Molasses

[Dman2]

Hi
Wanting to add a bit of molasses to our dry mix to try and keep dust down a bit and stop youngstock coughing
How much should I add into a 500kg batch?
Edit
Mix is rolled barley and concentrate
Cheers

 

[Bullring]

5% max I'd say, I usually mix 20litres to a 750kg mix.

 

[Nithsdale]

If it's just to cut down dust, 1% will be enough (I've watched our local feed mill add 100l to 10t just to kill the dust and it works).

Depending how you feed/handle it you can go upto 7-8% if you wanted (I use a liquid feed incorporated at this level for feeding ewes), 10% it's getting wet and starting to bind too much

 

[Dman2]

When's the best time to add it into the mixer

 

[Timbo]

Hi
Wanting to add a bit of molasses to our dry mix to try and keep dust down a bit and stop youngstock coughing
How much should I add into a 500kg batch?
Edit
Mix is rolled barley and concentrate
Cheers

0.5 - 1.0kg / head / day. If you are feeding it in hoppers you may have it lodging depending on the feeders.

 

[Nithsdale]

When's the best time to add it into the mixer

Put the barley in first then molasses... let it mix as you fetch the concentrates over.

 

[davidroberts30]

I use 25kgs per ton of barley

 

[Bill dog]

If it's just to cut down dust, 1% will be enough (I've watched our local feed mill add 100l to 10t just to kill the dust and it works).

Depending how you feed/handle it you can go upto 7-8% if you wanted (I use a liquid feed incorporated at this level for feeding ewes), 10% it's getting wet and starting to bind too much

Your mix at 8% runs through your snacker ok ? Would any wetter just stick to the sides ?

 

[Nithsdale]

Your mix at 8% runs through your snacker ok ? Would any wetter just stick to the sides ?

It's supposed to be around 7% I use (but the occasional load might get nearer 8% as im doing all the mixing with the loader bucket and no weigh cells, so nothing is exact - and I like giving them as much of the liquid feed as possible)

It is right on the limits of what you can get away with for the snacker. The feed when fresh mixed has a slight stickiness to touch but that is almost all gone by the next day... It is dry enough to run, but it does set/bridge very easily with the bounce going out to the fields. A good poking stick that is long enough to reach down to the drum gets it going and a strategic bounce over a stone/rock/rut on the hill every now and again keeps it flowing.

Liquid feed was delivered a few weeks ago and snacker serviced for the coming season. This will be the 4th lambing feeding it so I'm getting a bit old hand at it now

 

[Bill dog]

I’ve plenty of whole oats left to feed , I was just wondering how much glue to put on my final mix so cheers @Nithsdale Farmer !

 

[Renaultman]

Hi
Wanting to add a bit of molasses to our dry mix to try and keep dust down a bit and stop youngstock coughing
How much should I add into a 500kg batch?
Edit
Mix is rolled barley and concentrate
Cheers

If you ring ring Peter at hi performance feeds he will talk you through the different molasses options and recommend how much you need. He can supply most types in whatever quantity you require. 01207 529500

 

[Nithsdale]

I’ve plenty of whole oats left to feed , I was just wondering how much glue to put on my final mix so cheers @Nithsdale Farmer !

Top tip;

Work to whole/round quantities/weights so it's all easy to figure out... and mix a small batch first and see how you get on.


Nothing worse than mixing 1.5t and getting the molasses wrong but only finding out up the hill with a choked snacker.. then trying to mix another 1/3t in to correct it


What? No, no not me - I'm an expert... I just heard it happened on another farm

 

[Bill dog]

I’ll be like you , very scientific mixing with the telehandler bucket. My bucket holds a ton ( approx) of oats, so I’ll mix a half at a time. Not yet worked out what I’ll up the protein with, but once that’s sorted , I’ll get mixing !

 

[Al R]

When's the best time to add it into the mixer

Depending on the mixer but usually first, keenans definitely first. I used to work a big blending plant and once I forgot the molasses so put 300litre in on 5,000kg of hipro/rape meal mix and it all went in one spot and took an hour to mix before it went right through. Added first it would take less than 2-3 minutes to mix. This was with a special rubber belt instead of knives Keenan specially built for the blending plants.

 

[Dman2]

We have something like this but ancient

mixes well though

 

[livestock 1]

I was at a farm sale near the border somewhere years ago and he fed his sheep on pot ale and barley. He had two or three snacker type devices to drop out blobs of this sticky mix to feed them

 

[Nearly]

Mix the molasses 1:1 with water to thin it down a bit to stop it clumping.

 

[Dman2]

Mix the molasses 1:1 with water to thin it down a bit to stop it clumping.

Did wonder about doing that
have tried a couple of mixes and seems to mix ok whichever end of the mix i put it in

 

[Bobthebuilder]

put ours in at same time as bruising/mixing but that is through a superior QM6000 with the IBC on top and it trickles into mixing auger, just gotta remember to turn the tap off before mixer is empty so it's dry mix going through elevator