x amount of mineral a day and it takes way longer to lick it out of a tub than from a loose feeder. Says the more time they spend licking is less time grazing. Seems to last just as long for me.


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## PaulN (Mar 4, 2014)

Wow! That's 25 to 40 cents more then anything around here. From now on, I'm shipping my calves to Wyoming!

Tubs may be convenient, but they're also the most expensive. I use a homemade feeder with 1:1 loose mineral. The feeder is made from a plastic 55 gallon barrel with an 18 inch hole cut in the side. It sits in a truck tire where it is loosely attached. I've been using it for 4 years now and the cows have never once tipped it over. Plans can be found here: https://www.littlehouseliving.com/diy-animal-mineral-feeder.html


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

PaulN said:


> Wow! That's 25 to 40 cents more then anything around here. From now on, I'm shipping my calves to Wyoming!
> 
> Tubs may be convenient, but they're also the most expensive. I use a homemade feeder with 1:1 loose mineral. The feeder is made from a plastic 55 gallon barrel with an 18 inch hole cut in the side. It sits in a truck tire where it is loosely attached. I've been using it for 4 years now and the cows have never once tipped it over. Plans can be found here: https://www.littlehouseliving.com/diy-animal-mineral-feeder.html
> 
> ...


That's a great idea. Going this route next time. A bit cheaper than these. http://ameriag.com/mineral-feeder.html

You have issues with tire holding water? One difference in the instructions was lack of drilling sidewall for water that may accumulate in tire.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Cowboyram

Are you sure that's minerals OR a protein supplement? Google search they appear to be protein supplements.

I put out Mix 30 liquid feed for my cows. It costs me $0.15 per # delivered. 12/12 minerals are fairy pricey but I can't remember what last sack full costs. IIRC $0.80 per #

AMEN on shipping calves to Wyoming. I recently sold a few 500 # black steers for $115


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## PaulN (Mar 4, 2014)

IH 1586, there quite likely is water in the tire, I don't know for sure, but it doesn't matter to me anyway. I don't have to lift it, I just drag it around by the chain. The water in the tire will just add more weight and make it more stable IMHO. As for rain water getting inside the feeder, surprisingly, not much gets in there. Snow is a bigger problem, then I have to get in and scoop or brush it out.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Tx Jim said:


> Cowboyram
> 
> Are you sure that's minerals OR a protein supplement? Google search they appear to be protein supplements.
> 
> ...


I have a neighbor that tried to sell the Loomix brand, but he could not get enough producers here to buy; he ended up closing up shop. I don't know if we even have anyone in my area that sells the liquid feed.

I think it was the minerals. I did not feed any tubs after they left the farm.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Here is the loose mineral trace minerals that I can get locally

https://americanstockman.com/product/types/mineralized-salt-1

I am not sure what one I should go with. They are all around 7-8 dollars for a 50 pound bag. During the winter I am feeding all alfalfa. Once they go back out on pasture next summer, they won't get any mineral. Although last summer I did give them a salt block.

Also With this mineral do I need to provide a salt block?


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## PaulN (Mar 4, 2014)

The kind of mineral that we're talking about is calcium and phosphorus. The better ones will also have several trace minerals and vitamins A,D,& E. The one that I use contains NO salt, and it costs ~$24/bag. Salt is cheap, so the more added salt, the lower the cost. When I mentioned 1:1 mineral, that means equal parts of calcium and phosphorus. The first number is calcium. 2:1 would have twice as much calcium as phosphorus. Alfalfa in naturally high in calcium, so in your case a 1:1 is what you would need. And always provide a salt block.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I can get the Cargill "Right now Emerald" for about $24 for a 50 pound bag.

Here is what is in it.

Registration No 640964 This feed contains added selenium at 30.00 mg/kg GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Calcium........................................... Actual 15.50 %

Phosphorus........................................ Actual 7.00 %

Sodium............................................ Actual 5.80 %

Magnesium......................................... Actual 2.50 %

Iodine............................................ Actual 200 mg/kg

Iron.............................................. Actual 3000 mg/kg

Copper............................................ Actual 1500 mg/kg

Manganese......................................... Actual 5000 mg/kg

Cobalt............................................ Actual 46 mg/kg

Zinc.............................................. Actual 5000 mg/kg

Fluorine.......................................... Max. 50 mg/kg

Vitamin A......................................... Min. 500000 IU/kg

Vitamin D3........................................ Min. 50000 IU/kg

Vitamin E......................................... Min. 2500 IU/kg

Is this what I should be looking for.

I was told by a feed store that just using trace minerals was pretty much a waste.


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## PaulN (Mar 4, 2014)

That is very similar to the Purina that I'm using, except the calcium to phosphorus is 1:1. The label you're showing is 2:1. You say you're feeding all alfalfa and no corn or silage. In that case you don't need that much calcium, since alfalfa is already high in calcium. Feeding this mineral won't do any harm, but I would ask if they had a 1:1 ratio instead.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

OK, I think I see now. Looking at the "right now bronze or right now onyx" It looks like it is 1:1.

Here is the pdf file for the nutritional value: http://www.aghost.net/images/e0209301/minerals.pdf

Not sure what one I should use, to be honest I can't see the difference between the two.

Co-op.

I also think we have a purina dealer here as well, but it looks like none of there Wind and Rain product it 1:1. Maybe I am missing something, maybe I need to get away from the computer and back into the shop for awhile. I have a bunch of steel to stick together, but waiting on the electrician to run me some power to my welder.


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

https://www.purinamills.com/cattle-feed/products/detail/purina-all-purpose-cattle-mineral

This is the one I've been using


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

CowboyRam said:


> I also think we have a purina dealer here as well, but it looks like none of there Wind and Rain product it 1:1. Maybe I am missing something, maybe I need to get away from the computer and back into the shop for awhile. I have a bunch of steel to stick together, but waiting on the electrician to run me some power to my welder.


Check on Wind & Rain All Season 12. I believe that has the highest Phosphorus level at 12% (you can get it at 4, 7 10 or 12%). If you can wait I'll check with my local Purina beef specialist.

Full disclosure: I own a piece of one of the local Purina retailers.

Larry


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

r82230 said:


> Check on Wind & Rain All Season 12. I believe that has the highest Phosphorus level at 12% (you can get it at 4, 7 10 or 12%). If you can wait I'll check with my local Purina beef specialist.
> 
> Full disclosure: I own a piece of one of the local Purina retailers.
> 
> Larry


That would be great. I have plenty of time.

Jay


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## PaulN (Mar 4, 2014)

I don't know if you have any Mills Fleet Farm stores in your area, but this is one of their minerals that I have used before. It does have a little bit of salt in it.

You are right about Nutrena's Right now bronze and right now onyx. They both have the same label. The only difference is that one has a warning "Do not feed to sheep". I don't know why, there's no mention of any medication. Since they're 15% salt, you probably wouldn't need a salt block.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

PaulN said:


> I don't know if you have any Mills Fleet Farm stores in your area, but this is one of their minerals that I have used before. It does have a little bit of salt in it.
> 
> You are right about Nutrena's Right now bronze and right now onyx. They both have the same label. The only difference is that one has a warning "Do not feed to sheep". I don't know why, there's no mention of any medication. Since they're 15% salt, you probably wouldn't need a salt block.


Nope, we don't have any.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

CowboyRam said:


> That would be great. I have plenty of time.
> 
> Jay


Here you go:

Purina calls it Weatherize Mineral on the dealer list sheet (All Season / Wind & Rain on bag). 

You can get a 4%, 7% (or 7.5%), 10% and a 12% phosphorus level mixture. Code for 12% Phosphorus (which could match up best with a high alfalfa hay) is: 3000 413-106 311M

Now, you might not be able to get that exact number in WY, because Purina makes mineral products that are 'regional'. So the product code list I got this number from is a Michigan list (but the dealer can call Purina and they will 'cross reference' for them if possible). Here in Michigan we are naturally low in selenium, so our mineral products are usually designed to cover that shortage.

When you switch back to grass (grazing), you might want to switch mineral product again (lower Phosphorus, summer blend). I believe all this products are also available with Fly Control & Hi Mag.

HTH

Larry

PS I'll try attaching pic from my smart phone showing product list/numbers (doesn't show 10% product).


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## Ray 54 (Aug 2, 2014)

The "Do not feed to sheep" , has to do with what minerals are in it. Sheep do not need near as much copper as cattle for one, and it is toxic to sheep at a level cattle need.

The only supplement tubs that don't cost a fortune in over consumption in my situation are PVM out of east Texas. Low copper is a thing we always battle, so I use there high copper formulation. This formulation has a disclaimer to not feed to horse or sheep.

My climate being so different than most of the USA are time of most need is fall into winter. Rain is from Oct to April in normal years. But this year since Aug have had 3 rains all less than a 1/3 of a inch. This just depletes the dry feed we do have as any water soluble nutrients get washed out. Acorns is another problem we can have, with a proteins boost they are not a problem. Only maybe 1 year in ten get green grass in the fall, and even then it is cold enough it doesn't grow and keep up with cows.

A long time practice was feeding cotton seed and other cheap grains with 33% salt free choice to range cattle. By 2000 salt was costing as much as the grain, so other ways became cheaper.


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