weanlings efficient at converting meal

Tomjim

weanlings are excellent at converting meal, more efficient than older stock, I saw an article on the journal about this a while ago

Two Questions when the calf is taken off the cow at say 1st Nov at 10 months old,

1. Is the weanling still as efficient at converting meal as he/she was when they were on the cow.

2. When the same weanling becomes 15 months old, the following March and they are in the shed, are they still as efficient at converting meal as they were when they were on the cow

patsy_mccabe

I think it has to do with maintenance energy. The smaller the animal is, the less energy is required just to maintain the animal.

freedominacup

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I think it has to do with maintenance energy. The smaller the animal is, the less energy is required just to maintain the animal.

Maintenance for a weanling is a growth rate of .7kg per day. Anything below this is starving the animal. They are obviously still growing so minimal weight gain like this is actually maintenance.

patsy_mccabe

Ya, cattle need energy for 4 things, maintenance, growth, body condition and milk.
A 200kg weanling needs energy to maintain that 200kg but also to grow. A 400kg weanling would need twice the maintenance energy plus the energy to grow. Thats why lighter animals after considered more effecient. In the overall scheme of things, it doesn't mean a whole lot, as the cost of the calf has to be factored into a system too.

A 2 year old cow, producing milk would require the most energy. She is still growing and producing milk aswell.

Tomjim

what about a 450 kg hfr or blk, what should they be gaining per day for mainteance