Feeding heifers

john mayo 10

Hi. I have 2 nice breeding weanling heifers born in janurary. One is a lmx out of a sim cow and the other is a lim out of a ch cow. Both approx 360kgs. Dont usually keep them just sell on and buy in replacements but with the price of springers lately im beginning tovthink otherwise. So what to do. Leave them out or put in. What's the best meal to give them as i plan to bull them in april and have them calving at 24 months.

Muckit

That's an unbelievable thrive for 9mth heifer calves. Even if your eye had them a hundredweight over, they'd still be great calves at a shake over 300kg. You'd be a fool to sell these if they breed anything like themselves!

Put them in with similar stock. Mealing will depend on the quality of your silage. When was it cut? Anything cut around start of June will be 70dmd and will lose 5dmd thereafter. Realistically you'll probably be feeding 2kg+ of a 14-16% protein ration from now til end of January. Plan to get them out asap in the spring on grass only.

White Clover

Good advice there from Muckit. If I could add that you should try and ensure that their complete diet averages out around 16 or 17% protein. You could do this by sprinkling a bit of soya bean meal on the ration, this is all dependent on silage quality.
You should have good big framey heifers then for bulling next spring.

charolais0153

Make sure you keep an eye on them during winter. Can be impossible to spot them bulling on slats. If they arent cycling at least youd have am idea and can synchronise them

john mayo 10

One of them has been cycling every 3weeks since july. Other one i havent seen yet.