meal for incalf heifer

farmerpaddy

bought an incalf heifer there on the 1st July, shes not in great nick, lad i bought her off only ever gave her grass, poor grass at that , just wondering what I should feed her?

I want to feed her meal as I have time and effort to put into her.

I don't want her to get too mucscly as she might be hard calve.

What GAIN feeds should use?

Prime Graze Nuts?

http://www.gainfeeds.com/ruminant/prime-graze-nuts

Should I be looking at beef feed or dairy feed? Dairy sticks out as I'm not fattening heer, but maybe stock mix?

SOUND :cool:

reilig

Its not muscle you want to worry about for harder calving. Its fattening the calf inside her. You don't want it. When is she due to calve?

I wouldn't be inclined to feed her too much ration for the 2 to 3 months before she calves - there is a danger that she won't put any meat on her back and put it all into the calf. Its a traditional view, I know, but I stick to it and have less than average difficult calvings.

If you are feeding her anything, I'd stick to rolled oats. Again, its traditional, but it is said that it hardens/toughens the calf inside her.

With an incalf heifer, less is more. Might be wise to wait to feed her till after she calves.

Just my 2c

farmerpaddy wrote: »

bought an incalf heifer there on the 1st July, shes not in great nick, lad i bought her off only ever gave her grass, poor grass at that , just wondering what I should feed her?

I want to feed her meal as I have time and effort to put into her.

I don't want her to get too mucscly as she might be hard calve.

What GAIN feeds should use?

Prime Graze Nuts?

http://www.gainfeeds.com/ruminant/prime-graze-nuts

Should I be looking at beef feed or dairy feed? Dairy sticks out as I'm not fattening heer, but maybe stock mix?

SOUND :cool:

farmerpaddy

reilig wrote: »

Its not muscle you want to worry about for harder calving. Its fattening the calf inside her. You don't want it. When is she due to calve?

I wouldn't be inclined to feed her too much ration for the 2 to 3 months before she calves - there is a danger that she won't put any meat on her back and put it all into the calf. Its a traditional view, I know, but I stick to it and have less than average difficult calvings.

If you are feeding her anything, I'd stick to rolled oats. Again, its traditional, but it is said that it hardens/toughens the calf inside her.

With an incalf heifer, less is more. Might be wise to wait to feed her till after she calves.

Just my 2c

Thanks for the reply Relig.

Shes not due to calf to around February next year.

So if you were to feed her anything now , what would you feed her? As I said shes not in the best of shape.

From 2 months before she calves she will be getting straw and rolled barley as thats what we always give our incalf heifers and cows.

reilig

farmerpaddy wrote: »

Thanks for the reply Relig.

Shes not due to calf to around February next year.

So if you were to feed her anything now , what would you feed her? As I said shes not in the best of shape.

From 2 months before she calves she will be getting straw and rolled barley as thats what we always give our incalf heifers and cows.

I wouldn't feed her meal before she calves - ubless grass is scarce. If it is, I'd feed her 2 or 3 kg of a beef ration per day.

Dairy feed is for to increase milk production. Beef feed for condition.

farmerpaddy

reilig wrote: »

I wouldn't feed her meal before she calves - ubless grass is scarce. If it is, I'd feed her 2 or 3 kg of a beef ration per day.

Dairy feed is for to increase milk production. Beef feed for condition.

Thanks for the information, and my land has a lack of grass last few weeks so may feed her meal for a bit, maybe a month or two to get her condition up a bit? :rolleyes:

What beef ration would you reccommend from GAIN? (above link) as they are my local supplier.