August 25, 2016 – Modesto, CA

Customers who have researched Modesto Milling’s history know that the mill has been operating since 1974 and started as a dairymen’s co-op. In 1998, we began manufacturing organic feed, and then got our first organic certification in 1998. We formulated organic and conventional feeds until 2007 when we began formulating 100% organic feeds.

What most customers don’t know is that all of Modesto Milling’s formulations are overseen by Chris Wagner whose feed formulation roots go back three generations.

Chris’s grandfather, Clarence, settled in Petaluma, CA in the early 1900s. He was the only man on the ranch and had never worked for anyone else. Petaluma was known at the time as the egg basket of the world and Clarence raised poultry (mixing his own feed) until he sold his business in the 1950s.

The chinchilla craze started in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1957, Clarence began breeding and raising 100s of chinchillas using a couple of converted multi-level chicken houses. He sold animals, equipment, supplies and four feed formulations he had manufactured at a local mill. Clarence bought a lot of chinchillas from a partner in Sonora, exporting the animals to Denmark. He also made a name for himself showing and judging chinchilla shows.

Chris Wagner remembers selling feed for his grandfather every weekend starting at the age of 11 or 12 (or whenever his math skills got strong enough to give change to customers.)

Chris’s dad was known in the agricultural circles for raising award winning sheep and rams. His father mixed his own ingredients and became very good at timing the formulations so the rams would look their best at show time. Chris remembers doing up to 9 open division fairs per season and it was his job to feed the sheep.

Chris has never escaped the poultry, chinchilla, sheep or hog feeds his family has formulated over the decades. His formulations have only continued and expanded to include rabbits, cattle, horses and others over time.

For Modesto Milling, feed isn’t just about making organic feed to make a buck. For people like Chris Wagner, it is literally part of their genetic makeup and family heritage.

July 29, 2016 – Modesto, CA

Modesto Milling recently started formulating soy-free layer crumbles. This augments our organic poultry feed line that already includes starter and grower crumbles; broiler finisher pellets; layer pellets and crumbles; whole grain layer; turkey starter crumbles; scratch; soy-free layer pellets; soy-free starter and grower crumbles; soy-free finisher pellets; corn and soy-free layer pellet; and corn and soy-free starter and grower crumbles.

So, the question is why use crumbles versus pellets or mash? Several factors go into the choice.

Some people prefer to make their own feed or buy mash (where the ingredients are ground up and/or mixed together in a powdery form), then mix in their own ingredients. Popular add-ins include milk, cream, yogurt, scrambled eggs, table scraps, vitamins and others. But mash also has some downsides. There tends to be more waste and poultry also may pick out the pieces they like, leaving behind pieces they don’t, which may mean they don’t get all of the intended nutrients.

Pellets take the mash process further and use heat and pressure to form the mash into pellets. The heat and pressure help to break down some of the starches within the pellets, making digestion easier. Extra benefits include less waste and that the poultry have a harder time picking out the pieces they want, meaning they get a more balanced diet with all of the intended nutrients.

Crumbles add another step to the pellet process. The pellets are sent through two rollers that break the pellets into smaller pieces or crumbles. All of the benefits of the pellets still remain.

Some breeders have a preference for one of the three feed processing methods. Others vary the feed selection based on the age of the bird, the breed or the flock’s preferences.

Starter crumbles, as an example, tend to be fed to younger birds that may have a harder time eating large pellets. Bantam breeders tend to like crumbles because the breed is smaller than other breeds. And some birds just prefer crumbles over pellets or vice versa.

Modesto Milling produces organic crumbles and pellets that meet the needs of most breeders and the poultry they are feeding. If you have questions about which type of feed is best for your goals, situation and birds, we are here to help. You can learn more at http://modestomilling.com/poultry.html or by emailing cwagner@modestomilling.com.

June 23, 2016 – Modesto, CA

Nobody is 100% sure which came first between the chick and the egg, but the way things currently go, good chicks start out as good eggs. Organic feed is important whether you are aiming for healthy chicks or are more interested in the eggs themselves.

Egg production methods can affect the quality and quantity of the eggs. Many of our customers, and egg consumers as a whole, are concerned about excessive medications, GMOs and birds having the ability to stretch their wings as opposed to being confined in cages or in conditions that limit mobility. This has increased interest in free range and organic eggs.

Organic eggs are actually held to a higher standard than free range eggs. Organic eggs come from organic hens. Organic hens are required to be fed organic feed, which contains no GMOs, antibiotics or animal byproducts. Free range eggs don’t have these requirements. The one thing both types of eggs have in common is that neither allows putting hens in tiny cages but, even in this case, organic eggs have stronger animal welfare requirements.

Organic feed is required in organic egg production, but feed quality matters. We regularly talk to customers about differences they are seeing when switching to our feed after using conventional or other organic feeds. We have heard stories of stronger shells, darker yolks, better flavor and others when talking specifically about eggs.

Quality organic feed also helps the eggs’ mamas stay happier and healthier. We have heard testimonials about better plumage, production and meat taste when layers are given Modesto Milling feed.

Modesto Milling makes a number of formulas including corn-free, soy-free, whole grain, starters, finishers, growers and layers along with individual ingredients and supplements. Our clients aren’t just using the feed for chickens. Some are using them for turkeys, pheasants, ducks, quail and others.

If your goals include eggs, chicks, layers or meat birds, you can learn more about ways Modesto Milling can help at http://modestomilling.com/poultry.html or by emailing cwagner@modestomilling.com.

May 26, 2016 – Modesto, CA

Modesto Milling is willing to ship products almost anywhere, but we also understand that means shipping costs can get steep in many areas of the country. In the past, there were two ways savvy customers and buying cooperatives would “share the burden” of shipping and overall feed costs: build a group of buyers who would bundle shipments or petition local feed stores and retailers to start carrying Modesto Milling products. Both of those ways of ordering and shipping feed, supplements and other items will continue to work, but we are also forming new relationships that will make things even easier for you.

We are proud to announce a new partnership with Azure Standard that gives us a much larger distribution footprint where we can make it easier and more cost effective to get many Modesto Milling products brought to one of thousands of community drop sites around the country. Azure Standard started as an organic farm about 40 years ago, but has built a large network of sites where they deliver more than 12,500 non-GMO and organic products direct to families, manufacturers and retailers across the nation, including Hawaii and Alaska. These products can come in bulk and “family-friendly” sizes.

Another way our direct customers can save on larger quantities of feed is through our new pallet pricing option. If you order 50 – 50 lb. bags of the same type of feed, that makes up a full pallet of 50 bags. Since it is easier for us to prepare and ship (or have you will call the order, if you are nearby), we can extend a $10 per pallet discount. This is a great opportunity for our end-user customers to save money on feed they would have purchased anyway.

Modesto Milling customers expect us to look out for the health and wellbeing of the chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, horses, pigs, cattle, chinchillas and other animals and poultry we feed. But rest assured, we do our best to look after your financial wellbeing and convenience, too.

April 27, 2016 – Modesto, CA

Spring is upon us and that means blooming flowers and hatching chicks. Whether your objectives include organic egg production, raising birds for meat or just keeping pet chickens healthy, Modesto Milling can provide the feed you need.

Modesto Milling has many different feeds to meet different goals for different feathered friends at different life stages. We have organic starter, grower and finisher feeds; turkey starter; soy-free; corn-free; whole grain layer; loose ingredients and scratch. Plus, we have supplements like grit, herbs, vitamins, minerals and nesting materials to improve health and comfort.

We also try to stay on top of trends in ingredients and breeding. Obviously, we talk to our own customers and collaborate with them to modify existing formulations or create new formulations as trends emerge. We attend several shows a year where we compare notes with competitors, breeders, vendors, experts and competitors’ customers. We also track poultry-specific articles, blogs and Facebook pages such as Tom the Chicken Man, Poultry Natural Living & Herbal Care and Backyard Meat Chickens.

All of the conversations and trend watching shape the ingredients we use and way we formulate our feed. For example, we have increased our use of stabilized rice bran and organic peas over the last year. Soy is an important ingredient for many of our breeders to facilitate growth. This need and our desire to control quality and open up new supply sources prompted us to start milling our own soy-based products at our Planada mill in the last year.

Are there trends you are tracking that we should be, too? If so, reach out to Chris Wagner at cwagner@modestomilling.com or 209-523-9167 ext.9107.

April 8, 2016 – Modesto, CA

Modesto Milling has been providing horse-appropriate loose grains, nutrients and mineral products for some time and added Organic Horse Supplement Pellets (which works as a ration balancer) to our product line last year. Our newest formulation, Organic Horse PLUS #675, is a nutritionally balanced full feed that combines the supplement pellets with high quality organic oats, barley, peas, sunflower seeds, and alfalfa pellets, and works as a great augmentation to alfalfa or grass forages. PLUS stands for Performance, Leisure, Universal and Senior horses.

Modesto Milling’s new PLUS feed is specifically formulated for the horse that needs more calories than our Supplement Pellet provides alone. PLUS is a balanced feed that, when fed within the recommended feeding rates, removes guess work as to whether the horse is getting all the required nutrients and calories for performance.

The organic oats have been selected for ease of digestion and they are joined by organic alfalfa pellets, which are a natural source of calcium, protein and highly digestible fiber. The supplement pellets also include high quality organic ingredients like coconut meal, flax seeds, stabilized rice bran, kelp meal, diatomaceous earth and other vitamins and nutrients, as well as essential oils. These are chosen for traits such as digestibility, healthy fats, muscular strength, healthy coats, strong hooves and other health benefits.

The new horse feed contains no soy, so it works well for horses that have soy allergies or sensitivities. The previously mentioned organic peas provide quality protein as well as lysine in the absence of the soy. The feed is also made without molasses, so as to reduce unnecessary sugars in the horses’ diets. This feed contains no wheat products (which is helpful for horses with wheat sensitivities or allergies), nor does it use corn or corn by-products.

This new feed continues Modesto Milling’s tradition of using certified organic ingredients, meaning the feed is made with Non-GMO components and is free of pesticides and unwanted chemicals.

You can read more about the ingredients and the reasons they were selected at http://modestomilling.com/horses.html.

The new feed will be available for purchase starting in early May. For more information or updates on Organic Horse PLUS #675, please email Andrea Kaldhusdal at akaldhusdal@modestomilling.com.

February 24, 2016 – Modesto, CA

Modesto Milling is the only organic feed producer in the Western United States that produces its own soybean meal.

Producing and extruding our own soybean products means we have more choices when it comes to buying beans instead of being limited to sourcing meal and oil from a very limited number of providers.

Why are soybean meal and oil important? They are a great source of protein, energy and amino acids. These are all important traits for feed ingredients when growth is an objective. These products can also help with egg production in poultry and digestion in cattle and other hoofed mammals with multiple stomachs (ruminants).

We use organic soybeans a few different ways at Modesto Milling.

Our largest volume of production at our Planada Mill is soybean meal cake. The protein percentage is higher because the soybean oil is removed. It averages 47% protein and makes up 20-25% of our soy-based poultry feed formulations. Soybean meal is also heavily used in our soy-based feed formulas for most other species.

The soybean oil itself is a powerful source of energy – about 2 1/4 times higher than any other grain. This dense energy source is useful for raising meat birds or many other high-energy feed applications.

Another popular application of the organic soybeans is our full-fat soybean meal. Unlike the soybean meal cake, the full-fat soybean meal skips the press, leaving the oil intact with the fat. This increases palatability and maintains the by-pass protein longer in the digestive process for ruminants instead of being used up in the animal’s first stomach.

The pressing and extrusion process is one that is hard to explain, but interesting to watch. So, we have posted some links to videos of the process on our new web page at www.modestomilling.com/planada.html.

If you have questions about our process or soy-based formulas, reach out to cwagner@modestomilling.com.

January 29, 2016 – Modesto, CA

Rabbits and chinchillas are popular among Modesto Milling’s customers. Whether they are raised for pets, meat, fur or for breeding, feed is critical to keeping these furry folks happy, healthy and productive.

One of the recent changes we made to the feed was adding a new alfalfa vendor from Idaho. Alfalfa is about 60% of the feed formulation, so it is an extremely important ingredient in the mix. Alfalfa will average 8% to 10% ash, but we have seen other vendors with ash content in the 18-20% range. Ash (or dirt) adds no nutrients and in high levels can affect the smell and taste of the alfalfa and the feed. Small animals like rabbits and chinchillas are particularly sensitive to smells, and if feed doesn’t smell right, they won’t eat as much. We also chose the new vendor because the alfalfa has a very consistent protein and fiber profile on the tests we performed.

We have increased the herb and oil package in the rabbit formula by 70% this year, too. This further improves the palatability and health benefits of the rabbit feed.

An increasing number of chinchilla breeders and owners are using the rabbit feed. They tell us they appreciate the growth rate, weight gain, easier breeding, decreased death loss and darker fur and shinier coats they see when using Modesto Milling versus other, often much larger, brands. All of these benefits are even more important to people who are producing show animals or breeding pairs.

Speaking of breeding and shows, Modesto Milling is sponsoring and participating in the Empress Chinchilla National Show in Ventura, February 27 & 28, 2016. Stop by and see us if you are in the area.

December 21, 2015 – Modesto, CA

People raise pigs for all sorts of reasons. Some like them as pets. Others like them as breakfast. Some like the self-sufficient lifestyle of raising and butchering their own meats. Whether you want to raise pigs that live well or taste good, Modesto Milling’s hog feed can help you reach your goals.

In days gone by, we heard lots of stories about how people fed their hogs. Many would feed them old fruits, vegetables or food scraps, like day old breads. Some would almost treat their swine like garbage disposals. As you would guess, however, feeding the pigs a predictable diet is better for achieving healthy weight gain and meeting objectives.

All of Modesto Milling’s feeds are formulated with quality ingredients for a balanced feeding regimen. The main ingredients for the hog formula include corn, peas and wheat millrun. Soy bean meal (8%), that we extrude ourselves, is also included as a high quality protein source. Our herb and oil package adds attractive taste, aroma and health benefits. And, just as important for many of our customers, the organic certifications mean we don’t use GMOs or antibiotics in our feeds.

We are passionate about producing organic feed, but the payoff is in our clients’ results. Many tell us about how they see significantly less illness and “intestinal distress” in pigs they feed Modesto Milling feed. Those that raise hogs for meat also say they experience more consistent marbling and noticeably better taste. They also say that the organic feed performs just as well as “conventional” feeds when it comes to criteria such as weight gain.

We don’t claim that eating Modesto Milling’s organic feed will make your pigs more sophisticated, but they will be healthier than their cousins who were raised on donuts and day old pastries.

November 25, 2015 – Modesto, CA

There are three things on most people’s minds this week: giving thanks, turkey and shopping. We want to address the first two in this month’s blog.

Modesto Milling is thankful for its customers and another year of providing organic feed for discerning breeders who want the best for their feathered and furry friends. So, we are thankful for YOU!

Turkey is definitely a popular topic this week, from parades and sporting events to recipes, these birds get a lot of attention this time of year. But, it takes time and some special dietary attention to properly prepare them for the spotlight.

For example, turkey chicks need more protein than smaller birds like chickens, especially in the first several weeks of life. Modesto Milling specially formulated Turkey Starter Crumbles #5051 (28% protein) to accommodate high protein requirements that reduce turkey chick mortality rates and get the turkeys off to a stronger start. (We have also heard quail breeders are getting fantastic results with this formula.) We have found that soy-based protein tends to work best in this 5-7 week span, because of the high quality and amount of amino acids required for this life stage.

After the initial growth over the first couple months of the turkeys’ lives, they can reduce their protein intake a bit and start taking advantage of Modesto Milling’s Chick Starter and Grower products (with or without soy) #6024, #6021 and #5618. These typically bring the protein levels down to 22%, which is fine because the initial protein requirements have been satisfied and the birds eat much more feed at this stage in their growth. This period is usually another 5-7 weeks.

The last phase is the finishing stage where Modesto Milling’s Finisher products (soy or soy-free) #6100 and #6022 are used. These are 17% protein and can be used until the turkeys reach their desired weight.

Growing big, beautiful turkeys doesn’t have to be complicated. If you have questions about which feed formulations will work best for your goals and your turkeys’ life stages, reach out to us. We welcome the opportunity to help!