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feeding oats to in-calf heifers

  • 28-01-2010 08:33PM
    #1
    lifelover2006
    Closed Accounts Posts: 56 ✭✭


    looking for a bit of advice. Two of my heifers got in calf when a neighbours bull broke out and are now in calf. didn't realise it till too late. They will be about 20 months when calving (due at end of march).

    They are on fairly good silage all winter but now looking to see what I should be feeding them in the hope of getting them to calve ok.

    a neighbour told me to give them oats as it allows the heifers to still grow but without fattening the calf inside. He also said to feed hay which I had intended to anyway.

    anyone any experience of this.


Comments

  • #2
    leg wax
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,296 ✭✭✭leg wax


    oats and hay all the way your neighbour is 100%


  • #3
    lifelover2006
    Closed Accounts Posts: 56 ✭✭lifelover2006


    do many of suckler farmers feed oats to cows. Or Diary farmers either. would it be cost effective to feed to all cows. I have about 20 sucklers.

    how much oats should heifers need.


  • #4
    mossfort
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 609 ✭✭✭mossfort


    lifelover2006 wrote: »
    do many of suckler farmers feed oats to cows. Or Diary farmers either. would it be cost effective to feed to all cows. I have about 20 sucklers.

    how much oats should heifers need.

    im feeding about 2kg per head per day to suckler cows but you can increase on that if needed. your best bet would be to buy a few half tonne bags direct frow the grower because the 40kg bags at the merchants tend to be a bit expensive.


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