To feed or not to feed? (March 2012 calves)

locky76

I bought 9 March/April 2012 calves last week and I've them in an 8 acre field at present, I aim on wintering them outside on meal & small square bales of hay.
I have two options as regards feeding them:

1: Put them on meal now at 1 kg per day building it to 1.5kgs per day from November to February and back down to 1 kg for March, 270kgs per head, €81 per head at €300 per tonne.
2: Keep them on fresh grass, put them on 2kgs per day from November to February, 240kgs per head, €72 per head at €300 per tonne

Option 1 will keep them ticking away nicely and negate the poor grass either end of the winter.
Option 2 will give them a boost during the winter season, will keep meal feeding to near the 100 day mark(I'm led to believe meal feeding loses it's impact after 100 days) and allow compensatory growth with the fresh grass next spring.
I'm interested in hearing your opinions, i plan on bulling the best 3 to 4 calves and finishing the other 5 next October, they're around 180kgs to 200kgs at present.

hunter15

what are the options
i would feed a little nuts right away

Good loser

locky76 wrote: »

I bought 9 March/April 2012 calves last week and I've them in an 8 acre field at present, I aim on wintering them outside on meal & small square bales of hay.
I have two options as regards feeding them:

I'd skip the meal for 6 weeks - or longer. That's a big field for them.

PatQfarmer

I have March/April bucket-reared calves as well. Stopped feeding them end of July and have good grass in front of them, moving regularly ahead of larger stock. Have been thinking I need to put them back on meal, but holding off as long as possible. The smaller ones could do with it. As soon as the "Summer spell" ends, they'll be on 1kg and housed when it gets any way bad. They need the warmth of feed.