how much ration are ye giving the calves?

f140

just wondering how many kgs of ration are ye giving calves that are ~7 months and is it beef nuts ye are using at this stage.

limo_100

im giving just over a kilo twice a day. Im using keirnans pedigree 3 with impressive results i must say

pms7

Just grass for now, plenty of it. They go ahead of the cows, so can pick the best.

Bizzum

None.

Sam Kade

limo_100 wrote: »

im giving just over a kilo twice a day. Im using keirnans pedigree 3 with impressive results i must say

Is that a kilo in 2 feeds or 2 feeds of a kilo each feed?

limo_100

Sam Kade wrote: »

Is that a kilo in 2 feeds or 2 feeds of a kilo each feed?

two feeds of a kilo each im getting them ready for weaning there also on good parture

mahoney_j

Dairy calves here and getting 1.5 kg of sucklermate from Arrabawn/doc .it an 18% nut and as good a creep nut as you'll get.protein is king for young stock ,don't skimp on it

Sam Kade

mahoney_j wrote: »

Dairy calves here and getting 1.5 kg of sucklermate from Arrabawn/doc .it an 18% nut and as good a creep nut as you'll get.protein is king for young stock ,don't skimp on it

But if they have plenty grass like a leader follower system they would be getting enough protein from the grass.

Kileir

Tis easy to give it to them but what's it costing per kg per head? Any prices? How long will they be getting it for?

Sam Kade

Kileir wrote: »

Tis easy to give it to them but what's it costing per kg per head? Any prices? How long will they be getting it for?

1.5kg €4-€5/calf/week, if you have 30 calves it's €120-€150/week it wouldn't be long be adding up.

Dampintheattic

Just started creep feeding yesterday, in preperation for weaning.
Made really serious effort this year to maximise the quality and quantity of grass for the sucklers.
Pretty much on good quality green leafy grass all year. If it was getting strong in front if them as in previous years, I just baled it.
Think I have the best bunch of calves this year in a long time, with no meal expense whatsoever. Weight for age.
Can't beat good grass. Good for the calf itself, and keeps plenty milk in the cow. Double whammy for the calf.

pakalasa

I usually start the 1st of September. I meant to start earlier this year but didnt get around to it. I prefer to feed a little over a longer time than heavy feeding for a few weeks. I reckon the extra protein over a longer time will go more to growing the calf, rather than putting condition on it's back, which would happen with heavier feeding in the short time.

Muckit

when are you going selling them pak?

Dampintheattic

pakalasa wrote: »

I usually start the 1st of September. I meant to start earlier this year but didnt get around to it. I prefer to feed a little over a longer time than heavy feeding for a few weeks. I reckon the extra protein over a longer time will go more to growing the calf, rather than putting condition on it's back, which would happen with heavier feeding in the short time.

Agree with the little over a long time. Not easy impliment though, through a normal creep feeder.
One or two savages will gobble way more than their fair share. Some might get little or nothing.
Need to be getting them in and out of a yard to get the goodies shared out equally.

pakalasa

Muckit wrote: »

when are you going selling them pak?

Normally early or mid november.

Dampintheattic wrote: »

Agree with the little over a long time. Not easy impliment though, through a normal creep feeder.
One or two savages will gobble way more than their fair share. Some might get little or nothing.
Need to be getting them in and out of a yard to get the goodies shared out equally.

I feed them in a trough, access through creep gate.

Dampintheattic

Well I bought a few bags of Grennans, weanling crunch yesterday, to get started with creep feeding tha calves.
€8.75 per bag That's equivalent of €350 per ton:eek:

Any recommendations, for a better value feed for these animals?

Any recommendations, for a better mix?

Mostly Feb born calves and weighing average 290kg
Keeping them over winter, selling in February.

leg wax

Dampintheattic wrote: »

Well I bought a few bags of Grennans, weanling crunch yesterday, to get started with creep feeding tha calves.
€8.75 per bag That's equivalent of €350 per ton:eek:

Any recommendations, for a better value feed for these animals?

Any recommendations, for a better mix?

Mostly Feb born calves and weighing average 290kg
Keeping them over winter, selling in February.

why are you weaning them so early or feeding them so early if you are keeping them till feb, thats 6 months away along time in my books to be giving them a lick of meal,whats the full plan for the cows also,just interested at what your system.glanbia stuff is 11.30 a bag.

arais

2 groups of bucket fed fr and hex

strongest calves getting 1.5 kg of 14% beef ration

smaller calves getting 2kg of same with some soya meal added.. all are on good after grass

ration costing €270 per ton collected in bulk

Dampintheattic

leg wax wrote: »

why are you weaning them so early or feeding them so early if you are keeping them till feb, thats 6 months away along time in my books to be giving them a lick of meal,whats the full plan for the cows also,just interested at what your system.glanbia stuff is 11.30 a bag.

Now you are making me think?:o
Maybe I'm wasting a good resource in weaning so early.
I guess I'm doing it because I always did it that way
Suppose, I always thought, wean calf early, put condition on cow, feed her on restricted diet and cheaply, until calving.
I figured, best return from meal feeding would be be feeding the calf!
A little over a long time.

By the way, mostly charolais X cows. Charolais calves, from stock bull.

Thanks

manjou

No meal to be fed as that is what the cow is there for. Will wean early if weather turns nasty done last couple years in mid sept but hpoefully later this year. Calves went back to good grass still with no meal until they went into shed. Cows went back out to clean out paddocks and put on some condition so that when they calve they can milk of backs till they get to grass and save on meal.