wow, didnt realize the post would cause a bitch fest. Yes im a girl, and yes i own and run my own farm. Mostly pigs, and horses, but am really getting into the beef cows. I already get a lot of **** for it. Im a 25 year old vet tech, so do most of my own work, and really have had to prove myself with some of the closes minded men that run the farms around here. Im used to it, and am not afriad to ask for help when im unsure. Because im a vet tech im pritty picky how my animals are kept (i see all sorts of abuse cases ect while at work we legally can not report, it drives me nuts). anyways...here is a list of my cows and who is getting what.
Girrlie- 2 1/2 year old Simmintal Heifer who didnt take to A.I. Last year, so she is being exposed to a bull right now.
She is getting free choice hay, 4 pounds 12% feed, and about 4 cups soaked beet pulp. On real cold days she also gets 2 cups alfalfa/timothy cubes soaked with the beet pulp, and an extra 2 pounds of grain.
Mayelline- 3Yr old Simmental heifer who also didnt take A.I. Last year, also being exposed to a bull right now. She is an easy keeper, built like a tank. She gets the same as Girrlie.
Pal- 1 1/2 year old Jersey steer. Being raised for meat. Gets free choice hay and 4 pounds of 12% grain 3 times a day, beet pulp once a day (about 4 cups) and when really cold the timothy/alfalfa cubes. Looks very good for a jersey, you cant see ribs or anything. Kinda has a big "hay belly"
Bullet & Snoopy- 1 1/2 year old Beefalo steers-for slaughter. They both get free chocie hay and 6 pounds of 12% grain once a day, but snoopy doesnt really care for his grain. Id say about 1/3 time he doesnt come for it. Neither like beet pulp, but i try to sneek it in. If its warm they will eat it. On really cold days they both get the hay cubes. Both are in excellent shape, if not heavy.
Jewel- 4 month old Beefalo Heifer. Will be a breeding cow. She was outside with the herd, and getting free choice hay, but didnt come for grain (she hung out with snoopy a lot), and was getting a big fat hay belly, so i brought her in the barn and now she gets 4 pounds of 12% grain a day. She is looking better. She also wont eat the beet pulp. She shares a stall with 2 Jersey steers (5 months old), and they all get about a bale of hay for the 3 of them. They get 8 pounds of 12% grain a day.
Sometimes on real cold days i also give them corn. I buy by the bag and not bulk because i dont have a way to store bulk feed, and there is VERY limited places to get bulk feed in vermont. Right now i pay $18 per 100 pounds for the 12%grain im feeding. They always have fresh clean water and a salt block. I also try to have a sweetlix vitamin and mineral block for them too, but i swear they would eat 10 a day if they could, and at 20 bucks a piece, they are limited on them. They have a tractor trailer box they can get in out of the wind and cold, and share it with 3 horses, so with all the cows and horses it gets pritty warm. Today its -3 out and very windy. Normally in vermont it doesnt get much below 0. Right now we have about 2/12 feet of snow on the ground.
Hope that helps!