AA Calves & Weanlings

dave81

Hi all.

I'm a novice to calf rearing and Angus stock. I grew up on a farm and recently purchased a few acres. Its nice to get the hands dirty again, I was getting too soft!

I bought 10 Angus heifers last year( born 03/14), they were bucket fed. They are getting about .75 kg of meal a day, together with good hay. They are now about 250 kilos. They re nice square stock, good quality enough. They will be hitting the grass in a few weeks.

My plan is to sell in November/December next. What sort of weight will they gain between now and December. Would I get them to 350kg? They will have loads of grass as they have a 10 acre field, (which I will strip graze), all to themselves. I'm trying to get them to the 900/1000 Euro mark when I sell. 1000 might be optimistic.

Would there be any merit to continuing to feed meal, even at a reduced rate? Or would this be a complete waste of money?

I also bought a few very good quality Angus calves rights week. Bloody dear, for calves this year! They would be 2/3 weeks old. Roughly how much per head will it cost me to get them to the stage where they are off the substitute. I'm feeding maverick and calf crunch. Would 100 per head get them there?

I'd be very grateful to hear from anybody who had experience of rearing Angus or who has any helpful advice. Thanks a million.

Dave

Reggie.

dave81 wrote: »

Hi all.

I'm a novice to calf rearing and Angus stock. I grew up on a farm and recently purchased a few acres. Its nice to get the hands dirty again, I was getting too soft!

I bought 10 Angus heifers last year( born 03/14), they were bucket fed. They are getting about .75 kg of meal a day, together with good hay. They are now about 250 kilos. They re nice square stock, good quality enough. They will be hitting the grass in a few weeks.

My plan is to sell in November/December next. What sort of weight will they gain between now and December. Would I get them to 350kg? They will have loads of grass as they have a 10 acre field, (which I will strip graze), all to themselves. I'm trying to get them to the 900/1000 Euro mark when I sell. 1000 might be optimistic.

Would there be any merit to continuing to feed meal, even at a reduced rate? Or would this be a complete waste of money?

I also bought a few very good quality Angus calves rights week. Bloody dear, for calves this year! They would be 2/3 weeks old. Roughly how much per head will it cost me to get them to the stage where they are off the substitute. I'm feeding maverick and calf crunch. Would 100 per head get them there?

I'd be very grateful to hear from anybody who had experience of rearing Angus or who has any helpful advice. Thanks a million.

Dave

you should hit around the 400kg or 450kg. I feed mine a kg of ration a head a day the whole time as it helps to push them on. I feed the crunch for a few weeks but put them onto bull finisher ration from about 3 or 4 months old right through to selling. I sell at 16 months and then again at 22 months. I hold onto the less finished ones over the winter.

dave81

Reggie. wrote: »

you should hit around the 400kg or 450kg. I feed mine a kg of ration a head a day the whole time as it helps to push them on. I feed the crunch for a few weeks but put them onto bull finisher ration from about 3 or 4 months old right through to selling. I sell at 16 months and then again at 22 months. I hold onto the less finished ones over the winter.

Thanks a million Reggie. I'll push them on with the meal. I have them on Gain Megabeef since they came off the milk. I'll go for broke and push them on with bull ration, when they get to the grass. It will be interesting to see how well they will do over the summer. Probably in the grand scheme of things, it might be more economic and save wintering twice.

Reggie.

dave81 wrote: »

Thanks a million Reggie. I'll push them on with the meal. I have them on Gain Megabeef since they came off the milk. I'll go for broke and push them on with bull ration, when they get to the grass. It will be interesting to see how well they will do over the summer. Probably in the grand scheme of things, it might be more economic and save wintering twice.

It just works for me. I'm the mindset of little and often rather than a pile at the end

dave81

Reggie. wrote: »

It just works for me. I'm the mindset of little and often rather than a pile at the end

Thanks Reggie.

I'll touch base when I sell and let you know how they go. Hopefully, all stay healthy and well and prices continue to head the right direction.

Reggie.

Well these were mine this year

Reggie.

dave81 wrote: »

Thanks Reggie.

I'll touch base when I sell and let you know how they go. Hopefully, all stay healthy and well and prices continue to head the right direction.

Worm dose every 6 to 8 weeks with a copper injection aswell and blackleg injection every 6 months and they should be grand

4512

Reggie. wrote: »

Worm dose every 6 to 8 weeks with a copper injection aswell and blackleg injection every 6 months and they should be grand

Could you cross angus with any of the more muscly continental breeds? And if so what would they finish like?

Reggie.

4512 wrote: »

Could you cross angus with any of the more muscly continental breeds? And if so what would they finish like?

I couldn't tell ya