tex.......On our ranches over the last 25 years we have researched and attempted to feed just about everything.
First, as far as protein goes, don't get caught in all the hype of what I call "the designer protein feeds" as all the different protein companies will tell you why they think they have the best. If you feed protein pellets try to stick with 20% but some people will say 16% is ok as well. We have personally experienced that 20% does seem to create better results overall than 16% and is not much more expensive.
I had two Aggie Vets, who work with deer and exotics, tell us many years ago to not feed corn once it starts warming up. Corn is high in carbs and is fine for energy and adding fat during the cold months but, regardless of what some say it does contain aflatoxins that are really bad on a Cervidae's gut in the warm months. Also corn is only 6% protein anyway.
The new trend is cottonseed but there is some thinking and facts about how it can possibly cause sterility of the males during feeding. (You will get all kinds of pros and cons on this). We have fed it and the main issue is a good way to present or feed it as it does not want to feed through feeders so you have to put it in troughs or wire "pens" and if it rains on it then you will get mold and fungus in it and lots of waste.... Unless you want to build shelters for the troughs all over your pasture.
Through all these years it seems we have tried every feeder made, whether it be free choice, spin cast, timed free choice, and 12 brands of feeders of all those types. I wish I had back all the money we have wasted on all the brands that had lots of hype and promises, only to have them corrode, leak and have animals tear them up because they are built so poorly.
We have settled on one good brand of feeder and now we feed both timed bulk and spin cast, all in 2000lb. or 3000lb. feeders. We like the timed bulk feeders because we have found that if you free choice, you will have dominant animals that will basically "control" a feeder. The less aggressive animals stand back and don't get hardly any food and eventually walk off.
With the timed bulk feeders we change the times of feeding every 30 days or so. That allows a better diversity at the feeders for all animals to get a better chance at feed as they don't learn the pattern of feeding times so well.... so they tend to not just hang out at one feeder waiting for feed and roam the pastures more.
The other feeders are 2000lb. spin cast and we have had really good performance with them for many years throwing pure protein pellets. They scatter the feed very far and this also gives more animals the opportunity to eat more.
During the cold months we feed a mix of corn and peas (depending on availability) or more commonly, corn and 20% protein pellets. Mix ratio is 1/2 corn and 1/2 pellets or peas. Once it gets hot we change to 100% protein or 1/2 protein and 1/2 peas. We never feed corn when it's hot.
We switched all our feeders to the 2000lb or 3000lb and then partnered up with all our ranchers in our area and we get enough feed that we have it brought in by bulk truck and they fill all the feeders for us throughout the pastures....so much better than feeding 350lb. feeders once every two or three weeks.....I was getting to old for that. We live in the hill country and now we 100% use Behrens Feeds out of Luckenbach. They are some fine folks and so good to do business with.
You are going to get lots of opinions on the OB, and all of them will have merit, as there are lots of very intelligent people on here for sure and all will give you solid good input.
What we do above is what we have settled on after so many years of trial and error.......but it is just what we do.....it may not work for you. I would suggest listening to the OB on all the input, then doing what you think might best work for you and your situation. Everybody on here will give you some good info...
Also wanted to add that we have no issues of coons or squirrels eating the feed as the timed bulk feeders don't have anything in the spouts until it feeds and the spin cast feeders have the spinner plates that close up against the funnels when the motor stops running.....and the feeders we use on the spin cast have metal plates that keep the water off the spinner plates in rain as well.
