Keeping calves for winter.

Waternotsoda

I have been toying with the idea of keeping Fr calves for the winter. Maybe 4 weeks plus. What exactly is involved in it these days?


We used to do it growing up. But that is 30 years ago now.

_Brian

Timing is key to reduce disease risk and cost.

I would time getting them 6-7 weeks before you’ll be able to turn them out to a sheltered paddock.

Minimises then momey spent on straw and reducing the housing period will reduce disease risk too.

OAD feeding is becoming more and more the norm.

The big question is what is the long term plan for them, will you kill them or are you planning to sell on.

Waternotsoda

Kill them. Is there anything that can be done with fr calves that will help them finish under 30 Months?

Welding Rod

Waternotsoda wrote: »

Kill them. Is there anything that can be done with fr calves that will help them finish under 30 Months?

A few friesians born December, wandering into the yard in July or August, to be tagged ......

Bass Reeves

I would look at weanlings rather than calves. You will buy good FR weanlings for 300 ish euro or maybe less. Dose them and feed them over the winter, squeeze them in May if still bulls. They will only need silage and s kg of ration for the winter.

Mooooo

Autumn born would have the advantage of making better use of first year's grass. Also more likely to come from bigger cow's, not always tho. If buying, a decent milk replacer, would give adlib access to meal and straw till weaned and good silage straw and meal till turnout. Should be able to get out early in the spring then esp if they can come back to a shed or sheltered area. Rarely had any issue with autumn calves here, it was always the late spring calves that needed more minding in the first year.

CloughCasey1

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I would look at weanlings rather than calves. You will buy good FR weanlings for 300 ish euro or maybe less. Dose them and feed them over the winter, squeeze them in May if still bulls. They will only need silage and s kg of ration for the winter.

Something like these buckos
https://www.donedeal.ie/beefcattle-for-sale/friesian-weanling-bulls/23442374

Bass Reeves

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Something like these buckos
https://www.donedeal.ie/beefcattle-for-sale/friesian-weanling-bulls/23442374

Ya they look ok.just check movements take some lad that is used to Friesians. Find out what he has dosed them with. You will have to.dode for fluke again after Christmas.

Big advantage with these is they will eat grass next year and should be finished simmer 2021

Anto_Meath

We used to do it, buy 30 calves in the end of October and feed them milk until Christmas then meal and out to a few sheltered fields at the start of February. They would go on the best and then in July of the second summer start giving them meal. We were kill them as bullocks around 23 -25 months at 340kgs dw. It paid when base price near €4/kg. If you let them into the shed for the second winter and then try to have them fit under 30 months its very expensive as FR's wouldn't thrive in a shed like they do in the field. We also found it difficult to source decent calves that last year or two we did it as lads around us were given up winter milking. Plus as a part time farmer it was another job to be doing in the dark every morning and evening.