Advice on calf feeding once weaned

Ballymac123

40 calves weaned off milk replacer. Eating over a kg calf starter. Only my second year doing this. I intend to sell half these this time next year. Grass would be average at best for the calves. Any advice would be appreciated re what to feed these for the first year to get as much weight on as possible. Used heifer rearer last year 19%.. April calves last year.. Weighed roughly 250 kgs at Christmas.

Finty Lemon

I got these tips from a wise head a few years ago and they have made a difference for our FR/HE/AA calves

First rule- don't put them on rocket fuel grass at turnout. Can lead to a summer scour that looks for all the world like worms/cocci problem but is down to lack of ability to digest grass coming off a milk diet. Start grazing on older pasture with access to a small amount hay for a couple of weeks to transition onto grass.
Are calves eating plenty of straw along with meal?

After they settle you need to get the grass right. Graze low-medium covers (1100) of good quality and move twice a week minimum (you need a good way of moving troughs otherwise this won't be done enough).

0.75 to 1kg meal until mid-June (due to grass quality being below avg) after that you should be able to cut back to <0.5kg (or go grass only) until late August. A high energy ration of 18% with added minerals will be fine (cereal, distillers, pulp, soya as main ingredients). Just my opinion but I think a lot of rations with the 'heifer rearer' label are way over-priced for what they are, especially with grass in the diet.

Old grass well managed will work ok for these calves. Get some P&K out now (18-6-12) and plan to cut some area for silage by May 15th. This will give you after-grass by early June. Take some silage bales out in rotation every so often to control grass. Pain in the arse to organise but well worth it.

Ballymac123

Thanks for the advice and help. One more piece of help if you can. Best method used to train young calves to the mains fence.. Used to put it in yard and get them used of it but minute they went out.. They could run for the hills &#55357;&#56842;&#55357;&#56842;

Finty Lemon

Put some tinfoil strips on the fence wire in the yard when training them. Better chance they will get the message.

Do the same on the wire in the field when turning out.

Can't beat a sheep fenced paddock to turn them out to though.

Ballymac123

Thanks again for that helpful advice. New to this so excuse my ignorance and stupidity. Iv a few bags of 34 percent protein skim concentrate powder.. Can this be mixed and fed dry to cattle?? If so what should i mix it with and ratio?? Thanks in advance to any replies

Ballymac123

Any suggestions

jd_12345

Ballymac123 wrote: »

Thanks again for that helpful advice. New to this so excuse my ignorance and stupidity. Iv a few bags of 34 percent protein skim concentrate powder.. Can this be mixed and fed dry to cattle?? If so what should i mix it with and ratio?? Thanks in advance to any replies

I’m not sure tbh. I’d be wary enough of it. The only thing to do with it Imo is to add it slowly to meal to increase intakes. 1kg is the minimum they should be eating at weaning. Especially when some of the calves may be eating less than that

Ballymac123

I was just thinking could it be used like soyabean as its a similar protein content and is highly palatable