[sh1tstirrer]

Originally Posted by Farmer Pudsey

there is two disvantages to hay one is that they will eat too much and not eat meal and the second is that they will get pot bellied because they will eat less meal.

However if I was buying watch out for the strong calf with a pot belly

Are you saying that you would buy a strong calf with a pot belly as they will thrive with better feeding?

[bbam]

Originally Posted by sh1tstirrer

Are you saying that you would buy a strong calf with a pot belly as they will thrive with better feeding?

My understanding is this depends on the age. It seems that if they are left too long with this pot belly poor meal intake it affects their potential frame growth and they will always be small.
I've been often told "the calf you buy is the animal you sell" and to be honest I believe it more and more. Chap near us buys every screw that goes into the ring to "turn them round" between those that die and those that turn out average he's just burying money from his other profit making business.

Locally there are only two dairy men I'd buy calves off as they leave the calves on the cow for a few days. It's the making of a calf.

[PatQfarmer]

We bed with barley straw and have hay available to them at first, moving onto haylage/top quality silage. They eat at least as much straw as they do hay and we feed up to 2kg/head depending on age.
The most important thing is to get them out into sheltered paddock at first opportunity. All March calves were out in April and stayed out, with access to shed during worst of weather. They rarely came in!