RanchMan90
Well-known member
What percentage of body weight of 16% ration + free choice hay would you feed replacement heifers this winter to balance good weight gains and peak maternal performance?
Replacement heifer nutrition
- Thread starter RanchMan90
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talltimber
Well-known member
I'd probably start them at 1% and see what they are gonna take. I have a handful of hfrs I just put a bull on around the first of Dec. They are not taking much to keep up in good condition. They will weigh 800 probably and they are getting about 5 lbs of ddg/chops 50/50 mix, and free choice hay that I don't expect to be as good as what you have.
Access to a protein block and good grass hay is about all the two I kept last year ever had, I guess they had a little cheat picking in the pasture also. They got about a coffee can full of creep pellets once or twice a week when ever they were close when I checked on them, enough to get them bucket broke a bit. They done well and have continued to develop well I'll do about the same this year when I wean calves.
Dave
Well-known member
The couple years I fed a grain mix to the replacement heifers I fed about 5 pounds per head per day. The object is to grow heifers not fatten them.
5S Cattle
Well-known member
You keeping them or selling them?
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RanchMan90
Well-known member
Selling them5S Cattle":31qwnmfq said:
5S Cattle
Well-known member
Most buyers want em fleshy. I'd give em 5 or so lbs/day for now then pour the feed to about 45 days before you go to market them. Assuming your selling out of the pasture?RanchMan90":204yboc6 said:
talltimber
Well-known member
I weighed my feed yesterday, and they are getting a tick over three pounds daily of the 50/50
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RanchMan90
Well-known member
Yes5S Cattle":146k15vi said:
I'd go 1-2% of body weight with some protein and mineral. You don't want to overdo it with replacement heifers as if they get too fat they can be hard to breed. We start to scale back on their feed as it gets warmer then turn them out with the mature cows a few weeks before breeding season so they get roughed up a little and we've had a really good conception rate breeding the heifers AI to calve right at 24 months of age managing them that way.
