growing cattle targets

Wessel3

weighed the lumps yesterday, mar/apr born, in and around 230-260, I didn't think this was really good enough, admittedly ive been tight with meal, ( I think anyway) as I thought that pumping loads in wouldn't see a return anyway, out at grass til October and then on stubble ground with silage +meal til few weeks back, now housed,
what rates/head are ye feeding yourselves, I was around 1.5-2 a head, but probably should be way over that, turns out the silage is high DM but lowish protein (11) and poor ME (8.5). currently on 15% bull nuts as that's what they were on at grass, cheap and cheerful, thoughts?

kk.man

Wessel3 wrote: »

weighed the lumps yesterday, mar/apr born, in and around 230-260, I didn't think this was really good enough, admittedly ive been tight with meal, ( I think anyway) as I thought that pumping loads in wouldn't see a return anyway, out at grass til October and then on stubble ground with silage +meal til few weeks back, now housed,
what rates/head are ye feeding yourselves, I was around 1.5-2 a head, but probably should be way over that, turns out the silage is high DM but lowish protein (11) and poor ME (8.5). currently on 15% bull nuts as that's what they were on at grass, cheap and cheerful, thoughts?

First and foremost what breeds are they?

Wessel3

Mostly AA X and few Flechveich too.

Bass Reeves

I would not get caught up on growth rates while housed. Expressions such as Bull nuts etc are exactly that expressions. I check out and get a good quality ration and add soya bean meal. Add extra minerals and feed 2kgs max after that let next year's grass do the work

hedgebury

i weighed my fr/aa weanlings today@290kg born late april early may last calvers, were on 1.5kg all summer now on 2.5kg of the milking cow ration ufl 1.03.selling them shortly though,they look like suckler weanlings on that ration

johnnyw20

I weighed my dairy cross calves today. All born end of March/beginning of April. Averaged 306kg. Happy with that. Currently on 2.5kg weanling ration and questionable silage

Wessel3

My silage is dry but no piff in it. Im feeding big bales and just nuts into the trough. Not really set up for using blends . I think I'll up the feed rate to 3kg a head and then possibly change the nut. Dungs tight so protein can come up a bit. I'll see what increasing meal does first

cacs

Wessel3 wrote: »

My silage is dry but no piff in it. Im feeding big bales and just nuts into the trough. Not really set up for using blends . I think I'll up the feed rate to 3kg a head and then possibly change the nut. Dungs tight so protein can come up a bit. I'll see what increasing meal does first

I Weighed my suckler lim x last week. They have averaged .85 kg per day not amazing but not bad in since 1 November 1kg of 16% protein nuts and they are not gettting anymore. The silage is very good. My focus early spring grass feb preferably and not get caught up on weight gain in the shed it’s too expensive

Mooooo

Wessel3 wrote: »

weighed the lumps yesterday, mar/apr born, in and around 230-260, I didn't think this was really good enough, admittedly ive been tight with meal, ( I think anyway) as I thought that pumping loads in wouldn't see a return anyway, out at grass til October and then on stubble ground with silage +meal til few weeks back, now housed,
what rates/head are ye feeding yourselves, I was around 1.5-2 a head, but probably should be way over that, turns out the silage is high DM but lowish protein (11) and poor ME (8.5). currently on 15% bull nuts as that's what they were on at grass, cheap and cheerful, thoughts?

Feed an 18% nut or as bass suggested a shake of soya on the meal to up the protein

Cavanjack

Wouldn't be gone on feeding weanlings much meal here if the silage is any way half decent. It's an extra job that I could do without. They will still grow a frame. Had bulls last year on no meal over the winter gain 150kg in 100 days when they hit grass.

greysides

hedgebury wrote: »

i weighed my fr/aa weanlings today@290kg born late april early may last calvers, were on 1.5kg all summer now on 2.5kg of the milking cow ration ufl 1.03.selling them shortly though,they look like suckler weanlings on that ration

Is that a bit risky? Dairy rations would be high in minerals, maybe cause bladder stones/ blockage...?

White Clover

Cavanjack wrote: »

Wouldn't be gone on feeding weanlings much meal here if the silage is any way half decent. It's an extra job that I could do without. They will still grow a frame. Had bulls last year on no meal over the winter gain 150kg in 100 days when they hit grass.

I have found weanlings to perform better at grass on my patch after getting 1.5-2kg/hd/day over winter. This year they're getting 3kg to stretch out silage. I hope it doesn't affect thrive when they go to grass.

jntsnk

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/animals/beef/feeding-weanlings.pdf

hedgebury

no cal mag in ration good mineral spec alright inc. calcium and phosphorous,could you feed too much of these to growing cattle .i feed same ration to everything special formulation from paddy mccarthy roches feeds.cows milking 8700 litres

grassroot1

cathal irwin wrote: »

I Weighed my suckler lim x last week. They have averaged .85 kg per day not amazing but not bad in since 1 November 1kg of 16% protein nuts and they are not gettting anymore. The silage is very good. My focus early spring grass feb preferably and not get caught up on weight gain in the shed it’s too expensive

That is a very good adg. 1 kg of ration wont break you and you will spot a sick animal quicker. It will be interesting to see how they go when they get to grass.

cacs

grassroot1 wrote: »

That is a very good adg. 1 kg of ration wont break you and you will spot a sick animal quicker. It will be interesting to see how they go when they get to grass.

Thanks for that. I was honestly disappointed with the adg. I hadn’t weighed them at 200 days or weaning in the shed I am certain the adg would be better. The adg I am referring to is since birth, they are averaging 8-12 months old. I would say they are doing less in the shed at a guess 0.3 to 0.5 I am going to weigh them in a months time to see how are going. But honestly not another drop of extra nuts it doesn’t pay, grass is the only thing. Last years stock done 30-40kg from weaning to back to grass after five months which is very poor but done 1.2kg per day at grass with six weeks of nuts at 2 kg of nuts at the end. Honestly I think it is like trying to brush water up a hill, trying to weight on Weanlings in a shed. I am certain I could do things better but I am trying to do everything right. It would great to meet some top suckers farmers who is on top their game and of course grass.

grassroot1

cathal irwin wrote: »

Thanks for that. I was honestly disappointed with the adg. I hadn’t weighed them at 200 days or weaning in the shed I am certain the adg would be better. The adg I am referring to is since birth, they are averaging 8-12 months old. I would say they are doing less in the shed at a guess 0.3 to 0.5 I am going to weigh them in a months time to see how are going. But honestly not another drop of extra nuts it doesn’t pay, grass is the only thing. Last years stock done 30-40kg from weaning to back to grass after five months which is very poor but done 1.2kg per day at grass with six weeks of nuts at 2 kg of nuts at the end. Honestly I think it is like trying to brush water up a hill, trying to weight on Weanlings in a shed. I am certain I could do things better but I am trying to do everything right. It would great to meet some top suckers farmers who is on top their game and of course grass.

ya I can see you might be disappointed there right enough do you think its a disease issue? what are the cows like for milk?

cacs

grassroot1 wrote: »

ya I can see you might be disappointed there right enough do you think its a disease issue? what are the cows like for milk?

You hit the nail on the head diease and milk. Lim x cows nice to look at poor to feed a calf. Have fighting lung worm since November. Vaccinated for phenomia, injected with lavacide dosed with levafas diamond ( because it was left over) injected with levacide injected with animec and still kit clear of coughs. So yea diease is a problem