Please explain it to me like I’m 5. I live outside of Memphis, and have searched extensively for a magical feed mill that you take barrels or a big tote to and get super cheap feed, but I cannot find it. The meet ups I’ve been to use either the co-op (stockdales, about 45 minutes away and doesn’t do ‘bulk’), TSC (which is like $15 more for a week, but less than 10 minutes away), or much fancier and more expensive brands. I work ft but my parents live on the property too, and they only have a pt business, so picking up during the day wouldn’t be an issue. Where oh where do you find grain mill/feed mill/ whatever?
I have goats, pigs, and chickens. They have access to pasture and a bit of silvopasture. (Just in case I get some hate – picture is for attention, but was taken right before a major drop in temp from like 65 to 10, that’s why they had so much corn.)
by lotheva
6 Comments
Ask other farmers. My neighbor has chickens and pointed me to a local Mennonite run feed mill. Cheapest near me and the chickens and sheep do well with it.
Not quite what you’re asking but when I worked in a Memphis brewery(small) we had farmers take our spent grain and feed it to their livestock. It’s not a complete supplement, but it’s a ton of grain
Memphis has a pretty big footprint of grain elevators. Usually, they will sell bulk whole kernel corn to guys like you who bring in totes. May be worth it to check out. I know ADM and CGB have locations in Memphis.
I’ve never heard of one where you take your own containers. Most of the ones I have experience with sell in 50lb or 100lbs white woven feed bags.
They usually have some big grain bins and a tower and dryer, they are pretty obvious if you find a real one actually processing grain. But yeah, ask a grain farmer where they dry thier grain.
My locally owned feed business sells in bulk, you can take 50 gallon barrels or whatever other container and buy by the weight. Are you looking specifically for pig feed? I have raised pigs for two years now using cattle pellet feed and they do extremely well, much cheaper and almost the exact same profile as feed labeled “pig or hog feed.” I also supplement with “deer corn.” There has also been a lot of research about feeding rice to pigs so that’s another alternative you could look into. I had no luck with this idea, but you could also check with local grocery stores or food distributors for expired dairy products, overages, wrong orders, or fresh veggies that are starting to go bad, they may be willing to have someone like you come and dispose of it for them versus paying dump fees etc.
If you can’t find a feed mill. Find a local brewery. They sell the mash cheap, and the animals love it.