feeding calves

marknjb

well lads, I have twelve suck calves, I weaned them all last week, they are about 10 to 15 weeks old. they are on about 1 and a half kg of meal right now and I was wondering how long will I have to feed them meal for. they are also on good grass.

patjack

Hi Mark, similar situation here, mine are weaned approx 1 month. Have kept them on the 1.5kg per day and the plan is to maintain this through to housing and will reassess then as to what supplementation is required in terms of mineral and ration at that stage with silage. May up it to 2kg in the Autumn.

Thats just my scenario, not based off anything scientific, there are lads with a more scientific approach on here that will provide a better answer. Like you though would like to know the difference in weight gain between a calf not supplemented at grass and a calf supplemented, at housing.

As in is the provision of meal justified in terms of weight gain. Some of the dairy lads rearing heifer replacements would be in a better place to advise as these lads can really get heifers moving in terms of weight gain.

CloughCasey1

patjack wrote: »

Hi Mark, similar situation here, mine are weaned approx 1 month. Have kept them on the 1.5kg per day and the plan is to maintain this through to housing and will reassess then as to what supplementation is required in terms of mineral and ration at that stage with silage. May up it to 2kg in the Autumn.

Thats just my scenario, not based off anything scientific, there are lads with a more scientific approach on here that will provide a better answer. Like you though would like to know the difference in weight gain between a calf not supplemented at grass and a calf supplemented, at housing.

As in is the provision of meal justified in terms of weight gain. Some of the dairy lads rearing heifer replacements would be in a better place to advise as these lads can really get heifers moving in terms of weight gain.

I keep all sucks on meal 1.5kg mixture of soya hulls, barley and soya bean meal until housing. Simply because they have not the start a suckler calf has on the cow. Sucks IMO need to be pushed on for first year, once they catch up treat them same as other stock. Personally I give all stock a grain of meal every day. Easy to move them from paddock to paddock and I look at them every morning anyway. Don't need any help moving cattle here they just follow the bucket.

marknjb

what kind of a meal would ye recommend to feed the calves

patjack

I feed a 16% creep pellet that contains a milk protein. I think it is more specifically designed for suckler calves but local co-op says there is a good go on it for bucket reared calves. Will continue with it for time being and maybe switch to a cheaper beef nut later in the year.

Milked out

marknjb wrote: »

what kind of a meal would ye recommend to feed the calves

FeedING a 19% nut here, 1.5 kgs. calves the age of yours will require meal for rest of summer anyway to keep em going. Reason for high protein is they are still growing, perhaps towards end of grazing year you could drop the % protein as they start to eat more grass just be sure to keep it high energy.

Deepsouthwest

Milked out wrote: »

FeedING a 19% nut here, 1.5 kgs. calves the age of yours will require meal for rest of summer anyway to keep em going. Reason for high protein is they are still growing, perhaps towards end of grazing year you could drop the % protein as they start to eat more grass just be sure to keep it high energy.

If they're in good after grass and eating plenty I'd be inclined to drop the meal for now. Good grass at the mo would be in the low to mid 20's % protein, no meal can match that. I'd go back in with meal in sept or as soon as the weather turns

Milked out

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

If they're in good after grass and eating plenty I'd be inclined to drop the meal for now. Good grass at the mo would be in the low to mid 20's % protein, no meal can match that. I'd go back in with meal in sept or as soon as the weather turns

At 10 to 15 weeks id feel they'd be a bit young to go without yet. Still giving autumn calves here 1kg they could prob do without but they may end up sharing with late born spring heifers from last year for the winter so I said I'll try and drive em on a bit plus they'll be getting the lower quality paddocks on calf ground with better stuff going to spring calves

Greengrass1

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

If they're in good after grass and eating plenty I'd be inclined to drop the meal for now. Good grass at the mo would be in the low to mid 20's % protein, no meal can match that. I'd go back in with meal in sept or as soon as the weather turns

Was at a walk today with eimear kennedy (teagasc )
She was saying same.
Take away any calves under 120 kg now and feed meal.
If rest are on good grass they will still hit 1kg a day.
having over condition heifers at calving is just as bad as under condition heifers they will lose alot more weight at calving and take longer to come bulling and get back incalf

Deepsouthwest

Milked out wrote: »

At 10 to 15 weeks id feel they'd be a bit young to go without yet. Still giving autumn calves here 1kg they could prob do without but they may end up sharing with late born spring heifers from last year for the winter so I said I'll try and drive em on a bit plus they'll be getting the lower quality paddocks on calf ground with better stuff going to spring calves

At that age ur prob right, they're only April calves, getting the right grass into them is prob the most important thing. At that age they can't be expected to clean out any field

marknjb

I am feeding the calves a 17% calf ration, should I go for something with more protein?

Milked out

marknjb wrote: »

I am feeding the calves a 17% calf ration, should I go for something with more protein?

I'd say leave them on that and see how they go, keep nice grass I'm front of them. Where they outside on the milk? Make sure and do them for worms as well

marknjb

excuse my ignorance but what would it matter if they were outside on milk? they were outside on milk. thanks for all the replies and info

Milked out

marknjb wrote: »

excuse my ignorance but what would it matter if they were outside on milk? they were outside on milk. thanks for all the replies and info

It's just when they are outside grazing is when they pick up worms and that so just monitor them for coughing and that. Normally they say to dose calves 5 weeks after turnout but that is for weaned calves going from the shed. If they are in ground where there has been young stock consistently for a ner of years the worm burden could be high whereas if there hasn't been the worn burden would be lower.

frazzledhome

marknjb wrote: »

well lads, I have twelve suck calves, I weaned them all last week, they are about 10 to 15 weeks old. they are on about 1 and a half kg of meal right now and I was wondering how long will I have to feed them meal for. they are also on good grass.

April calves, I'd not stop meal at all

mahoney_j

2 bunches calves here ,one bunch moved weekly practically all aftergrass no meal.second batch 1.5 kg 18% nut moved weekly aftergrass as well .all calves on 2 kg meal from sept 1.fr heifers pulled out then and keep greeting 2 kg of 18% nut .rest on 16%.p cruical for frame growth .dont like small pudgy fat calves

frazzledhome

mahoney_j wrote: »

2 bunches calves here ,one bunch moved weekly practically all aftergrass no meal.second batch 1.5 kg 18% nut moved weekly aftergrass as well .all calves on 2 kg meal from sept 1.fr heifers pulled out then and keep greeting 2 kg of 18% nut .rest on 16%.p cruical for frame growth .dont like small pudgy fat calves

Same here except 3 grps. Would move a bit more frequent. It's the heifers following that decide the move day. Big early calves on no meal till back end.

How often are you dosing? We've 2 doses to big ones now with 2nd for smaller ones coming up 1st will be on third iykwim

mahoney_j

frazzledhome wrote: »

Same here except 3 grps. Would move a bit more frequent. It's the heifers following that decide the move day. Big early calves on no meal till back end.

How often are you dosing? We've 2 doses to big ones now with 2nd for smaller ones coming up 1st will be on third iykwim

I alternate dose ,first dose was ablencare (cheap white drench )in late May then 3 weeks later zearl (doramectin)pour on which gives 6 weeks cover .all calves also have got blackleg *2 and mineral bolus.all calves flying .ill take a pool of dungs in early October to access fluke situation also

patjack

mahoney_j wrote: »

2 bunches calves here ,one bunch moved weekly practically all aftergrass no meal.second batch 1.5 kg 18% nut moved weekly aftergrass as well .all calves on 2 kg meal from sept 1.fr heifers pulled out then and keep greeting 2 kg of 18% nut .rest on 16%.p cruical for frame growth .dont like small pudgy fat calves

Which 18% nut do you use out of interest?

mahoney_j

patjack wrote: »

Which 18% nut do you use out of interest?

Suckler mate ,as good a calf pellet ingrident wise as you'll get

patjack

mahoney_j wrote: »

Suckler mate ,as good a calf pellet ingrident wise as you'll get

Friend recommended same, he said any lads who start using it, stay using it. Might give it a shot.

Good loser

Usually I take calves off ration at 12/13 weeks and put on reasonable/good grass.

Would expect rolled barley alone would be good enough for 'calves' on reasonable grass.

mahoney_j

Good loser wrote: »

Usually I take calves off ration at 12/13 weeks and put on reasonable/good grass.

Would expect rolled barley alone would be good enough for 'calves' on reasonable grass.

Barley no good for young calves only 9/11% p at best .young calves need p to grow a frame barley will do little for them only make them fat too young which ain't what u want .also calves with no meal at 12/13 weeks and no meal need fresh aftergrass every 3/5 days and even at that a good high p meal is essential for a calf that young

Greengrass1

mahoney_j wrote: »

Barley no good for young calves only 9/11% p at best .young calves need p to grow a frame barley will do little for them only make them fat too young which ain't what u want .also calves with no meal at 12/13 weeks and no meal need fresh aftergrass every 3/5 days and even at that a good high p meal is essential for a calf that young

Due to weigh ours next week. 2 groups atm. Younger and older. Need to be split up better. All being block grazes on after grass moved every 4 days not making them clean out. All growing very well but alot if bigger ones have no need for meal now where as smaller ones do

Farrell

patjack wrote: »

Which 18% nut do you use out of interest?

Would you be as well to give Dairy Nut if giving 18%?