Pre Calving: Feeding Oats and Soya Bean Meal

ozil10

Looking to feed oats and soya pre calving this year

Reasons for

To improve cow colostrum which should lead to healthy start in life for the calf in return

Also help cow near calving when she is in a negative energy balance

Silage was tested and is only average quality

So be very grateful if anybody has or is currently doing this precalving.

What rates do you feed?

When is best time to start pre calving?two to three weeks before?

Do you just feed cows close to calving or do you feed whole herd once you start feeding it?

Best way to feed it

I know some merchants do it in big 800kg bags.

Thanks in advance

Cheers

blue5000

Haven't fed soya pre-calving. But have fed oats to the whole herd for about 6 weeks before first one was due. I just shake it on top of the silage, about 1kg / head. Is it for dairy or sucklers?

jfh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118422575#Comment_118422575

Do you find it good blue? Tried it before and didn't see much difference, just on first calvers or all cows?

GrasstoMilk

Yes doing it here for a couple years now in dairy cows

think it’s a super job

cows transition well to milking and are used to meal

theyve excellent colostrum and lots of it, calves could get a couple feeds of colostrum here there’s so much of it and we’ve very few severe cases of scour in calves since doing it

5-700g soya - depending on how your silage is for protein

1.5 - 1.3 kg oats then, just make up a 2 kg per hd

blue5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118422742#Comment_118422742

I give it to everything.

ozil10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118422575#Comment_118422575

Dairy Cows

So feed it 6 weeks out from calving and feed it all the way through then?

Thanks

ozil10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118422756#Comment_118422756

Cheers

Do you buy soya and oats in Bulk or 800kg big bags?

GrasstoMilk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118423271#Comment_118423271

No buy them in 800 kg bags

hard to justify for the few tonne we use of each

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058226064/pre-calving-feeding-oats-and-soya-bean-meal

Give 1kg oats 0.3kg soya and 0.3kg dairy nut each 4-6 weeks precalving, used to give 100g seaweed, now give a mineral drench 4 weeks pre calving date, also reduce silage quantity

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118423883#Comment_118423883

What mineral drench is that?

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426122#Comment_118426122

At the moment I’m giving cow fertility, have given grow-a-drop, osmonds etc. Anything you get in the store will help her immune system.

alps

The crows are absolutely torturous if we feed oats..had to abandon..how do the rest of you cope?

blackdog1

You could also do a 3 way mix of oats/barley/soya hulls. I would also put Cal mag in for milk fever and some molasses too I'm lucky enough I get a local mill to make it up and put it half ton bags for me and I just collect and feed. Super job

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118431360#Comment_118431360

Would barely not put extra condition on the cow & increase calf size?

bogman_bass

I don’t get the point of. Giving an additional Energy source to cows in the dry period.

a high fibre low energy diet that keeps the rumen full and keeps condition off is what she need. If it’s to improve colostrum then soya a couple of days before calving should be plenty. No point in doing it weeks in advance.

Jimbo789

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118423639#Comment_118423639

How much are the 800kg bags of Soya Bean Meal?

ozil10

Thanks for all the replies

Im based in Cork

Looking at 800kg bags

It is looking like 360/t for oats

And they are saying soya has got really expensive

Its over 500/t

Is that comparable with what people are paying?

TIA

endainoz

Have been using seaweed meal as a pre calfer for a couple of years now, just shake it over the silage, cattle got mad for it.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450211#Comment_118450211

€490 a ton for soya in bulk around here. €10 - €20 more in 25kg bags. That’s the same as last year or possibly even a few euro less than last year. Soya is one of the only ingredients that hasn’t gone up in price. It’s been in and around €500 a ton for a good few years now.

Sami23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118422575#Comment_118422575

Presume it's rolled Oats rather than whole Oats ?

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118454356#Comment_118454356

Rolled oats here

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118454340#Comment_118454340

€15 for small bag (25kg), I think it was €12.60 last year

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118454374#Comment_118454374

If you’re paying €15 for a small bag I’d advise shopping around. It’s €490 a ton here (midlands in a small local merchant) in bulk which would be €12.25 for a 25kg bag. €510 per ton in 25kg bags (from Grennans) so €12.75 a bag. Both them prices are on account so there’d be a bit of a reduction on them too if paying upfront.

blue5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118454356#Comment_118454356

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118454356#Comment_118454356

Sort of rolled, I don't think Liffeys squeeze the rollers any tighter than barley when they go to roll oats. I'd say 50% of them would germinate! I think sheep can digest whole oats.