Freshly calved sucklers and feed

cacs

I have freshly calved suckers and silage quality is poor. Came off boggy ground and there is a fair bit of rushes in it. The smell is poor and its quite wet. When we bailed it it looked fine, it got no rain. I am not happy with it all. I have freshly calved heifers and they have a nice drop of milk. If i give them any bit of nuts it scours the calfs. Could i feed them barley or oats to try and keep some condition on them. Any recommendations appreciated.

Water John

I think you are right. The rolled oats would be my best bet. Though, I expect their are no good silage bales, at a reasonable price available to you.

cacs

Water John wrote: »

I think you are right. The rolled oats would be my best bet. Though, I expect their are no good silage bales, at a reasonable price available to you.

Cheers thats my thinking too

Mooooo

cathal irwin wrote: »

I have freshly calved suckers and silage quality is poor. Came off boggy ground and there is a fair bit of rushes in it. The smell is poor and its quite wet. When we bailed it it looked fine, it got no rain. I am not happy with it all. I have freshly calved heifers and they have a nice drop of milk. If i give them any bit of nuts it scours the calfs. Could i feed them barley or oats to try and keep some condition on them. Any recommendations appreciated.

Take a sample to get tested and see what it has in it. Maize meal may help for energy

cacs

Mooooo wrote: »

Take a sample to get tested and see what it has in it. Maize meal may help for energy

I just want to get this stuff used up. I think maize meal will scour the calves
Thanks anyway

White Clover

cathal irwin wrote: »

I just want to get this stuff used up. I think maize meal will scour the calves
Thanks anyway

Are the calves sick?

cacs

White Clover wrote: »

Are the calves sick?

No all good so far. If give the cows any bit of nuts you can see early stages of scour. Tge nuts just seem too rich

Water John

As Moo says, it has to be some ingredient in the nut. Would there be a lot of molasses used, to bind the nut?
There should be an ingredient list on the label.

cacs

Water John wrote: »

As Moo says, it has to be some ingredient in the nut. Would there be a lot of molasses used, to bind the nut?

Maybe thats why i was thinking something with a lesser punch like oats might be the job.

White Clover

cathal irwin wrote: »

No all good so far. If give the cows any bit of nuts you can see early stages of scour. Tge nuts just seem too rich

I wouldn't worry about that to be honest. The calves will adjust to the different consistency of the milk.

cacs

White Clover wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about that to be honest. The calves will adjust to the different consistency of the milk.

maybe your right i hate bloody scour

Mooooo

cathal irwin wrote: »

I just want to get this stuff used up. I think maize meal will scour the calves
Thanks anyway

By sample I meant the silage , then you can feed a meal to match it

Base price

If your baled silage quality is poor (as in dry matter) than feeding rolled oats will add fiber to the cows diet. As White Clover said above I wouldn't be overly worried about a milk scour.
If you have bales of hay or straw I would offer them to the cows along with your silage bales.

Who2

Get your silage tested first. I had a pit here I thought was complete muck that came in at 73dmd and I'd bales I thought were lovely that came in at 66 dmd. If your sucklers are just calving a couple of pound of rolled barley on the silage is all I'd give them and that would only be to the ones that are losing condition. Get the calves onto creep early and feed them instead.

cacs

Who2 wrote: »

Get your silage tested first. I had a pit here I thought was complete muck that came in at 73dmd and I'd bales I thought were lovely that came in at 66 dmd. If your sucklers are just calving a couple of pound of rolled barley on the silage is all I'd give them and that would only be to the ones that are losing condition. Get the calves onto creep early and feed them instead.

Thanks that’s great advice

Mooooo

If you have cows still calving what you could do to avoid the milk scour from change of diet you could put the cows due to calf on a bit of the same nut from a week before calving, will help the cows as well with energy for calving and less disruption to them after calving as there won't be a sudden change of diet

blue5000

Cathal when are you putting those cows back in calf? If the silage is poor they'll probably need energy and minerals, straight oats or barley wont have any minerals.

cacs

blue5000 wrote: »

Cathal when are you putting those cows back in calf? If the silage is poor they'll probably need energy and minerals, straight oats or barley wont have any minerals.

Yea they are all getting minerals. They will be going to another shed in 3 or 4 weeks where the silage is excellent. I should be sound
Thanks again blue