Feeding cull cows

Kovu · 25-10-2015 03:54PM #1

In previous years we always sent culls to the mart, but I put my foot down this year as stress of them being beat round the mart, leapt on, beat up a lorry, etc etc is niggling away at me. So have two more to go, was happy with the first cow I sent earlier this year so will be sending these to Ballyduff as well I'd say.

9 & 10 years old, an R SimX and an O ChX. They're on a good field of grass and have another in front of them, very difficult to access these fields so suits us to put them there instead of weanlings.
They're on about 7kg of Super Beef Nuts a day each (Kiernans, 3 bags for €22)

Now I want them finished before Christmas. Should I start them on a mix I can do myself or will this do them? A mix would prob be cheaper I expect.

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CloughCasey1 · 25-10-2015 09:21PM

Kovu wrote: »

In previous years we always sent culls to the mart, but I put my foot down this year as stress of them being beat round the mart, leapt on, beat up a lorry, etc etc is niggling away at me. So have two more to go, was happy with the first cow I sent earlier this year so will be sending these to Ballyduff as well I'd say.

9 & 10 years old, an R SimX and an O ChX. They're on a good field of grass and have another in front of them, very difficult to access these fields so suits us to put them there instead of weanlings.
They're on about 7kg of Super Beef Nuts a day each (Kiernans, 3 bags for €22)

Now I want them finished before Christmas. Should I start them on a mix I can do myself or will this do them? A mix would prob be cheaper I expect.

Don't think your going too far wrong. The protien is a good bit high though. More maize, barley and soya hulls in the mix id say to give you extra fattening.

Kovu · 25-10-2015 09:51PM

I was going to get a bag of clorenda....chlorender....clorhoweverthefúckit'sspelled to mix in with it alright. Might take a wander round the co-op shed tomorrow and see what's there.

Willfarman · 25-10-2015 09:52PM

A bag of that mixed 50 50 with rolled barley would be grand.

Kovu · 25-10-2015 09:57PM

Willfarman wrote: »

A bag of that mixed 50 50 with rolled barley would be grand.

Dad keeps going on about beet pulp, never used it myself. Would it be any use? Barley isn't always stocked in the local place and what small bit they get in usually doesn't last long.

Cassidy2 · 25-10-2015 10:25PM

Kovu wrote: »

Dad keeps going on about beet pulp, never used it myself. Would it be any use? Barley isn't always stocked in the local place and what small bit they get in usually doesn't last long.

That ration is why to high in protein for finishing cattle

Kovu · 25-10-2015 10:31PM

That's why I asked here! We normally never finish anything. So consensus seems to be barley and maize and soya? Will head in to co-op in the morning so want to know what to stock up on or order in. No prob ordering in from other branches nearby as I worked in it for a year, lorry travels between the stores on Tuesdays. You'd think I'd have learned something about finishing feeds while selling the fecking stuff.

Base price · 25-10-2015 11:22PM

Kovu wrote: »

That's why I asked here! We normally never finish anything. So consensus seems to be barley and maize and soya? Will head in to co-op in the morning so want to know what to stock up on or order in. No prob ordering in from other branches nearby as I worked in it for a year, lorry travels between the stores on Tuesdays. You'd think I'd have learned something about finishing feeds while selling the fecking stuff.

If you are going to feed straights don't forget to get a bag of minerals.

White Clover · 25-10-2015 11:51PM

Base price wrote: »

If you are going to feed straights don't forget to get a bag of minerals.

Hardly be needed for a short finishing period ?

Kovu · 25-10-2015 11:56PM

White Clover wrote: »

Hardly be needed for a short finishing period ?

They were only weaned two weeks ago and been highly fed since last Monday. There's a quarter bucket of a Hi-Mag lick going unused in the shed so I'll leave that out with them. May as well keep them happy for their last six weeks :pac:

pedigree 6 · 26-10-2015 12:00AM

I think a lot of posters have covered feed.
However I'll say if you can put them in a house and finish them.
It'll be harder to finish them outside this time of year than summer.
They'll use more energy just trying to stay warm, if you put them in and have good silage they'll finish twice as quick.

Robson99 · 26-10-2015 12:02AM

Kovu wrote: »

In previous years we always sent culls to the mart, but I put my foot down this year as stress of them being beat round the mart, leapt on, beat up a lorry, etc etc is niggling away at me. So have two more to go, was happy with the first cow I sent earlier this year so will be sending these to Ballyduff as well I'd say.

9 & 10 years old, an R SimX and an O ChX. They're on a good field of grass and have another in front of them, very difficult to access these fields so suits us to put them there instead of weanlings.
They're on about 7kg of Super Beef Nuts a day each (Kiernans, 3 bags for €22)

Now I want them finished before Christmas. Should I start them on a mix I can do myself or will this do them? A mix would prob be cheaper I expect.

Kovu
IMO the best nut from kiernans/Stewart's is the Buffalo nut. And as Willfarman said mix it with rolled barley. You Dont need protein or minerals fr that short of a finishing period

Kovu · 26-10-2015 12:03AM

The paddock area they're in now is well sheltered, as in a very thick hedge on all four sides and a dry hill to lie on. Needs to be eaten as well so I guess it depends on how long it takes them to clean it off before they're housed. We've nothing in the shed yet but we'll definitely be overstocked in it as we''ve a lot of weanlings to winter, don't think they'd fit in tbh

Base price · 26-10-2015 12:07AM

White Clover wrote: »

Hardly be needed for a short finishing period ?

Twigged that now after reading the full post.

Base price · 26-10-2015 12:23AM

pedigree 6 wrote: »

I think a lot of posters have covered feed.
However I'll say if you can put them in a house and finish them.
It'll be harder to finish them outside this time of year than summer.
They'll use more energy just trying to stay warm, if you put them in and have good silage they'll finish twice as quick.

If Kovu had a bit of rough grazing iykwim, they would do nicely on it along with the meal.
Often finished culls on rough/course cover over the winter months with a bit of meal on this place (17 acres). The course grass acts like hay/straw and slows down their rumen allowing the meal to be more effective.

Kovu · 26-10-2015 12:28AM

They're on lush enough grass, it was left be after silage mid-July and no cattle on it since. It gets fert in Spring but as it's so inaccessible it doesn't get anything after it's baled. Funnily enough, it's one of our few fields with no rushes :pac:

Prob bring a bale of hay out to them in a fortnight.

mf240 · 26-10-2015 12:31AM

I find with cows a bit of extra time feeding rather than trying to push them too hard can be better.

Nothing wrong with that nut really except its a bit dear.

Kovu · 26-10-2015 12:32AM

They're not in bad nick now, good bit of flesh on them already. Round 600ish kg, maybe a bit more for the chx.

pedigree 6 · 26-10-2015 12:34AM

A few farmers round here finish cull cows putting them in the shed end sept and have them finished and off to factory before main lot of cows, heifers come in for winter.
You can see a big difference even in a few days in the condition of the cows.
I'm not telling you not to fatten them outside but they'll need more energy outside as opposed to inside.

Kovu · 26-10-2015 12:37AM

pedigree 6 wrote: »

A few farmers round here finish cull cows putting them in the shed end sept and have them finished and off to factory before main lot of cows, heifers come in for winter.
You can see a big difference even in a few days in the condition of the cows.
I'm not telling you not to fatten them outside but they'll need more energy outside as opposed to inside.

The one major problem with that though is the sim has atrocious feet, as in she finds it very hard to get up when on the slats, despite having the mats on them. It's much easier on her out the field.

Base price · 26-10-2015 12:45AM

Kovu wrote: »

The one major problem with that though is the sim has atrocious feet, as in she finds it very hard to get up when on the slats, despite having the mats on them. It's much easier on her out the field.

Considering the above and the fact that they are on grass and your feeding meal then if they were mine I would restrict their grass intake using strip grazing and offer them roughage in the form of barley/wheaten straw or hay.
Nothing worse than feeding meal and seeing it pouring out the back end not properly digested.

Kovu · 26-10-2015 12:51AM

Base price wrote: »

Considering the above and the fact that they are on grass and your feeding meal then if they were mine I would restrict their grass intake using strip grazing and offer them roughage in the form of barley/wheaten straw or hay.
Nothing worse than feeding meal and seeing it pouring out the back end not properly digested.

Mmmm, good point, so far I've left them to Dad but I'll be down with them tomorrow and see how they're faring in the poop department. Both were fluked just before weaning. Might bring down a bale tomorrow if we have one, not sure if we have any straw atm, neighbour took two bales off us last week. Straw deliveries aren't as easy here when you only need a few bales!

Grueller · 26-10-2015 07:42AM

Jaysus I am always astounded by the hardship out west with straw. Around here I can collect any amoint within 1 mile of my yard for €6:50 -€8:00 for a 4x4 round bale of feed quality barley straw. A neighbour offered me oaten for free and get it baled myself this year when straw was cheap.

Bullocks · 26-10-2015 08:12AM

Grueller wrote: »

Jaysus I am always astounded by the hardship out west with straw. Around here I can collect any amoint within 1 mile of my yard for €6:50 -€8:00 for a 4x4 round bale of feed quality barley straw. A neighbour offered me oaten for free and get it baled myself this year when straw was cheap.

They are looking for €14 collected here in the west for barley straw

CloughCasey1 · 26-10-2015 08:21AM

Kovu wrote: »

That's why I asked here! We normally never finish anything. So consensus seems to be barley and maize and soya? Will head in to co-op in the morning so want to know what to stock up on or order in. No prob ordering in from other branches nearby as I worked in it for a year, lorry travels between the stores on Tuesdays. You'd think I'd have learned something about finishing feeds while selling the fecking stuff.

Soya hulls. Soya meal for protein and hulls for fibre.

Bullocks · 26-10-2015 08:26AM

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Soya hulls. Soya meal for protein and hulls for fibre.

Can you buy soya stuff in small bags around the west ?

CloughCasey1 · 26-10-2015 08:42AM

Bullocks wrote: »

Can you buy soya stuff in small bags around the west ?

Yup pm sent boss

148multi · 26-10-2015 09:03AM

It takes energy to fatten animals, it also takes energy to breakdown protein by your cows and by feeding anything above 12%_13% protein to fully grown animals you are slowing the rate at which your cows will fatten and increasing the cost of finishing them.

Robson99 · 26-10-2015 09:06AM

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Yup pm sent boss

CC can you PM me details as well. Thanks

Farrell · 26-10-2015 10:28AM

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Soya hulls. Soya meal for protein and hulls for fibre.

Is there anything else that can substitute hulls?
Can get Maize, soya bean, barley & oats up this way, but straw is €20/barley

Kovu · 26-10-2015 12:00PM

148multi wrote: »

It takes energy to fatten animals, it also takes energy to breakdown protein by your cows and by feeding anything above 12%_13% protein to fully grown animals you are slowing the rate at which your cows will fatten and increasing the cost of finishing them.

Interesting, I really need to read up more on finishing animals. We used to finish the calves when we were milking but that's 20 years ago now and things have changed massively.

Feeding cull cows

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