animal protein vs plant, calling the experts!

[jnjross]

well i've found a new feed from a local milling company ware milling , the chick starter is plant protein and is the same as puriena just cheaper!

but the local layer crumbles are plant and animal protein (plant mostly) and the layena is all plant,
what sort of difference is there between the two? plant-animal,

this local feed is $5 cheaper , is it a good deal? or cheap feed?
would you switch?

 

[mwdh1]

This is a great question, I would like to know this also.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Ok, let us start today's lesson.

Monogastric feeds (chickens and pigs) are typically formulated on an Amino Acid basis NOT based on Crude Protein. The source of Amino Acid can come from intact proteins such as soybean meal, fish meal, meat and bone meal, and other ingredients. Individual amino acids can be supplied by synthetic sources such as L-Lysine, DL-Methionine and others. Lysine and Methionine are the most economical, others such as Valine and Tryptophan are quite expensive.

Plant protein is typically Soybean Meal which is a great source of amino acids for livestock feeds. In the Northen Plains and Canada Canola Meal, Sunflower Meal, and Field Peas may be used as plant sources. When diets are formulated with these ingredients one must use other sources of invidual amino acid sources to ensure Lysine and Methionine are not lmiting in the nutrient profile of the feed. The main reason feed companies, including the one I am employed by, is cunsumer demand and sowtowing the the "animal protein is bad" crowd.

Animal protein is typically meat and bone meal, fish meal, meat meal, or other animal sources. The type of protein is besed on both Economics and the nutrient requirements of the animal. For instance newly weaned pigs perform well with specialty animal protein products such as red blood cells and animal plasma. The growth response decreases the cost of production. However, using theses ingredients in finishing rations does not elicit a response and is simply a waste of money. Animal proteins are good sources of amino acids since they have very similar profiles to the nutrient requirements of the animal. The two drawbacks of animal proteins are cost and perception issue by minor segments of the livestock industry.

I would use which ever feed has the appropriate nutrient profile and has a price that meets your budget. Please notice that I did NOT say feed the cheapest!!

Jim

 

[jnjross]

jim i think you just left me more confused

animal protein and cost, it's the cheaper here, is it not there?
profile,,, chickens, jim, laying chickens.

ok i'm gonna try them out

 

[Picco]

Vegetarian food provides the same nutrition in theory but in my experience there is something lacking. Chickens are omnivores and actually consume large amounts of animal protein (insects, worms...) if allowed to range and feed themselves in part. When I started out I wanted a vegetarian feed but I ended up with poor plumage and a problem with picking. I switched to the cheaper feed with both animal and vegetable protein and have had better results. Several local friends have had the same experience. I free range now so it doesn't matter as much, but if they were confined I would provide a feed with animal protein. All-vegetable protein feeds tend to use a lot of soy meal which I try to avoid using in excess even though its nearly impossible. Soy is a great protein source but has a lot of plant estrogen which may be a cause for reproductive and breast cancers in women.

 

[ChooksChick]

I will tell you a secret, important prior to using animal protein:

It smells like omnivore poo!!!

Yes, there is a DRAMATIC difference when you add porcine or other animal protein to the mix- particularly the porcine, because it smells like pig poo (just smaller).

If you free range and have a sizable area, this may be irrelevant. If you are a backyard ranger, and get occasional poo on your patio, you'll want to avoid animal protein (can you sense personal experience in my post?)

I have a bit too close proximity to our poo, and I like to hang out with our birds, so I Freecycled our mixed protein feed as fast as I could!

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Since you are in Mississippi your Animal Protein is probably Commodity Menhaden Fish Meal or poulty meat and bone meal or poultry meat meal. They are cheaper since they are produced locally. That is not the case in the midwest where Soybean Meal is cheaper per unit of amino acids.

I prefer like animal proteins, but one must look at the entire feed. For example, our Fast Grow All-Natural Broiler feed contains no animal proteins but has out performed many feeds. This is not entirely due to the nutrient profile but to the specialty ingredients we choose to use to help improve performance of the birds. The local feed mills can throw together a cheaper feed, but birds fed our feed grow better and require less feed per lb of gain than the cheap feeds.

Why not try a preference trial with both types of feeds in your ccop and let your chickens decide which feed they want to consume?

Jim

 

[jnjross]

i knew it's gonna make the poo stink,

. nutrena as animal protein and sheeeww . i just want to be sure i don't kill egg production,

picco , that how i was thinking ,i let them range from when i get home till dark, but i think they need more time out , i just can give it to them , they have a huge run but it's just not the same,

 

[jnjross]

they use mostly bone meal (cattle & poultry), nutrena is mostly fish

,

i hope this will effect the smell,
$8 for layer and $10 for starter , i have to try i got the starter today, i'll feed the layer tomarrow since that bin's emptied.
i'll let ya'll know if this ware feed is worth it's weight

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Is that Meat and Bone Meal or just bone meal? I would be very surprised if a feed mill actually had any Ruminant Meat and Bone Meal in it these days due its status as a Specific Risk Material.

Good luck with your feeding venture.

Jim