Feeding flour to cattle

[bovrill]

Anyone done it?
I've got the chance of getting supplied with some bakers flour (plain) as it goes out of date. My idea was to mix it at about 5% with clamp silage for youngish heifers. The only problem I could foresee is getting them to eat it, but I reckon the moisture from the silage should make it palatable.

 

[yellowbelly]

It wouldn't be much different to feeding them milled wheat IMHO. If you're mixing it with silage it should stop it being too dusty.

The Great Bovrill Bake-Off - just mind they don't get 'soggy bottoms'

 

[Adam@Rumen]

I can't say I've heard of it being done in this country

I think my main concern would be acidosis, but sounds like you're aware of that putting it in at a low level.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Doubt if the cattle would even notice it in the ration at that level. Wouldn't have thought it would be unpalatable anyway and the silage would make it less powdery.

 

[bovrill]

I'm thinking of it as just like milled wheat, but with a lot of the bran removed. It's the dustiness that I'm wondering if they'll cope with, and lots of 15kg bags to split open!
With rather a lot to start with, I did wonder about making a giant solar or straw fired oven, getting some barrels of yeast, and going for the record of the biggest loaf of bread!

 

[bovrill]

5% was an idea as a start to see how they go, then maybe upping it to 10% if they'll eat it.

 

[Pan mixer]

5% was an idea as a start to see how they go, then maybe upping it to 10% if they'll eat it.

If it is a problem my pigs wouldn't mind it a bit.

 

[yellowbelly]

If it is a problem my pigs wouldn't mind it a bit.

They'd probably scoff the paper bags too - save all that slitting open

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

I'm thinking of it as just like milled wheat, but with a lot of the bran removed. It's the dustiness that I'm wondering if they'll cope with, and lots of 15kg bags to split open!
With rather a lot to start with, I did wonder about making a giant solar or straw fired oven, getting some barrels of yeast, and going for the record of the biggest loaf of bread!

Doughnuts are always popular if you can find some sugar.