Feeding fresh feed, is important for a lot of reasons, but-- what is Fresh feed? I have discovered that a lot of people do not know how to tell-- so--here is how it works,--
The feed Manufacture Date on the bottom of the bag is 3AUG20DEN2 that means manufactured on Aug 20 of 2013 at Denver Plant second shift , so the first number is the last number of the Year, followed by Month and day made, followed by plant manufactured in,
The different feed manufacturers have a very different idea of what fresh is-- for example-- when I asked a Purina rep for their official recommendations, here is what I got--
PURINA
During the warmer months it will be 4 months. During the cooler months it will be 6 months. Those are estimates and we say if it still looks good and smells good there is no reason not to feed it. We don’t have an official guideline due to things that affect feeds such as temperature, humidity and storage conditions. If you store the feed in a temperature controlled area it will last the full 6 months. We also recommend storing the feed in a plastic container. The reason is the plastic will breathe where a metal container traps the moisture in and will cause it to mold faster. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Pat Herndon
Pat Herndon | Purina Animal Nutrition, LLC
Representative, Customer Operations - Consumer | http://www.purinamills.com
Toll Free: 800-227-8941| Fax: 636-742-6170 |
From the Nutrena website [copied and pasted]
What is the typical shelf life for feed?
The shelf life of feeds can vary greatly, based on the type of feed and the conditions it is stored in.
Textured (or "sweet") feeds typically have the shortest shelf life, as the higher moisture content makes them more prone to mold issues. Pelleted feeds have a longer shelf life, and extruded feeds have the longest shelf life.
The biggest factor, though, is storage conditions. When stored in dry, cool conditions, from the date of manufacture through storage at a dealership and at farm, all the way to feeding, nutrient levels in animal feeds can be good for up to 6 months, although palatability may fall off some during that time.
However, changes in heat or humidity can take shelf life down to just a few weeks. It is generally recommended to keep purchases of feed smaller and more frequent to help ensure optimal freshness:
• Use pelleted feeds within 60 days during summer months and 90 days during winter months.
• Use textured feeds within 45 days during summer months and 60 days during winter months.
It is also important to always inspect feed prior to use for bugs, mold, or other evidence of damage
and--Oxbow seems to think their feed is good for 2 years
so-- any comments?
The feed Manufacture Date on the bottom of the bag is 3AUG20DEN2 that means manufactured on Aug 20 of 2013 at Denver Plant second shift , so the first number is the last number of the Year, followed by Month and day made, followed by plant manufactured in,
The different feed manufacturers have a very different idea of what fresh is-- for example-- when I asked a Purina rep for their official recommendations, here is what I got--
PURINA
During the warmer months it will be 4 months. During the cooler months it will be 6 months. Those are estimates and we say if it still looks good and smells good there is no reason not to feed it. We don’t have an official guideline due to things that affect feeds such as temperature, humidity and storage conditions. If you store the feed in a temperature controlled area it will last the full 6 months. We also recommend storing the feed in a plastic container. The reason is the plastic will breathe where a metal container traps the moisture in and will cause it to mold faster. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Pat Herndon
Pat Herndon | Purina Animal Nutrition, LLC
Representative, Customer Operations - Consumer | http://www.purinamills.com
Toll Free: 800-227-8941| Fax: 636-742-6170 |
From the Nutrena website [copied and pasted]
What is the typical shelf life for feed?
The shelf life of feeds can vary greatly, based on the type of feed and the conditions it is stored in.
Textured (or "sweet") feeds typically have the shortest shelf life, as the higher moisture content makes them more prone to mold issues. Pelleted feeds have a longer shelf life, and extruded feeds have the longest shelf life.
The biggest factor, though, is storage conditions. When stored in dry, cool conditions, from the date of manufacture through storage at a dealership and at farm, all the way to feeding, nutrient levels in animal feeds can be good for up to 6 months, although palatability may fall off some during that time.
However, changes in heat or humidity can take shelf life down to just a few weeks. It is generally recommended to keep purchases of feed smaller and more frequent to help ensure optimal freshness:
• Use pelleted feeds within 60 days during summer months and 90 days during winter months.
• Use textured feeds within 45 days during summer months and 60 days during winter months.
It is also important to always inspect feed prior to use for bugs, mold, or other evidence of damage
and--Oxbow seems to think their feed is good for 2 years
so-- any comments?
