Accuration Feed Adjustments & Additives

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Stocker Steve

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I am trying a 20% Accuration and 80% ground corn blend supplement for the first time. It is going go weaned 6 wt. calves that were bucket feed for a month to get them started well. I now want to reduce their supplement intake before turnout. A couple of rookie Accuration questions:

What level of accuration in the mix will reduce intake to about 0.5% of bodyweight?

Have you been able to successfully go over 0.5% of body weight with grazing animals due to the "smaller portions"?
 
We used the 80/20 mix on young bulls with free choice hay last winter. Pretty good results but I don't think it put quite enough finish on them. Had a group of heifers on 80/20 but they were getting too fat, dropped them to 60/40 and they were consuming around 1%. This was on good hay though, not pasture. I wouldn't hesitate to run steers on 80/20 and pasture to grow them, but based on the ultrasound results from our bulls which showed very low backfat and less marbling than I had expected, I think I would finish them on something else. Take this with a grain of salt, as we're still learning about it too.

Lee
 
BTW, you might want to check out the purina Impact Starter for transitioning those weaned calves. It's working great for us. It's a complete feed so we just put them in a lot with a self feeder for about two weeks and then move them on to whatever. No weight loss during the first week and they love it.
 
We used to feed a 60/40 ration and it worked fine. Now we have found a feed mill that mixes our own ration and makes it into a pellet. Intake is limited by salt. This seems to work better as you don't have to worry about the separation and the powder residue.
 
I refilled the creeps this Friday. I estimated that they were eating 8# per head per day the first week they were on 80/20 Accuration. Since they average about 550# that is 1.4% of body weight. I switched to a 70/30 blend to reduce intake but the cost per ton of feed went up about $30. It seems unnatural to pay more for the feed so they will like to eat it less...

My feed sales guy says 1% of BW on pasture is fine since they eat alot of "small snacks." Any tips on minimizing the feed cost per pound of gain?
 
Steve

Not sure how to reduce cost of gain with a self-limiting ration as the limiter ingredient usually has a cost considerably higher than it's nutritive value. Also it seems like anytime ingredients are put thru a feedmill or mixer it takes a 40-50% markup for the processing/handling.

Limited feeding of byproduct feeds are the most cost effective stocker supplements that I am aware of. As previously mentioned, I know of a couple of guys that feed corn gluten/soy hull blend at 1%bw daily with good results. Could probably substitute distillers grain for corn gluten. With adequate grass or hay you should be able to feed 3/7 of a weeks feed 3 times weekly. Example-5lb/hd/day = 35lb/week. This could be fed at 11.66lb/hd 3 times weekly. These byproducts have had the starch removed, which also removes the acidosis issue.

I have self-fed corn gluten/soy hull blend for 2-3 weeks prior to selling calves. Full feeding any longer than this will get them pretty fleshy. With plenty of grass or hay I can get them up to full feed of these pellets in 2-3 days without bloat.

Just another 2 cents worth.

Good luck & happy trails.

Brock
 

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