It is amazing to me how many people who call themselves ranchers are so ignorant about properly raising livestock and soil management. I see most ranches with no rotation, no minerals and not enough water for the livestock. Thanks for what you do Greg. You have some great apprentices there.
I can never say it enough, thank God for Ben and Isaac!!!! Where ever they wind up the will continue to be a great asset to the industry. Because they have the greatest teacher. God Bless
Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I’m coming back to this after seeing this 5 months ago . You are creating a video library that fellow regenerative farmers can reference. Thank you Greg!
It took my cattle forever to start using my FCE mineral station but they seem to be using about half of it pretty decent now. I pull mine around with my Ranger, it pulls it fine. That topper mod would be nice for cattle as well, mine don't like having to try to get under the darn thing. Having that topper propped up with a little space at the edge would make it much easier for the cattle to get under it to flip it up. I'm going to build my own for my sheep one of these days.
So much of this is just common sense and time. I always knew that minerals were key to livestock but could never find the resources to give me better guidance. Thanks, Greg, and I will be looking up FCE.
Very Informative and nice Mineral Feeder. Sorry you lost a Lamb. But being who you are you corrected the situation immediately. You take real good care of your animals and they repay you with excellent Meat. God Bless and Peace Be With You All
Great video Greg! Great folks at FCE. We have started using their mimeral and love it. Like you, we have lost a few lambs that way but still love the product and recomend the modifications for sheep and goats.
Great to see how regenerative holistic management has figured out easy solutions to proactively manage nutrient deficiencies in individual animals. All that I have seen with the traditional/ CAFO/ industrial beef model is to force feed a one size fits all multi nutrient-mix that is usually added to a one size fits all feed if it is even considered. Usually on the traditionally managed beef operations, they chase deficiencies when they notice a major symptom or illness and then treat with massive interventions.
I LOVED this!! Minerals and soil biology....that is where it is at! I'm a bit of a geeky hippy farmer...so this was right up my alley! I'm just a bit disappointed that your intern didn't go through the nitty gritty details of all the minerals, but that might have taken forever, I'm sure. You have some smart guys with you, for sure. Maybe you can let them do a video going over each mineral, if that is something you guys would like to do. And Greg, I bet you've heard of Elaine Inghram...she talks about how the soil micro biology will actually take pretty much all rock and dirt, and provide those minerals to the plants. I'd bet that that is one of the main reasons your livestock don't need as many minerals on the Judy Farm. Your management over the years has most definitely increase that soil life, that those microbes have been breaking down and making available to the plants those minerals that otherwise would have been inert and not available. Ok...I'm geeking out I'm sure, I'll stop there. Haha
On your thread about the subsoil rocks providing everything the soil will eventually need dovetails with the played out farm growing weeds and weeds healing soils. Many of the maligned weeds will have tap roots that go deep. The interaction with soil microbes allow the weed to bring it to the surface and perhaps improve, ie heal the soil. Unfortunately many will go bankrupt before that plays out. So a top down boost like the free choice will jump start the process and later the optimal forages like Alph alpha Gamma Grass, and other deep rooted plants will complete the process. In addition this is not a closed system. All the animals will leave the scene unlike the Deer, Buffalo, Elk, Wolves, Vultures, and the Hunter Gathers who walked the land for eons. Great complement to the system now in place. Wish you well on your farm.
Fred Provenza's book and also the youtube presentation on grass fed exchange is very informativ on this topic. They really know what they need. Unfortunatley i haven't found a free choice mineral supplier in Germany yet.
I need to make one of these pronto. Amazing video, your animals are better off than most people. Though I know a lady that has something similar for her own use. She says that what you need tastes good and that's how you know.
Re: The sheep mineral feeder. If the lambs flex the top in a way that could allow it to flex on another lamb, screw an ⅛ inch steel band underneath so it won't flex. You can tape over it so the sharp edge doesn't catch the sheep's noses.
That might make the thing too heavy, since the animals would need to lift the whole lid rather than just part of it to find the mineral they need. I guess you could break the support into multiple sections. Also, it might be better to screw the support onto the _top_ of the rubber sheet rather than underneath, to avoid creating a sharp edge.
Very informative, thank you all for it. Now I know a company where I can get this stuff. I've seen these minerals being used, but didn't know the background. Thank you for taking the time to explain. Best Regards
Good morning Greg! Getting close to purchasing from FCE and intend to modify as you describe for sheep. Just wanted to make certain this was still working well for you before making the investment (since you mention in this video it was relatively new at the time for your sheep flock). Thank you again for everything you do for us.
Started a few weeks back and the lambs seem to be happy with it. They aren't consuming copper any more than the others, but enough that it is making me a bit nervous. Perhaps that is just because we have all heard so much about toxicity, but I wondered if you did anything special when first introducing it to your sheep?
Greg cafeteria plan for mineralization. This concept should work for poultry, goats, cattle and sheep, with exceptions for toxicities. Does the spacing allow for cattle or do you have another feeder to follow the herd? That belting comes in plys that are thicker or thinner. Try Bi-State rubber for a source. They did most of our splicing on belts that didn't have a mechanical splice. Trying to lift a whole side of that may be too much for lambs, maybe a wider center gussett with the belting cut in half there with an overlap would be easier? Also, a lonk to your mineral sourcing would be great. Our five generation mill went dirment recently, so all of the recipes we relied on for years are gone until they come back. Life moves on.
Ben, When lifting like that, don't bend over, grab on, and lift. Do this: bend over, grab on tight with your hands, but otherwise loose, straighten your back, which will stretch out your arms, get some arch to your back, center of your arch toward your solar plexus and then use your legs to lift your load. Power lifters will strengthen their lower back with crunches, (partial situps), and negatives, (lay face down in a truck bed, hips at the edge, upper body hanging over), have a buddy hold your legs, and do a reverse sit-up, until your body is straight. When you can easily do 3 sets of 8 reps, hold a weight plate to your chest. Go slow.
It would be useful to know the actual mineral composition in each box, not just the target mineral. For example P is probably Calcium Phosphate, Cu is probably Copper Sulfate (although that would be blue which is different color to that shown in this video). What is the Na (Sodium) and how is that different to the "Salt" assuming both would be sodium chloride ??? so many questions that would be useful for people to know how to source these minerals in forms that are safe to feed to stock.
Hi Greg. This is off-topic, but based on some discussions yesterday on your previous video, I was thinking that a good subject for a video (if you're looking for ideas) would be to talk about the _stocking rate_ on your farm, and how it compares to neighbouring farms or the county average in central Missouri. One of the expected outcomes of mob grazing is that it should allow for more efficient use of land (more animal units/acre) than set stocking due to much healthier soils and forage. Here's an excellent video about a large ranch in Texas that has achieved a stocking rate which is *two to three times the county average* by using management-intensive grazing: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EBTINtTcBbE.html (Note: I linked to the part of the presentation that talks specifically about this issue, but I encourage everyone to start at the beginning and watch the whole thing if you have time -- it's a very inspirational story!)
Aww man thats too bad about the lamb. I always feel bad when something happens like that. One time I fed a young lamb too much grain before she was accustomed to it and died from grain overload :(.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge Mr. Judy. It would be nice to hear your thoughts on supplementing the cattle with wild Kelp for a mineral source? Thanks, Michael
Many years ago, I saw a presentation that showed kids being turned loose in a room full of various food groups, (veggies, meats, pastries, etc). The kids were tested (blood, hair, urine analyses) before the test. The kids went right to the foods that provided to nutrients each was deficient in when they were turned loose in the room full of food groups. Are you aware of any similar tests that have been done on livestock? (I wholehearted agree with the concept of free choice supplements, but would find it interesting to know if any formal studies have been performed on livestock.)
Tricia Hill If free choice worked for children, then why is there so much obesity,a.d.d.,diabetes,etc.? Would be interested in researching that particular study more. It might even give us insight as to the negative effects of forced and unnecessary inoculations for the children today.
@@bc8968 I am willing to bet that it is because of a bit of social conditioning, and the fact that sugar is more addictive than cocaine. When I cut sugar out of our house...my kids quit wanting it...even when they got it they felt ill and would leave it. Then as teens they got the jobs and money and freedom to buy it, and it snowballed. My youngest (14) finally put 2 and 2 together, and realized when she didnt eat sugar...no zits. And when she had it...all she wanted was more, unless she hadnt had it for a while. Out of the mouths of babes ...
Natasha S. Thanks for the response. Our children similarly reacted, and fortunately they are not into soda, candy bars, etc. I am really intrigued with this free choice minerals for the animals. So much that we haven’t discovered about Gods creation, how it’s built to heal itself.
RON, if your ever in the UPPER PENINSULA of MICHIGAN there is a lot of red cedar here, i am pretty sure if you checked you could still find family saw mills that would put together an order for you
@@rontiemens2553 its always a good idea to have a reciver hitch on your truck just in case you go on a trip a find a bargain that way you rent a trailer to hual it home!!
The problem with that style of feeder for sheep is that sheep dont like putting their heads under a rubber cover as they are vulnerable to preditors during that time. Some of them are not going to use the feeder for that reason. Also the lambs are going to use it at a trampoline and pretty soon your rubber lid is going to crack. Ask me how I know.
In the famous words of a Childhood Bear " Rumbly Tummy. " When cows have the choice they avoid the things that upset digestion and eat the things that improve digestion and health. They can't just go to the other side of the hill to get something they are missing. But your job to give them the opportunity to make the choice. More often than not they know better than you.
I like the mineral feeder. But I’m wondering if and how mineral content in the soil can be fixed thru plants. Traditionally humans settled along bodies of water and annual floods would push nutrient rich silt into the shores. That’s where people farmed. The further inland we go, the more that benefit disappears. But there must be a way to mineralize the soil without having to mine it.
Your correct, use of cover crops blends and ending the use of tillage or mechanical disruption of the soil will dramatically improve your soil. However if you have livestock on your property you will need need to provide minerals to keep them healthy. It almost like an over the counter pharmacy the livestock can use to keep themselves healthy and in good condition.
I wish you would do a video on how cattle know out of all those minerals which ones it needs. I know certain vitamins/minerals don't taste good. Thanks.
Is the rubber top the same one that comes with the FCE mineral feeder for cattle? If not, where can a lighter rubber top be bought? Thank you very much.
Next time you show up the visual part of each section please go slow with the visual look so you could actually see what you're talkin about without moving the camera much with your phone
I recently received my feeder and minerals from FCE but it didn’t come with a data sheet like you are reading from. Did you get that from them or is it something you put together.
Did it work? I have this feeder and my goats don't want to stick their heads under. Before I go to all the work of modification, I'd love to know if it worked or not for smaller ruminents...?
@@gregjudyregenerativerancher Ahh, that's a good point. Can organically harvested minerals be bought, or is synthetic all that's available for certain minerals?
My adult sheep aren't strong enough to open the flap on the minerals. Wish the blanket was more light weight for sheep. Have you all figured out how to deal with that? I love that the boxes are so easy to move with my atv.
I’m sorry, I was referring to the mineral feeder you and the boys modified for the sheep. Does the modified sheep mineral feeder have any problems with water getting in? Thank you.
I want to do that again. Problem was the hardy wild rabbits brought coccidiosis and my growers just wilted. That and bot flies. Nothing so disgusting as doing "surgery" to remove bot flies. I've got a very strong stomach and I almost dry heaved.
I'm betting it would. I just sold my few goats. One started leaping/climbing fences and I said no more after she taught one more. Which is a shame because they do love poison ivy more than the sheep, it seems. It just wasnt worth the trouble when she started jumping. They were my most entertaining livestock though...
I have 100 ewes and they started me out with a package that was around $1000. I have ordered another $175 worth since then. All of that should last me till the end of the year. That also included their feeder.
I just went to the website www.freechoiceminerals.com/Mineral-Feeders and they call it a rubber belting cover. Doesn’t help much but it looks like they make the boxes. I bet it would be cheaper to hand make one. Old snow skis or damaged snowboards on the bottom as skids might be good. They can be bought cheap for old ones.