Housing Heifers

mob555 · 08-11-2010 09:40AM #1

Hi all,
I will be housing 8 to 9 month old fr heifers in the next few days. What would be the best feeding regime for these over the winter? I have plenty silage and hay. Should I feed these nuts while they are housed. Normally I would outwinter all young heifers but this year the place will be stocked with sheep.
TIA

kay 9 · 08-11-2010 11:26PM

If your giving them the bull later on, you could keep a little nuts or grain with them. Good hay or silage be the finest otherwise though I would think.

snowman707 · 09-11-2010 09:34AM

as mentioned if you intend breeding them next spring they would benefit form some meals,

you are looking for growth as oppose to putting flesh on

best to go for fairly high protein diet with adequate fibre

push them a bit from now on and ease off in the early spring

if not serving next spring i don't see the benefit of meal feeding but ensure they have access to minerals

mob555 · 09-11-2010 10:05AM

Thanks for the replies.
I was thinking of giving them 1kg to 2kg of a 16% calf nut with good silage or hay. As you say, I want to grow them, not fatten them. Would they benefit much from adding straw to their diet? Dont have any at the moment but could get some.

snowman707 · 09-11-2010 11:23AM

mob555 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.
I was thinking of giving them 1kg to 2kg of a 16% calf nut with good silage or hay. As you say, I want to grow them, not fatten them. Would they benefit much from adding straw to their diet? Dont have any at the moment but could get some.

with 2 kgs they should be no need for straw

no need of adding extra expense especially when you have plenty of fodder already

mob555 · 09-11-2010 11:26AM

Thanks again. Great to get some advise

Housing Heifers

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