Green Mountain Soy Free Layer

[Jon0286]

How are yours laying with green mountain

 

[Jon0286]

What's the protein percentage with the new green mountain soy free with fish meal

 

[countrygoddess]

Thank you for replying
Yes - I am aware of the canola problem and disappointed that this has canola meal . I found a quote by Eric developer of GMF - it was response of his to a question about another brand of soy-free. I'm still going back and forth over soy based vs. soy free and this is of concern to me.

"The CO feed is soy-free, and also has a lot of field peas in it. Although the crude protein is higher, the crucial amino acids are much lower. Your chickens will be looking for those amino acids elsewhere, and will not produce as well. Crude protein being higher, does not mean that they will be getting the "types" of protein that they need for high production. The fishmeal certainly helps in a formulation like that, but it will not make up for lack of amino acid balance in a formulation that is mostly field peas. This type of formulation will also be much lower in energy.

There are a few different ways to manufacture a soy-free organic layer feed, but none of them will produce as well as a soy based feed. They will still produce in the 50-70% range though.....(Instead of 80-95%)"

What is your secret formula?

I have BOSS in my formulation, as well as field peas. I don't know the exact amino acid numbers, but I'm going to send a sample of my feed to a lab to have an analysis done. I added the BOSS because of their protein level and because they are high in methionine. Peas are high in Lysine. I do use corn to boost energy (more corn than peas in my formulation); my figures show that my feed has the recommended amount of energy (which is minimum ~350 kcal/day [assuming 100g/day intake] for laying hens). I don't have the numbers in front of me, but it's about 400 kcal/100g. I have 8 dual-purpose hens (and 15 pullets who will come into lay ~beginning of October) and we get about 5-6 eggs/day. They layed very well through our New England winter, too.

 

[countrygoddess]

CO and GM both have fish meal (mine does, too). GM has canola meal to boost protein and methionine. Sunflower seeds have about the same amount of methionine as canola meal, btw.

During the time I had my hens on GM soy-free (while I was waiting for a special order to come in so I could make my own feed again), I didn't notice a change in their laying. They were on it for only a couple of weeks, though. I'm not sure if that's long enough to see a difference...

When I did a search for "protein Green Mountain feeds soy-free" I saw 15% protein in the seach results, but couldn't find it anywhere on their site, so I'm not sure what that number was referring to or where on the site the Google search found it. You know what I did see, though, was that second to last on the list of ingredients was Methionine-99%, so it's being added as a supplement despite the canola, etc. Or at least it was when they weren't using fish meal, which has more methionine than soy beans or canola (they haven't yet updated their site to reflect the change to their feed formulation).

 

[LilyD]

I believe that's correct and they are 15% protein. I have been using it for most of the summer and have noticed a marked decrease in my egg production with just the feed so I am adding sunflower seeds and other sources to increase their variety of feed. Will be giving them more veggie and fruit scraps as they become available as well.

countrygoddess how is your new feed going. I would be interested in seeing the stats on that

 

[countrygoddess]

I believe that's correct and they are 15% protein. I have been using it for most of the summer and have noticed a marked decrease in my egg production with just the feed so I am adding sunflower seeds and other sources to increase their variety of feed. Will be giving them more veggie and fruit scraps as they become available as well.

countrygoddess how is your new feed going. I would be interested in seeing the stats on that

Lily, we're headed out of town for the week, but when I get back I'll message you with all the info. I went up to Butterworks and got a bunch of grains/seeds just before I found that I could have all my feed processing done, bagged, and sent for HALF what I've been paying to get all the ingredients individually and do it myself. *sigh* Oh, well. So anyway, I need to use them all before I set the wheels in motion of having it all done for me--that'll be about two months. I can't wait!!! I'm working on a web site for my feed, too... =D

 

[Jon0286]

I called the feed store and had them check the tag on the green mountain soy free layer it is 16 percent protein and has fishmeal. The website for GM must be out of date doesent list fishmeal and says 15 percent. I wonder why they don't put sunflower meal into the feed.

 

[PatQ]

How are yours laying with green mountain

Mine are 15 weeks old and haven't started laying - I just bought this bag of GM soy-free to have on hand and start mixing with their grower feed - I have a sex-link that is getting bright red comb/wattles and is squatting so I think she may be an early layer

What's the protein percentage with the new green mountain soy free with fish meal

It is now 16% according to the tag on my bag - their website lists it as 15% and doesn't include the fishmeal - they must not have updated it yet.

 

[PatQ]

CO and GM both have fish meal (mine does, too). GM has canola meal to boost protein and methionine. Sunflower seeds have about the same amount of methionine as canola meal, btw.

During the time I had my hens on GM soy-free (while I was waiting for a special order to come in so I could make my own feed again), I didn't notice a change in their laying. They were on it for only a couple of weeks, though. I'm not sure if that's long enough to see a difference...

When I did a search for "protein Green Mountain feeds soy-free" I saw 15% protein in the seach results, but couldn't find it anywhere on their site, so I'm not sure what that number was referring to or where on the site the Google search found it. You know what I did see, though, was that second to last on the list of ingredients was Methionine-99%, so it's being added as a supplement despite the canola, etc. Or at least it was when they weren't using fish meal, which has more methionine than soy beans or canola (they haven't yet updated their site to reflect the change to their feed formulation).

Yes - they have not updated online since changing the formula - it is now 16% and has fish meal. They still add the methoinine - in order it goes - corn, flaxseed meal, wheat middlings, field peas, calcium, canola meal, alfalfa meal, whole grain wheat, fishmeal (menhaden mechanically extruded), whole grain barley, dicalcium phosphate, oystershell, kelpmeal, salt, sodium bicarbonate, methionine, allzyme SSF (organic enzyme supplement), sodium calcium aluminosilicate, brewer's yeast, -- the rest is a bunch of vitamins/minerals

 

[Jon0286]

...

Mine are 15 weeks old and haven't started laying - I just bought this bag of GM soy-free to have on hand and start mixing with their grower feed - I have a sex-link that is getting bright red comb/wattles and is squatting so I think she may be an early


Mine started laying shortly after squating.