Minerals for weanlings

funkey_monkey

I've got some BB heifers reared from suck calves on milk around 11 months old and averaging 280kg that I'm feeding silage and some ration. The ration is coming to an end.

I'm hesitating about purchasing more reason for them. I had thought about minerals. What options do I have to drive them on? I'm assuming alfalfa is up in price too.

Should they be getting straw too?

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058237557/minerals-for-weanlings

I be saying get them off the ration as quick as possible. I assume you'll be letting them out at some stage in the next few weeks so any ration you're feeding now is only wasted really. All cattle going back to grass here would be off ration from early to mid February, compensatory growth will make up for the rest on grass.

funkey_monkey

They will be in for a while yet, guys of another month at least. Providing we don't push them to the mart at this stage. Its a long winter here.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118791491#Comment_118791491

I'd still be ending the ration feeding around now. A month to 6 weeks before turnout would be always when I'd stop feeding ration.

DBK1

If you were going to be selling them in the mart soon it might be worth feeding them on but if keeping them for grass the return from meal fed now wouldn't cover the cost.

funkey_monkey

At that age and weight when would be best to sell them?

I don't think we'll be running them over the summer as the plan is to make plenty of silage for what we do run on. If that makes us lightly stocked then so be it.