And So The Feed Price Increase Begins.....

[DobermanGuy]

It probably won't harm them, but the vitamins and the fatty acids will degrade over time, especially if exposed to heat or light. For most scenarios, it probably doesn't matter, but if you're picky about your feed, it's worth considering.

At the end of the day... your savings per bag in stocking up is probably only $2-$3 on the outside worst case scenario. Everyone's setup is different, but it's worth figuring out how many bags you'll save that on and then the hassle you make for yourself storing the bags (versus the hassle of going to the feed store more often), and how cool and dry and rodent-proof your storage is.

I was chatting with this guy the other day at our local TSC and he told me about how his father used to stock/store feed in an old chest freezer they had. (not plugged in)

 

[Dutch552]

Gee, and if they'd quit with the stupid ethanol in gasoline that gunks up the engines, maybe we could concentrate on keeping the corn for feed/food. Just bought a cadillac of chainsaws for our land clearing and we searched all over for ethanol-free gas for it. Was that ever hard to find! But, putting ethanol (high fructose gasoline, as my DH calls it) in that new chainsaw is the worst thing for it.

As a side note, use high octane gas and put Startron in every batch of mixed fuel. I use it religously in everything from our boat to our high dollar Stihl saws around the farm and haven't had an ethanol-related carb rebuild yet. The alcohol not only draws in unwanted moisture from the air but also dries out and degrades the inside of fuel lines and carberator floats.

 

[Indigosands]

Great. I paid $17 for my last bag (no it wasn't organic). Can't wait to see what it costs next time.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Just picked up no soy layer at the farm where I get my feed and it is up $3 on 80lbs. since 5 weeks ago. 16% layer is now $30 & 19% broiler is $34. The layer comes out to $18.75/50 lbs. It is mash, but it is also organic, He rarely raises prices, but I guess he had no choice.

 

[yo burrill]

Not going to be a good winter!!!

 

[Dwkuska]

If large farmers start culling their flocks and herds, we will see a small, but probably not proportionate decline in the price of meat (especially with gas going back up). Last fall when Texas, Western Louisiana, and some of the other surrounding states were in such horrible drought the price of beef and some other meats did drop with the increase in supply.

Yeah its in the news today US govt just spent $150,000,000 to buy cows, pigs, and chickens to help farmers/ranchers out. One interview with a texas beef rancher was saying if he doesnt get rain or help from govt. he will be slaughtering his whole herd.

Here is another link about it
http://www.businessweek.com/news/20...culture-bill-as-usda-buys-170-million-of-meat

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Yeah its in the news today US govt just spent $150,000,000 to buy cows, pigs, and chickens to help farmers/ranchers out. One interview with a texas beef rancher was saying if he doesnt get rain or help from govt. he will be slaughtering his whole herd.

Here is another link about it
http://www.businessweek.com/news/20...culture-bill-as-usda-buys-170-million-of-meat

Those are some tough choices and enough to send too many good hard-working folks into bankruptcy.

Now, the national weather service has been hinting that we are "supposed" to have a colder than normal winter this year; possibly more than normal snowfall as well in some areas. If feed prices stay elevated, which I am guessing they will, and we have a bad winter lots of folks are going to have to sell off or slaughter herds and flocks. The cost to feed them though a bad winter when hay and commercial rations are at a premium will be just too much. Let's all say a prayer that the good people at the NWS are wrong about this one.

 

[Dwkuska]

Yeah I was wondering if I have an old chest freezer, if I bought say 6 50lbs bags now and put them in the freezer(buy now when its fairly cheap) would they hold over?

 

[DobermanGuy]

Yeah I was wondering if I have an old chest freezer, if I bought say 6 50lbs bags now and put them in the freezer(buy now when its fairly cheap) would they hold over?

Bugs and rats/mice are not likely to get in that...

The Dumore layer in the 50lb bags was $14.00 when I got my chicks... Then it went up to $14.50... Now (today) it is $15.50 for the same 50lb bag of feed... I did not need to buy feed today because I have so much stocked up.

 

[GardenWeasel]

Prices rising pretty fast here. $16.79 for 50 lbs of Flockraiser, up almost $3 since last week. A question for you more experienced folks. The local feed store makes a 16% layer mash which is cheaper than Purina. If I planned to feed 1/2 Flock raiser and 1/2 fermented mash would my roosters suffer from too much calcium? Trying to figure out how get by a little cheaper.