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Barley or wheat to suckler cows

  • 14-02-2016 8:47pm
    #1
    Never wrestle with pigs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭


    Hi all. Most of my sucklers are calved now the last few weeks. I was/am feeding them 1kg oats for the last few months pre calving. They have plenty of mins and have adlib silage that is not as good as other years.

    I want to give the cows a kick start before breeding starts as I have allot of first calvers this year that calved at 22/24 months no problems but could do with a bit more feeding to help them.

    So would a kg or two of wheat or barly be better? Thank you.


Comments

  • #2
    White Clover
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,824 ✭✭✭White Clover


    Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »
    Hi all. Most of my sucklers are calved now the last few weeks. I was/am feeding them 1kg oats for the last few months pre calving. They have plenty of mins and have adlib silage that is not as good as other years.

    I want to give the cows a kick start before breeding starts as I have allot of first calvers this year that calved at 22/24 months no problems but could do with a bit more feeding to help them.

    So would a kg or two of wheat or barly be better? Thank you.

    Imo it wouldn't matter which one you go with once it's well rolled.
    Welcome back too btw.


  • #3
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,808 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Can you get them out to grass? I would prefer barley over wheat.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • #4
    Never wrestle with pigs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭Never wrestle with pigs


    I can get a few out but not all of them, I was thinking of letting out a few of the smaller ones but I would be afraid of tetany. Most of our farm is far to wet yet, sum of it under water. But I could let out a few to dryer ground.


  • #5
    bogman_bass
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,100 ✭✭✭bogman_bass


    whe are you planning on breading them?


  • #6
    Jb1989
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,667 ✭✭✭Jb1989


    White Clover wrote: »
    Imo it wouldn't matter which one you go with once it's well rolled.
    Welcome back too btw.

    True point,
    Barley usually the way to go,
    Our merchant is buying wheat and barley off two separate tillage men,
    And the wheat is rolled for better that the barley,
    So feeding more barley this year,
    Salesman couldn't give explanation on bad barley rolling,

    So whichever is rolled better, preferably barley.


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  • #7
    Dawggone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,506 ✭✭✭Dawggone


    Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »
    Hi all. Most of my sucklers are calved now the last few weeks. I was/am feeding them 1kg oats for the last few months pre calving. They have plenty of mins and have adlib silage that is not as good as other years.

    I want to give the cows a kick start before breeding starts as I have allot of first calvers this year that calved at 22/24 months no problems but could do with a bit more feeding to help them.

    So would a kg or two of wheat or barly be better? Thank you.

    Wheat would be better for milk production.
    Barley would improve body condition.


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