Seems to be a much cheaper priced protein feed. just wondering if anyone's using it and how you thought the results were using it.

Thanks,

I will be trying it this year, I have done some research on the content breakdown between nutrena,purina and lyssy and eckel all have same contents and pretty much the same amount at the 20% feed. The nutrena per ton runs about a $100.00 less. I have feed Purina at $560.00 per ton and Lyssey and Eckel at $480.00 per ton the deer eat both fine, but if I can buy Nutrena at $410.00 per ton and they eat it the same i can extend my feed time. Just my two cents!

I also tried the golden nuggets for the first time this year, that stuff is like cocaine for deer. I would have some deer watch me at a distance scatter a few handfuls out and as I was driving off they were running to it. That stuff is well worth the $10.00 a bag.

Just a word of caution about cheaper feeds, they are cheaper for a reason. Ingredients cost all of the feed manufacturers the same. Freight dictates a bit of difference in feed prices from North Texas to South Texas. So ask yourself why one feed is $150 per ton less than another one? They are leaving something out of it to cheapen it or adding something in that deer can not utilize. What is on paper is not what you need to know about a feed sometimes. What is in the feed or not in the feed is more important than price. A feed analysis of each feed side by side tells more the feed tag. Also Purina and Nutrena will sell through a dealer which means more hands on the feed so it will cost your more also. Lyssy and Eckel is the feed manufacturer and dealer so you will get a much better feed for less money. Cheaper feeds sometimes will cost you more money in the long run when deer have to eat 50% more of it to get what they need from the supplemental feed. IME deer will eat more 16% protein vs 20% if both are fed on the same habitat/range conditions.

^^^^Absolutely This^^^^^

[quote=stxranchman]Just a word of caution about cheaper feeds, they are cheaper for a reason. Ingredients cost all of the feed manufacturers the same. Freight dictates a bit of difference in feed prices from North Texas to South Texas. So ask yourself why one feed is $150 per ton less than another one? They are leaving something out of it to cheapen it or adding something in that deer can not utilize. What is on paper is not what you need to know about a feed sometimes. What is in the feed or not in the feed is more important than price. A feed analysis of each feed side by side tells more the feed tag. Also Purina and Nutrena will sell through a dealer which means more hands on the feed so it will cost your more also. Lyssy and Eckel is the feed manufacturer and dealer so you will get a much better feed for less money. Cheaper feeds sometimes will cost you more money in the long run when deer have to eat 50% more of it to get what they need from the supplemental feed. IME deer will eat more 16% protein vs 20% if both are fed on the same habitat/range conditions. [/quote

stxranchman, thought I ask and see if anyone has used it or had any opinions on it. Can you get lyssy and eckel protein bagged? I don't have an overhead hopper or feed wagon to use if I buy bulk.

Yes you can get any feed bagged. L/E has a store in Llano now as well as Hondo, George West and at the mill in Poth. Bag is more expensive than bulk. Some feed stores have rental or bulk trailers you can use when buying bulk feed from them. Those stores all carry different brands. IIRC the feed store in Fredonia handles L/E feeds and had some trailers. Might check with Jacoby's in Melvin since they sell Purina and I believe Acco/Nutrena. Call some feed stores in your area or around your area to see who handles bulk. Some store offer ranch services of filling feeders, which is more expensive but can be cheaper for you if you live a long way away. Some feed stores offer large quantity bag deliveries also(3 tons or more depending on routes/trucking cost).

Thank for the info stx.

I guess I will be on the otherside of the fence on this one. I do not have superior genetics or pen deer but rather native deer in a controled enviroment. The deer that I feed and manage top out at about 170 inches and can weigh up to 200lbs. If I had a 100,000 dollar breed buck I guess cost would not matter and I would want the best name brand feed out there. I need to be realistic, If my deer reach 170 inches on any/all of the 3 listed feeds and im on a budget would it not be resonable for me to feed the most cost effective. I dont think me spending more money on a certain brand will give me bigger deer than my genetics will allow. I have tried turning a poodle into a shepard but at the end of the day he is still a poodle with expensive taste!

Golden nugget. They tore my ground up pawing for it. They are every last morsel of it. I mix it in my feeder with corn.

Yes but hope that poodle don't turn into a chihuahua this next fall or you might reconsider.. Mineral/trace mineral/vitamin packages in feed expensive to add and are very important to deer. Of course they need protein and you can get cheaper sources of that also. If the cheaper feed has more fiber than other 2 they will need to eat more of it to do the same as the better feeds. Why feed more high priced fiber when you can grow in the pasture for free? So if a feed is cheaper they usually start to cut corners on some part(s) of the ration. The young deer are what will be hurt or benefit the most by a better quality feed. You won't know the results of that for another 4-5 yrs. Sometimes it is not what you see that benefits as much as what you can't see. IMO if you management is plan is good then your younger deer should be better than you older deer. Why would you want to only manage your mature deer for the best they can do and not manage the entire herd?
(I did not mention anything about food plots since I know the ranch very well and know the limitations)

I used that stuff before and yes the deer love it
I don't think it had much in the way of nutritional benefit for the deer
seemed like it was mostly corn ....
I do know EVERY grey fox in the county came in numbers to eat that stuff though
my bud ran a cam on that feeder and them foxes would show up in herds at night to eat that stuff
along with a few hundred coons as well

Highest cost feed isn't always the best. That has been proven from dog food to people food.

Manufacturing process effects feed quality and cost as well. Really want to know how good it is? call the company and ask them some questions, like. At what point do they take the sample to get the analysis on the side of the bag, or tag? If it is before extrusion, then the final product will have less nutrients, if it is extruded under high heat (most are), it looses nutrients.

Some manufacturers us a cold, or cool extrusion and those end up a higher quality feed, but at a pellet longevity cost.

I know Bluebonnet feeds used a cool process and that is why we bought many 1000's of bags from them when we where in Exotic birds. We even paid to have a few feeds analyzed prior to going with BB.

I'd call them and tell them to "sell you" on their feed. If you are going to spend a small fortune, take a tour in their plant and see for yourself.

I bought 20% L and E in Hondo Wed. for $10.80 a sack.

[quote=don k]I bought 20% L and E in Hondo Wed. for $10.80 a sack. [/quote

That's a heck of a lot cheaper that record rack at tractor supply. Its 14.99 a bag.

I gave up on the high priced designer protein feeds years ago and started feeding the same creep feed we feed our weight gain steers. The deer love it and do well on it. Depending on what percentage you want to feed you can save some money. A ton of the creep runs anywhere from $360.00-$380.00 per ton. Just my

I do have a 4 acre foot plot and have winter wheat in it now which is actually doing pretty good. I will plant the same plot in cow peas this spring after I let my cows finish up whats left of the wheat. I have always put out triple 12 cattle mineral for my deer and they eat it when they need it. I have been feeding Purina Antlermax for most of 7 yrs. I put out Lyssey and Eckel at the beginning of March last year and fed it for 3 months then went back to Antlermax only because there is a Purina dealer much closer to me. I spent the difference in price per ton in gas going to Hondo and back. I have a Nutrena dealer that is also close and will deliver for free if I buy 2 tons at a time which is my normal order. It will be interesting to see what my younger bucks do on a new feed and if my older bucks maintain. I am also going to give cotton seed a try again, last year I couldnt get them to eat it even with a top dressing. I have learned alot from you STX as have alot of THF members and I appreciate the information. I do hope one day I can introduce some new genetics but until then I will continue to have fun with what I got.

What happened to your bulk bin and feed trailer?