Buckets n blocks

[perthshire-farmer]

One of my ranty subject....the price of buckets and blocks!! Usually get an energy tub or block depending on price and forage quality analysis. Amazed every year at the variances!! What are we finding this year??

 

[Woolless]

I largely gave up on buckets after being quoted about £850/tonne for crystalyx a couple of years ago. Just couldn't justify it and usually just buy a couple for triplets etc. Blocks are slightly easier to swallow but only buy them for lambing outside if grass is short to prevent disturbance from feeding. No doubt they've all gone up again. Ewe rolls were bad enough to buy last year! Just glad I only needed a couple of tonnes..

 

[D.S.S18]

Had a quote for £805 for Christmas payment on high energy buckets -

you can feed 3 ton of cake for that, but it just depends on time to feed everyday.

 

[perthshire-farmer]

Yep, £825 for Max HE in small buckets hardly seems worth it. Rumevite makes more sense this time round......if it makes sense!?

 

[Andy84]

Im thinking of changing from Crystalix buckets to bolus’s this year to see if it’s more cost effective and a Rummevite style block at lambing time.

 

[neilo]

Im thinking of changing from Crystalix buckets to bolus’s this year to see if it’s more cost effective and a Rummevite style block at lambing time.

But they do a completely different thing.

If you are short of trace elements, then give a bolus (or drench/min bucket) to correct those. If you are short of energy, then give them some food (blocks/buckets/cereals/grass). The TE levels and the intakes from Chrystallix are so low that they don't do anything for TE supplementation if there is a proper deficiency.

 

[perthshire-farmer]

I bolus as normal and use either a bucket of block as a back up/top up mainly in case of bad weather up on the hill

 

[Andy84]

But they do a completely different thing.

If you are short of trace elements, then give a bolus (or drench/min bucket) to correct those. If you are short of energy, then give them some food (blocks/buckets/cereals/grass). The TE levels and the intakes from Chrystallix are so low that they don't do anything for TE supplementation if there is a proper deficiency.

Sorry I missed out a bit I meant to say bolus and molasses

 

[Guiggs]

Get yourself some liquid feed

 

[perthshire-farmer]

Get yourself some liquid feed

Not a fan! Can't be bothered with the wee feeders. Used to, years ago with big bike like wheels in in blue barrels but not anymore. Beasts always liked it but too much of a fouter

 

[Nithsdale]

I largely gave up on buckets after being quoted about £850/tonne for crystalyx a couple of years ago. Just couldn't justify it and usually just buy a couple for triplets etc. Blocks are slightly easier to swallow but only buy them for lambing outside if grass is short to prevent disturbance from feeding. No doubt they've all gone up again. Ewe rolls were bad enough to buy last year! Just glad I only needed a couple of tonnes..

You should get a price now for 1t Crystalix... make sure you're sat down

 

[Nithsdale]

Had a quote for £805 for Christmas payment on high energy buckets -

you can feed 3 ton of cake for that, but it just depends on time to feed everyday.

You'll blow through 3t of feed long before the 1t of high energy buckets are gone...

 

[neilo]

You should get a price now for 1t Crystalix... make sure you're sat down

I just had a ton of Downland Optilix delivered, which worked out at £715/t
, pay December.

 

[perthshire-farmer]

That is a VERY good price! That said haulage to my part of the world will add on a chunk I guess.

 

[Nithsdale]

I just had a ton of Downland Optilix delivered, which worked out at £715/t
, pay December.

Hardly Crystalix prices though (and it's every bit as good, if not a better product than Crystalix)... you can add another £200 onto that - and some more, for 10kg less from that lot

 

[perthshire-farmer]

Hardly Crystalix prices though (and it's every bit as good, if not a better product than Crystalix)... you can add another £200 onto that - and some more, for 10kg less from that lot

Whats the Downland price in ur area? Maxx and it is the same but different pack sizes. Had both before but been offered an extra month payment to Jan on Maxx

 

[Nithsdale]

Whats the Downland price in ur area? Maxx and it is the same but different pack sizes. Had both before but been offered an extra month payment to Jan on Maxx

Yep, both are Rumenco Maxx. Downland is I a 20kg bucket so you get a true Tonne when you order, unlike the rest


No idea what current prices are - too early to be thinking about it for me. But, Crystalix wasn't far off £1,000 last winter (December) and I think I paid £820 for Downland but I'd need to look it up - it definitely wasn't under £800... I found out after Tarff were selling Rumenco Maxx cheaper, but I don't like Tarff so try not to work with them

 

[neilo]

Yep, both are Rumenco Maxx. Downland is I a 20kg bucket so you get a true Tonne when you order, unlike the rest

My price was for 12x 80kg buckets, so not a ‘true ton’ either, but worked the price back to get a £/t rate.

I should perhaps add that the quote was from a rep who lost out last year, so maybe keen to get his foot back in the door?

 

[JHT]

I just had a ton of Downland Optilix delivered, which worked out at £715/t
, pay December.

Where from? @neilo

 

[Nithsdale]

My price was for 12x 80kg buckets, so not a ‘true ton’ either, but worked the price back to get a £/t rate.

I should perhaps add that the quote was from a rep who lost out last year, so maybe keen to get his foot back in the door?

The big tubs do work out cheaper....

So not a fair quote if you're after 20-22.5kg buckets, which always cost more.