Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Creep feeding weanlings

  • 18-10-2018 10:23am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,173 ✭✭✭✭


    tellmeabit wrote: »
    Thought some of the light while ch did ok. 280 kg bit of shape near 800€

    That's what l was saying before. Why would lads be obsessed with getting weight on calves (worse still weight from creep) if you had them good quality and could get that money for them?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,271 ✭✭✭✭patsy_mccabe


    You'd be doing well to get spring weanlings to eat 2 bags each. That's 15 euro each. It's more than putting condition on them. If they have good breeding, more muscle for example, this will show more with extra feeding. The protein in the meal will drive on their growth too.
    I think feeding that small bit of meal costs nothing compared to the overall cost of keeping the cow, which could be close to 700 this year.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,940 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Muckit wrote: »
    That's what l was saying before. Why would lads be obsessed with getting weight on calves (worse still weight from creep) if you had them good quality and could get that money for them?

    Bull weanlings are very efficient converters for every 4kg fed of ration you get a kg weight. However you do not want to replace grass in the diet so a kg at the start building to three kgs over 50-60 days. If 50 kgs is a crunch and 50 kgs a good ration or nut it will cost in the region of 27-30 euro. That might take a bull like above to 300 kgs change his shape as well and him near a 900 euro price. TBH 280 kg weanlings is not a great return for a suckler cow.I see dairy bred calves exceeding that

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,225 ✭✭✭charolais0153


    A good bit of meal. 400kg 1070 average for my bull calves this year.
    Versus no meal 280kg 800 for what could be one of your best calves.

    Meal is a no brainer especially when you have quality.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,271 ✭✭✭✭patsy_mccabe


    A good bit of meal. 400kg 1070 average for my bull calves this year.
    Versus no meal 280kg 800 for what could be one of your best calves.

    Meal is a no brainer especially when you have quality.

    How much meal do you feed and for how long?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,225 ✭✭✭charolais0153


    How much meal do you feed and for how long?

    Started feeding on 23 jun or so. 250kgs each or thereabouts. Some calves prob ate close to 300 and others 200.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,030 ✭✭✭tellmeabit


    Started feeding on 23 jun or so. 250kgs each or thereabouts. Some calves prob ate close to 300 and others 200.


    I've them on a dust of meal the last month. And does make a difference. Wean a few of then this week and bring the meal up. I'd say if i Can at all I'll hold on to what I can for winter. Maybe sell heifers not gone in calf. In stead. Prob keep heifers. Move bulls in spring. Few more trips to mart to get the eye in for the weights before final decision.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,209 ✭✭✭Hard Knocks


    Started feeding on 23 jun or so. 250kgs each or thereabouts. Some calves prob ate close to 300 and others 200.

    Which meal do you find best


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,225 ✭✭✭charolais0153


    Which meal do you find best

    Just an ordinary beef nut is most cost effective id say.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,940 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Which meal do you find best
    Just an ordinary beef nut is most cost effective id say.

    You really only want crunch to start weanling eating ration. when 1-2 start eating the rest will start to come . A good quality nut or ration is always palatable. Cattle always find rations more interesting to eat. Big issue is keeping crows away if feeding in troughs. FIL always used to pour some molasses on top of the ration as it kept crows away. When you get them eating ration they stay eating it.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,225 ✭✭✭charolais0153


    You really only want crunch to start weanling eating ration. when 1-2 start eating the rest will start to come . A good quality nut or ration is always palatable. Cattle always find rations more interesting to eat. Big issue is keeping crows away if feeding in troughs. FIL always used to pour some molasses on top of the ration as it kept crows away. When you get them eating ration they stay eating it.
    Feed ration as calves in shed. They know the story outside then


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,209 ✭✭✭Hard Knocks


    Feed ration as calves in shed. They know the story outside then

    Trying calf grower & not happy with results for price.
    Have a few April heifers I’m thinking of keeping
    Any recommendations for a good nut / meal


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,271 ✭✭✭✭patsy_mccabe


    Feed ration as calves in shed. They know the story outside then

    I do this as well. You only have to feed a little. They come for it quick then, when you feed them later in the year.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,940 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Trying calf grower & not happy with results for price.
    Have a few April heifers I’m thinking of keeping
    Any recommendations for a good nut / meal

    It is a matter of looking at the label on the bag. For weanlings you want a ration/nut that is 16%P at least. You want to see maize and barley as the main energy sources, hulls and beetpulp as the fibre source and soyabean meal or distillers as protein source. Rapeseed meal is grand as a P source if they will eat it but palatibilty is an issue. My own opinion is that buying a good finishing ration/nut is an option and buying soya bean meal to up the P. Adding about 1.5-2kgs of soya bean meal to a 13/14%P bag of finishing ration will up the P to above 16%.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,809 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Mod Note; pulled a few posts from the mart price thread, as I reckon the subject deserves a thread of it's own.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,173 ✭✭✭✭Muckit


    I suppose when l mentioned creeping, l was referring to heifer weanlings or bulls only good enoigh to be squeezed.

    Bulls for bull beef are a different kettle of fish as they are going to continue to be pushed once they hit the shed by new owner, that l get and def think there is merit in it.

    "Is there any benefit in creating a soft heifer weanling?" l suppose is what l should have said!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    Muckit wrote: »
    I suppose when l mentioned creeping, l was referring to heifer weanlings or bulls only good enoigh to be squeezed.

    Bulls for bull beef are a different kettle of fish as they are going to continue to be pushed once they hit the shed by new owner, that l get and def think there is merit in it.

    "Is there any benefit in creating a soft heifer weanling?" l suppose is what l should have said!!

    A good few of weanling heifers we sell are bought by the local butchers. Either that or lads who feed to slaughter. Only have one to sell this year as we had a 3/1 bulls/heifers this year. Good job we're not milking :D
    This is our feed, 310 a tonne, though gone up now since we last got a pallet. It's expensive but I've seen a good few of our bulls go on to be finished as bull beef. Prefer to have them eating it anyway as unfed ones don't get looked at much around here.

    QV7ywAFh.jpg?1


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,225 ✭✭✭charolais0153


    A god few of weanling heifers we sell are bought by the local butchers. Either that or lads who feed to slaughter. Only have one to sell this year as we had a 3/1 bulls/heifers this year. Good job we're not milking :D
    This is our feed, 310 a tonne, though gone up now since we last got a pallet.
    QV7ywAFl.jpg?1

    Looks a good one.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    Looks a good one.

    Stuck with them the last few years as we're happy with it, weanlings love it too. All of them now eating just under a bag a day, with the 4 older ones (including the orphan) prob eating a good chunk of that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,173 ✭✭✭✭Muckit


    Paul & Vincent always had a good name


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 94 ✭✭milligan2


    Ran out of grass here at the end of July coz of the drought, so I weaned the strong weanlings and left them in the shed for 5 weeks and fed them an 18% beef nut with soya meal with good hay.
    They put on 2 kgs a day and I’ve never seen animals to thrive as well.I think having them in a pen helps a lot as they spend most of the day sleeping instead of dry bulling cows.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 901 ✭✭✭grange mac


    Bought a few 320kg weanlings and as not set up for bulk went small bag route. Giving them a heifer nut which coming in at 20% protein 355 ton, beef nut was coming at 385 ton small bag. Only difference is nut is twice size but much better value. I only use bout 10t nut over winter so bag suits my circumstances.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,528 ✭✭✭Dunedin


    grange mac wrote: »
    Bought a few 320kg weanlings and as not set up for bulk went small bag route. Giving them a heifer nut which coming in at 20% protein 355 ton, beef nut was coming at 385 ton small bag. Only difference is nut is twice size but much better value. I only use bout 10t nut over winter so bag suits my circumstances.

    Who are you getting the 20% nut from


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,809 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Using bull finisher ration here with a small bit of soya added to bring up the protein. Is the P&V ration above printed properly? They have soya as the first ingredient, but it's only 17% protein.:confused:

    Soya is expensive this year, we're paying €11 a 25 kg bag which works out at €440 a ton.

    464171.jpg

    Bull ration label, sorry about the brown stripe, it really is BS:rolleyes: second ingredient is rolled barley.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,940 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    blue5000 wrote: »
    Using bull finisher ration here with a small bit of soya added to bring up the protein. Is the P&V ration above printed properly? They have soya as the first ingredient, but it's only 17% protein.:confused:

    Soya is expensive this year, we're paying €11 a 25 kg bag which works out at €440 a ton.

    464171.jpg

    Bull ration label, sorry about the brown stripe, it really is BS:rolleyes: second ingredient is rolled barley.

    Soya was 11.50-12 euro last year but it is over prices this year I saw bulk prices export of 350/ton so 2.25/bag to transport and bag seems excessive. Yes the P&V label is wrong soyabean can be the latest ingredient as there is other protein sources on the label as well. That is a good ration you are feeding there soya with that would really drive on young cattle

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 901 ✭✭✭grange mac


    Dunedin wrote: »
    Who are you getting the 20% nut from

    In west cork,Barratt Agri...who in turn get it from Southern Milling in Cork.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,225 ✭✭✭charolais0153


    Soya was 11.50-12 euro last year but it is over prices this year I saw bulk prices export of 350/ton so 2.25/bag to transport and bag seems excessive. Yes the P&V label is wrong soyabean can be the latest ingredient as there is other protein sources on the label as well. That is a good ration you are feeding there soya with that would really drive on young cattle
    Thered more molasses than soya bean tho


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    blue5000 wrote: »
    Using bull finisher ration here with a small bit of soya added to bring up the protein. Is the P&V ration above printed properly? They have soya as the first ingredient, but it's only 17% protein.:confused:

    It's most likely wrong way round with the barley- they have a strange way of designing labels! Though it it's dehulled & in meal what difference would it make? just that they specifically say dehulled & then hulls further down the list.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,810 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Southern Milling always had good rations too, grange mac. Barrett Agri is owned by Southern Fuels.
    Barretts were always easy people to deal with.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,940 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    It's most likely wrong way round with the barley- they have a strange way of designing labels! Though it it's dehulled & in meal what difference would it make? just that they specifically say dehulled & then hulls further down the list.

    It means that it is soya bean meal. The hulls off soya are an excellent fibre source especially at grass.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,809 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    It's most likely wrong way round with the barley- they have a strange way of designing labels! Though it it's dehulled & in meal what difference would it make? just that they specifically say dehulled & then hulls further down the list.

    The ingredients are meant to be in decreasing order by weight, in your ration soya bean de-hulled is the first ingredient listed. As Bass says there is other protein sources (rapeseed and maize gluten) further down the list than soya bean meal.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 604 ✭✭✭TooOldBoots


    I'm only starting to creep feed now. Planning on Weaning in the next week, I will house the Weanlens from Nov - mid Feb. Thats 3 months+ or roughly 100 days of feeding. Weanlens are an average of 280kg.
    I have good silage or Hay but at what rate and what type of Meal to push them over 400kg in the 100 days?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,528 ✭✭✭Dunedin


    grange mac wrote: »
    In west cork,Barratt Agri...who in turn get it from Southern Milling in Cork.

    How much a ton is it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,209 ✭✭✭Hard Knocks


    blue5000 wrote: »
    Using bull finisher ration here with a small bit of soya added to bring up the protein. Is the P&V ration above printed properly? They have soya as the first ingredient, but it's only 17% protein.:confused:

    Soya is expensive this year, we're paying €11 a 25 kg bag which works out at €440 a ton.

    464171.jpg

    Bull ration label, sorry about the brown stripe, it really is BS:rolleyes: second ingredient is rolled barley.
    Think my calves are fed up with their meal.
    Can you get P&V bull finisher by the pallet?

    Has anyone used Pattons?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Lady Haywire


    blue5000 wrote: »
    The ingredients are meant to be in decreasing order by weight, in your ration soya bean de-hulled is the first ingredient listed. As Bass says there is other protein sources (rapeseed and maize gluten) further down the list than soya bean meal.

    I'll have to ask Sean when he calls for the moolah. He'll know!

    Think my calves are fed up with their meal.
    Can you get P&V bull finisher by the pallet?

    Has anyone used Pattons?

    P & V do everything by the pallet, will even do half pallets if you ask very nicely. No exp with Pattons, used Kiernans nuts for weanlings a few years ago, wasn't as happy with thrive tbh.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,101 ✭✭✭bogman_bass


    You really only want crunch to start weanling eating ration. when 1-2 start eating the rest will start to come . A good quality nut or ration is always palatable. Cattle always find rations more interesting to eat. Big issue is keeping crows away if feeding in troughs. FIL always used to pour some molasses on top of the ration as it kept crows away. When you get them eating ration they stay eating it.

    I used to think that but then found that calves were always starting on nuts better than ration


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 hempel


    Weaned ours today any1 recommend a mix for pedigree angus bulls and herifers. Or would a 16% beef ration do fine.


Advertisement