Feeding ration to weanlings during Winter

patjack

I just had a read of the following re: feeding weanlings ration over winter:

http://www.teagasc.ie/research/reports/beef/4584/eopr-4584.pdf

From reading it I am coming to the conclusion that as these cattle will be kept on the farm until slaughter, it is not justifiable to feed them any ration and that at the end of next years grazing season they would on average be only 14Kg behind where they would be had they being supplemented at 2kg per day.

Anyone have any other considerations to take into account or varying opinions?

I know silage quality is a factor and is something I will have tested but is there any reason to validate the feeding of ration over the winter to weanlings?

_Brian

patjack wrote: »

I just had a read of the following re: feeding weanlings ration over winter:

http://www.teagasc.ie/research/reports/beef/4584/eopr-4584.pdf

From reading it I am coming to the conclusion that as these cattle will be kept on the farm until slaughter, it is not justifiable to feed them any ration and that at the end of next years grazing season they would on average be only 14Kg behind where they would be had they being supplemented at 2kg per day.

Anyone have any other considerations to take into account or varying opinions?

I know silage quality is a factor and is something I will have tested but is there any reason to validate the feeding of ration over the winter to weanlings?

Silage quality is the key.. Feeding sub standard silage will have weanlings just sustaining themselves while housed.. If thats 2 months you might suffer it, but if its 5 months as it is in some areas then its much more important..

If by the weather or whatever your silage isnt up to scratch then feeding ration may be the only growth strategy you have..

patjack

It's amazing how contradictory a lot of Teagasc research is, I am sure I have read before Teagasc documentation about the economic losses associated with not supplementing weanlings with ration during winter.

I suppose all we can do is draw on the various research and decide what best suits our own systems.

I am sure feed companies peddle out some "research" which justifies supplementation.

ganmo

patjack wrote: »

It's amazing how contradictory a lot of Teagasc research is, I am sure I have read before Teagasc documentation about the economic losses associated with not supplementing weanlings with ration during winter.

I suppose all we can do is draw on the various research and decide what best suits our own systems.

I am sure feed companies peddle out some "research" which justifies supplementation.

it all boils down to price of ration and quality of silage

basically **** silage needs ration to keep animals ticking over
quality silage needs nothing

patjack

Would you go so far to say that any silage under 70 DMD would require supplementation?

yosemitesam1

patjack wrote: »

Would you go so far to say that any silage under 70 DMD would require supplementation?

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/beefmodel/index.html
Have a play around on that and it should give you an idea of how much meal you need, if your silage is less than 70%dmd

mahoney_j

patjack wrote: »

Would you go so far to say that any silage under 70 DMD would require supplementation?

Try 75 Dmd .70 would be average quality

patjack

Will be going down the supplementation route I'd say so, doubt my silage is .75 DMD will get it tested though.

Anyone on here still supplement with high quality silage?

larrymiller

patjack wrote: »

Will be going down the supplementation route I'd say so, doubt my silage is .75 DMD will get it tested though.

Anyone on here still supplement with high quality silage?

I feed a bit of my own rolled barley and a small bit of need ration over the winter it definetly stands to them and doesn't cost me a lot per weanling. Also my weanlings are out of dairy stock so helps them that way to

mahoney_j

patjack wrote: »

Will be going down the sThe upplementation route I'd say so, doubt my silage is .75 DMD will get it tested though.

Anyone on here still supplement with high quality silage?

Yep my Friedan heifer weanlings will be started on a heifer rearer nut in September 1.5 kg)they will be housed in late November on 75/78 Dmd wraps and still get it till jan 10 then no more meal till they hit parlour .alwsys do young stock well,maby a bit too well but they hit the ground running once they calve which is what I want

Farrell

mahoney_j wrote: »

Yep my Friedan heifer weanlings will be started on a heifer rearer nut in September 1.5 kg)they will be housed in late November on 75/78 Dmd wraps and still get it till jan 10 then no more meal till they hit parlour .alwsys do young stock well,maby a bit too well but they hit the ground running once they calve which is what I want

Where do you get the heifer rearer nut?
Is it high (20%) protein?

mahoney_j

Farrell wrote: »

Where do you get the heifer rearer nut?
Is it high (20%) protein?

Arrabawn yes 20%

Feckthis

What do you mean by wraps? Silage bales?

mahoney_j

Feckthis wrote: »

What do you mean by wraps? Silage bales?

Correct and right

mahoney_j

patjack wrote: »

Will be going down the sThe upplementation route I'd say so, doubt my silage is .75 DMD will get it tested though.

Anyone on here still supplement with high quality silage?

Yep my Friedan heifer weanlings will be started on a heifer rearer nut in September 1.5 kg)they will be housed in late November on 75/78 Dmd wraps and still get it till jan 10 then no more meal till they hit parlour .alwsys do young stock well,maby a bit too well but they hit the ground running once they calve which is what I want

Greengrass1

mahoney_j wrote: »

Try 75 Dmd .70 would be average quality

Agree grass in the field is 83 to 85 dmd that will achieve good growth rates for animams that are on target

Farrell

mahoney_j wrote: »

Arrabawn yes 20%

Might enquire if Lakeland have similar

selectamatic

The breed and make up of the weanlings should impact on what system you employ aswell. It's easier feed the slightly more compact native beef breeds i.e angus and hereford etc.. than feed tall leggy dairy crosses which by nature are narrower and take longer to fill out.