Swapping calf nuts for beef nuts

Siamsa Sessions

Quick one for ye folks: at what stage do you swap calves from calf meal onto beef meal?

Ours are 90-100 days old, weaned off milk and eating approx. 0.7kg of calf nuts. All going well so far.

I priced beef nuts with a local merchant and they're about €40/ton cheaper than the calf nuts.

So, how soon would they be able for the beef nuts? Or is there that much of a difference between?

Thanks.

Siamsa Sessions

Sharing here in case it's useful for anyone else:

I spoke to a guy who I'd trust as an expert in the area, and he reckoned calves would be better off staying on a nut with at least 16% protein if you're feeding them during their first year at grass. Higher protein now will help build their frame.

But if they're growing well and consistently grazing nice 1,000-1,200 DM covers, then they might be fine without any meal.

It's very much animal- and farm-dependent. As everything should be.

As for myself, grass covers for our calves are around the 1,200 mark and I'm strip-grazing so they're getting a fresh pick every two days. I'm using this to support the decision to switch them onto a 15% protein nut! This nut is 270/ton delivered into the yard, compared to 360/ton for the 18% protein calf nut I was collecting myself in 25kg bags.

I guess I'll know in a few months if it is money saved or thrive lost. Or someplace in between.

Bass Reeves

I be inclined to change them over at that cost. If they are grazing them sort of covers they may not need nuts at all. By the sounds of it those calves are well over 100 kgs. They probably manage on a few mineral buckets( something I am not a fan of normally) and the grass

Hard Knocks

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I be inclined to change them over at that cost. If they are grazing them sort of covers they may not need nuts at all. By the sounds of it those calves are well over 100 kgs. They probably manage on a few mineral buckets( something I am not a fan of normally) and the grass

Agree if keeping for beef
For selling as weanlings you want frame & muscle, that extra P counts
Could you add soybean to the beef nut to get the 16%+P?

orm0nd

Protein and fibre are the keys for growth and frame development and stomach development in a rumen.

A calf's stomach isn't fully developed until 5 to 6 months. Here we are feeding an 18% NUT and also a little straw. This will changed to 21% nut (heifer rearer) when housing or maybe a month before hand.

Calf nuts are costing 300 /tonne bulk delivered.

We aiming for well developed replacement heifers and saleable stores next spring without carrying excess flesh.

cute geoge

Why not buy a few bags of soya bean and mix a bit with your beef ration ,a small amount will bring up the protein considerable

Hard Knocks

cute geoge wrote: »

Why not buy a few bags of soya bean and mix a bit with your beef ration ,a small amount will bring up the protein considerable

Is there a min age the calves have to be before you can change to beef nut?

Siamsa Sessions

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Is there a min age the calves have to be before you can change to beef nut?

Just checked on the 15% beef nut that was delivered this morning - it recommends calves being a minimum of 3 months before feeding them this particular nut.

The group I'll be giving this to are all over 3 months, but I'll mix it with the 18% calf nut for the next week and slowly move them fully over to the beef nut.

Re the soyabean meal: how much per kg of meal would you want to mix in? I mixed soyabean in with feed for sheep before and they weren't mad about it - would the calves be a bit picky with it too?

orm0nd

Another reason to feed a dedicated calf nut to young stock as they usually contain higher levels of vitamin including B1. Took the attached from Twitter