What to feed cull cows

cacs

I have a few cull cows to go to the factory. I normally sell them at the mart but this year prices are so bad ia am going to factory them. I am feeding them around 8kg of a 16% protein nut and around 2 kg of indian meal per animal per day.
What would you recommend, should i up it, can i up it. I want them out of the shed as quick as possible

simx

cathal irwin wrote: »

I have a few cull cows to go to the factory. I normally sell them at the mart but this year prices are so bad ia am going to factory them. I am feeding them around 8kg of a 16% protein nut and around 2 kg of indian meal per animal per day.
What would you recommend, should i up it, can i up it. I want them out of the shed as quick as possible

Reckon your feeding them enough if not too much, 16% high P for culls, need energy not p

kevthegaff

In general how much would u need to feed cull cows? 1 ton? And how long would it take after dry off, all around 520 kgs some jex but fleshy.

Cavanjack

kevthegaff wrote: »

In general how much would u need to feed cull cows? 1 ton? And how long would it take after dry off, all around 520 kgs some jex but fleshy.

The best feed for cull's is a summer at grass and plenty of time

cacs

Cavanjack wrote: »

The best feed for cull's is a summer at grass and plenty of time

Hard to come this time of year. Haha but your right

Mooooo

kevthegaff wrote: »

In general how much would u need to feed cull cows? 1 ton? And how long would it take after dry off, all around 520 kgs some jex but fleshy.

What?? You have to cull a jex???

Who2

Cut your losses and move them on, they'll cut anything under 280kg dead and your skipping pretty fine if they are only 520 after a bit of feeding. Is it going to pay to finish them completly? I doubt it and 16% protein is way too high.

tismesoitis

Should have them on 5or 6 kgs of barley! Best job for culls but as previous poster said ud want to have her over 280. Have you a scales to monitor how she does over a month or so?

blue5000

I reckon a lot of culls going through the mart don't see much meal afterwards. If they're anywhere near 600kg LW and come into a 3 for fat cover bye bye. High energy 2/3 barley and 1/3 wheat mix, 3-4kg/day for 90 days and good silage. Sometimes you have to cut your losses.

kevthegaff

Mooooo wrote:

What?? You have to cull a jex???

2 are 10 yrs old so can't complain

cacs

kevthegaff wrote: »

2 are 10 yrs old so can't complain

Cheers guys. I figured the 16% was the wrong nut. I have tone of nuts there I may swell use them I might up the Indian meal and cut back the nut

orm0nd

feeding 6 kgs of maize/barley/soya hulls/distillers mix here

big br fr cows should kill 350 to 380 kgs before xmas, whether it will pay is another story

Mooooo

orm0nd wrote: »

feeding 6 kgs of maize/barley/soya hulls/distillers mix here

big br fr cows should kill 350 to 380 kgs before xmas, whether it will pay is another story

Dry or still milking?

tanko

What would an R grade limo cow around 400kgs deadweight be worth in the factory at the moment?

cacs

tanko wrote: »

What would an R grade limo cow around 400kgs deadweight be worth in the factory at the moment?

1220-1260 I would say

Cavanjack

What sort of money are cull cows straight out of the parlour making?

Who2

tanko wrote: »

What would an R grade limo cow around 400kgs deadweight be worth in the factory at the moment?

1165 a couple of weeks ago. that was 395 r= 3-.

tanko

Who2 wrote: »

1165 a couple of weeks ago. that was 395 r= 3-.

That's not great, was hoping they were a bit better than that.

cacs

tanko wrote: »

That's not great, was hoping they were a bit better than that.

Ring your local factories before you send them see how much they will give per kg's before you drop them off

tanko

Ah, I've only one to go. I'll check out the mart and factory and decide then.

cacs

tanko wrote: »

Ah, I've only one to go. I'll check out the mart and factory and decide then.

If you are up for a bit of hassle and you know your factory price you can make your mind up when she's in the scales at the mart

orm0nd

Mooooo wrote: »

Dry or still milking?

dry now, was oad for a while, applied for a bit in the voluntary reduction scheme

whelan2

Cavanjack wrote: »

What sort of money are cull cows straight out of the parlour making?

in mart? Depends on condition. Got just under a euro/kg a few weeks ago for a well fleshed cow. Sent 3 to factory on Thursday not expecting anything too exciting for them tbh

conseng

Thought I'd ask here instead of starting a new thread. What would ye recommend feeding with silage to a random bunch of cattle, mix of a few in calf cows and heifers, couple of empty cows and a few weanlings?. Something simple to boost baled silage, out wintering away from the yard. Would barley be adequate?

cacs

conseng wrote: »

Thought I'd ask here instead of starting a new thread. What would ye recommend feeding with silage to a random bunch of cattle, mix of a few in calf cows and heifers, couple of empty cows and a few weanlings?. Something simple to boost baled silage, out wintering away from the yard. Would barley be adequate?

It couldn't hurt all depends on the amount per head

blue5000

conseng wrote: »

Thought I'd ask here instead of starting a new thread. What would ye recommend feeding with silage to a random bunch of cattle, mix of a few in calf cows and heifers, couple of empty cows and a few weanlings?. Something simple to boost baled silage, out wintering away from the yard. Would barley be adequate?

Rolled oats would be best for the in-calf heifers, slow release energy if you could manage it. Weanlings will need a bit more protein than the rest though.

Can you divide them at all?

conseng

Not calving until April. Weanlings will be moved in a few weeks when I wean a few more, these will be fed together then.

carrollsno1

Well lads what's Indian meal out of interest ?

cacs

carrollsno1 wrote: »

Well lads what's Indian meal out of interest ?

It's crushed / ground maize it's powdery yellow in colour. Very high in energy. I can see the difference since started mixing it with nuts

carrollsno1

cathal irwin wrote: »

It's crushed / ground maize it's powdery yellow in colour. Very high in energy. I can see the difference since started mixing it with nuts

Would you not consider feeding beet jnstead

cacs

carrollsno1 wrote: »

Would you not consider feeding beet jnstead

I don't know anything about but high is carbohydrates so should be good

charolais0153

Its very good for fattening but is hard on the stomach which in turn suppresses intakes.wheat should befed with it to slow it down in the rumen and digest it further. Its also called maize meal.

Never wrestle with pigs

What level or KGs can you push wheat to feeding cows or young bulls?

freedominacup

charolais0153 wrote: »

Its very good for fattening but is hard on the stomach which in turn suppresses intakes.wheat should befed with it to slow it down in the rumen and digest it further. Its also called maize meal.

I was always told maize starch was the slow degrading one. Wheat fast and rumen degradable......

kevthegaff

Anyone finishing dairy cows? And what rate and how long will it take?

simx

kevthegaff wrote: »

Anyone finishing dairy cows? And what rate and how long will it take?

4kg barley maize meal and soya mix, going to mart December when drying off

RightTurnClyde

simx wrote: »

4kg barley maize meal and soya mix, going to mart December when drying off

If there's room to house them, which is a better trade for store cows, Dec or early Jan?

Water John

Beet is a great feed. One needs to be set up for it though and thus would not suit a lot of people, esp if you have small numbers.
As some one said, rolled oats is a good feed. Simple to feed. Add a bit of soya to it if feeding young cattle.

charolais0153

freedominacup wrote: »

I was always told maize starch was the slow degrading one. Wheat fast and rumen degradable......

Your probably right , I must have mixed them up

freedominacup

charolais0153 wrote: »

Your probably right , I must have mixed them up

Don't go on my say so.

Mooooo

kevthegaff wrote: »

Anyone finishing dairy cows? And what rate and how long will it take?

Gonna leave my ones with the milkers on winter diet and factory in dec/Jan even if they only give 10 litres it'll be 3 euro a day and go towards paying for the diet and straight to factory out of parlour then. worked ok in the past anyway

simx

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

If there's room to house them, which is a better trade for store cows, Dec or early Jan?

Not much in difference

blue5000

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

If there's room to house them, which is a better trade for store cows, Dec or early Jan?

End of December might be best, someone might need them for stock relief.

tanko

Are Maize meal and Soya bean meal the same product?

cute geoge

tanko wrote: »

Are Maize meal and Soya bean meal the same product?

Maize meal is for energy 40%mixed with barley is suitable for fatting cattle
Soya is for protein 25% mixed with barley suitable for growing cattle

cacs

cute geoge wrote: »

Maize meal is for energy 40%mixed with barley is suitable for fatting cattle
Soya is for protein 25% mixed with barley suitable for growing cattle

What ever you do don't sell fatten and kill. Sent a cow to the factory today got €1140 not a brilliant price but not bad if I sold her six weeks ago I would have only got around 800 for her. Total feed bill €120-150. Not huge profit but at least I didn't throw her away

CHOPS01

Lads want to feed a few bullocks here but don't want to go too expensive.
Could I add something like barley or maize to a 16% nut or is that a waste

tismesoitis

How much you planning on feeding? If only 5 or 6 kgs then ditch the nuts and feed them on straight barley. Very good value at the moment got 18 tonne blown in for 150/tonne earlier this week. Bought it from a local tillage farmer/ration producer. The meal lads have a fair markup on rations and nuts at the moment with straights being the price they are!

tismesoitis

Sorry chops when you say feed I presume u mean finish???

CHOPS01

tismesoitis wrote: »

How much you planning on feeding? If only 5 or 6 kgs then ditch the nuts and feed them on straight barley. Very good value at the moment got 18 tonne blown in for 150/tonne earlier this week. Bought it from a local tillage farmer/ration producer. The meal lads have a fair markup on rations and nuts at the moment with straights being the price they are!

Only feeding a handful of year and a halves here in the yard.Was thinking 3 or 4 kgs a day but maybe it's not worth it to be mixing half bag of nuts with half bag of barley.