OK now that you guys are getting close to weaning, has any of you kept records of the total amount of red cap milk consumption? If so, have you done a cost comparison to other milk replacers? If you have been following the red cap saga, it has been clearly stated that for it to be effective, you need to feed all the fawns will eat. My guess is that would put the consumption rate at at least twice that of milk replacers. If that is the case, red cap milk where I live would have been much more expensive than the replacers. Just curious as to whether anyone bothered to keep a record.
Milk Survey
- Thread starter SayeSonsWhitetails
- Start date
Mine are pretty much weened and i used about 30-40 gallon per fawn depending on the individaul fawn. Some seem to eat more than others. I have less than 100 dollars total in 12 fawns cause i went straight to dairy were the milk is sold to the stores and they gave me stuff that was brought back that was close to experation dates. If i had to buy it from store it would have cost 100-150 per fawn.
I know it seems to simple and easy the (RED CAP) feeding system that is and that is why everyone is trying to find fault with it. But, I got to tell you..... it works and the fawns are healthy and if you have the right connections you can keep costs down......but even if you don't your looking at around 130.00 to 140.00 dollars a fawn.....that would be paying around 3.70 a gallon. To me if it costs a little extra it is worth it for the simple fact that its easy....it works and we are all happy (me and the fawns that is)
Gaylen they look Great! Zoologic comes through shinning, Dennis i not been looking for faults, i decided to have open mind, i tryed it with the manna, no bad results,and actually like mixing some, I got nothing bad to say bout redcap . makes the replacer look like milk,i will always go with the replacer though just for the little higher nutrients, not wanting battle for sure,but my peace of mind,
Dennis you pay 130.00 i will pay 38.00 Truth be known, when i was giving redcap, she was getting wider! looking like fat butterball. had to stop cause evertime i wanted frosted flakes NO milk!. she got some yesterday,and will this morning, just cause, it only treat now.Dc
Dennis you pay 130.00 i will pay 38.00 Truth be known, when i was giving redcap, she was getting wider! looking like fat butterball. had to stop cause evertime i wanted frosted flakes NO milk!. she got some yesterday,and will this morning, just cause, it only treat now.DcI'm not looking for a battle by no means DC just stating my feelings on the Red Cap again....actually I may try mixing next year with the Red Cap as i do like the idea of adding more nutrients to the fawns diet. The biggest complaint I have on the Red Cap is I had a mountian and I mean a mountian of empty gallon jugs that i had no use for...ended up burning them.......DC does it really cost you only 38.00 to feed out a fawn on the milk replacer........thats not the cost i'm hearing from some of the farms around this way that use replacer? Just curious....
Dennis Manna Suckle 40 pounds is 38.00 it medicated,im starting to wean this one, got almost half bag left,after i fed this morning,she wants more i stuck feed bowl in face she ate, i left, but here she come. It damn time we can state our feelings and voice opinion without Battle. Like i said before if you cant find it.i can get it for you.you take care shipping. but that would probably eat up the savings, 8 oz makes 2 quarts, i think 8 oz powder zoologic make 24oz, big diffrence,
The replacer I use costs $25 dollars for a 25 pound sack. It too is medicated. One sack makes 30 gallons when mixed according to directions. So, it costs me a little less than a dollar a gallon, which is 1/3 the costs of red cap milk. I really don't care if you feed aardvark milk to fawns and are successful at raising them, but in the production world, the fixed costs are what cut into your profit margin. I too have used red cap, zoologic, goats milk, fox valley, and a miriad of other replacers. For me it is the best result for the lowest cost that I am after.
Scott sounds like you are feeding a fawn for half the cost that i am....i only pay 2.00 a gallon for the Red Cap and that is because I know a local dairy and get a good deal.......I agree that you need to watch the bottom line and it makes sense to be smart when spending and heck if your raising your fawns with no problems on the system you are using yuouo would be foolish to change....i am willing to pay a little more as i experience a lot less problems and my fawns seem healthier using the Red cap......so my vet bills are less in the long run and in the end I am able to weaqn my animals quicker......so it all ends up relative in the end at least this is my experience anyhow..........like i said I'm not going to argue over whos system is better than whos......as long as your happy with what works for you and your fawns thats what counts in the end.
Joined Apr 2009
524 Posts | 0+
Russell, MN
I mix my fox valley 3 to 1 and my fawns are huge and healthy looking. Leo from ADM Feed said my fawns had the best looking coats he's seen yet. I mix 1/2 cup to 12 oz, 1 cup to 24 oz and so forth. Mix with warm water and whisk well and then shake real well. If you refrigerate it, it does settle and when you shake it does froth up cold. But as soon as you warm up, the froth goes away. My 3 week olds get 6-8 oz 5x per day right now. You can tell, like feeding anything else, when they need more. Generally speaking, when they go down to 4x per day, they are getting 10 oz per bottle. Just my way.....cuz you asked.
Joined Apr 2009
810 Posts | 0+
Burlington, West Virginia
Hey guys, I had a couple late fawns born. A friend of mine told me he liked using Grade A Ultra 24 replacer. I decided to try it since the rest of the bottle babies will all be weaned in the next 10 days. So far I really like the Ultra 24. It has mixing directions for fawns on the bag. The fawns are a week old ,growing very well, and their stool is as it should be. If I figured correctly the cost should be around $60.00 per fawn. In my opinion thats not to bad. I think I remember John Swank mentioning Ultra 24 one time. I am wondering if anyone uses it and how they liked it. Thanks Allen
Allen, i not heard much about it, sounds as it working for you, i think it probably pretty good also. other milk is moving up the scale.
Allen, I sold 6 fawns to a man this year who wanted them started on Ultra 24, i had them on Ultra 24 for 2 weeks with no problems at all. The last time i talked to the man the fawns were 2 months old and he was still feeding the same milk and the fawns were growing good. Travis
Joined Apr 2009
1,562 Posts | 0+
cental Pennsylvania
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
I don't get into the milk saga, but this I will say.
Calf Manna is the bomb for raising big babies. Ours are still on it and will be until about 2 weeks prior to going into what we call general population. They love it and they grow really well on it.
Other than that we don't try and keep the fawns from eating the adult feed. I see no reason to. It is just corn, oats, soybeans, and such.
Calf Manna is the bomb for raising big babies. Ours are still on it and will be until about 2 weeks prior to going into what we call general population. They love it and they grow really well on it.
Other than that we don't try and keep the fawns from eating the adult feed. I see no reason to. It is just corn, oats, soybeans, and such.
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
Well Robert, I can't speak to what everyone else feeds. But here we don't "push" our bucks with the feed. I let the genetics do the work. Our feed is really very basic and not high in anything other than it is highly balanced. I believe a balanced feed is very important. We don't push the mineral, the protein, or anything else. For those who choose to push the levels of protein or minerals they most likely are running a risk with the little ones. I think our feeds protein level is around 16% to 17% and it stays that way all year round.