I’m joined by Jeff Mattocks and several APPPA Producer Plus members for a Q&A session on mixing feed on-farm as an alternative to purchasing feed from a mill. It’s a common desire to mix feed on-farm, but it’s a process that prompts many questions.
Jeff is a poultry nutritionist with The Fertrell Company and author of the must have book Pastured Poultry Feeding and Management. He has a deep understanding of poultry nutritional requirements, the characteristics of feedstuffs, and pastured poultry. Jeff is a unique poultry nutritionist in that he not only understands the nutrition, he understands the nuances of pastured production. This is the area where theory meets reality, and Jeff is a valuable community resource when it comes to navigating the collision of the classroom and the grass.
In this episode, we cover a lot of ground:
- Typical bushel weights.
- Appropriate feed particle size.
- Correct mixing times.
- Is fresh feed better?
- How does pasture mix affect nutrition?
- Buying and storing grains. How do you find a reliable supply?
- Buying transitional and organic buffer strips.
- Beware of the weed seed.
- Common PTO requirements to running a grinder/mixer.
- Are all fishmeals created equal?
- A brief discussion about the interplay of amino acids.
Enjoy.
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