Backgrounding Light Calves ?

[Stocker Steve]

With the high price of corn - - it looks like there will not be much of a premium per cwt on light calves, and so a person that knows how to utilize forage should make some money on gain. :cowboy:

I have oats in the bin but I am not sure it works well with hay. For feeding 350# calves - - what are the low cost supplements today to consider feeding along with free choice alfalfa/grass mix hay?

 

[shaz]

Looks like corn silage is going to be abundant. Would you use silage for calves though?

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We just had our Beef Tour tonight, and one of the places we stopped was Jackie Moore's place. For those who do not know, he built and owns Joplin Stockyard, IIRC. They buy calves from 110 to 400 pounds every Monday (from 100 to 500 head weekly). They have a huge program these calves go through, but the feed they mix is made up of cereal (like fruit loops and such), a nut mix (the mix had cashews, peanuts, pistachios), and other commodities. They said that peanuts are real cheap right now compared to corn product. Basically, what they were telling the group is, think about what commodities the drought did not affect, and find a way to feed it. They are feeding these calves silage, so I know it works.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Looks like corn silage is going to be abundant. Would you use silage for calves though?

Yes i would use corn silage for calves.

 

[TexasBred]

With the high price of corn - - it looks like there will not be much of a premium per cwt on light calves, and so a person that knows how to utilize forage should make some money on gain. :cowboy:

I have oats in the bin but I am not sure it works well with hay. For feeding 350# calves - - what are the low cost supplements today to consider feeding along with free choice alfalfa/grass mix hay?

Steve I know of no "low cost" supplements this year. All commodities are thru the roof. A high quality corn silage with a lot of grain in it would work if the price was right. Just remember it's 2/3 water so can be expensive for the amount of dry matter you get out of it. I'd sell those high dollar oats and buy corn if necessary.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I'd sell those high dollar oats and buy corn if necessary.

My oats got baked in hot July winds so yield was only 55 bu / acre but price was up to $3.50 / bu. Oats is used locally for dairy rations so very little basis.

You see short articles that talk about DDG being "120 to 130% of the feeding value of corn" but the same price. What number are they focusing on?

 

[TexasBred]

I'd sell those high dollar oats and buy corn if necessary.

My oats got baked in hot July winds so yield was only 55 bu / acre but price was up to $3.50 / bu. Oats is used locally for dairy rations so very little basis.

You see short articles that talk about DDG being "120 to 130% of the feeding value of corn" but the same price. What number are they focusing on?

Talked with a lady the other day that has a small feed mill. They had paid $5.22 bushel for oats. DDG is more of a protein source so would not be a replacement for corn. If you feel you can only get $3.50 a bushel for the oats I'd feed them then. That would be cheaper than $8.00 bushel corn. Not quiet as much energy but more protein so you'd need less of the DDG if you used it as your protein source. Corn prices are out of sight due to the dry weather in the corn belt and anticipation of a much lower yield.

 

[gberry]

Anyone ever use peanuts for feed? Not familiar with feeding them, but probably be cheaper than most other feeds around here.

 

[Howdyjabo]

I used cull peanuts years ago before the big mills got interested in them.
I liked them, cattle LOVED them.
Sheep and horses don't do good with them-- too much mold.

 

[BRG]

I'd sell those high dollar oats and buy corn if necessary.

My oats got baked in hot July winds so yield was only 55 bu / acre but price was up to $3.50 / bu. Oats is used locally for dairy rations so very little basis.

You see short articles that talk about DDG being "120 to 130% of the feeding value of corn" but the same price. What number are they focusing on?

Talked with a lady the other day that has a small feed mill. They had paid $5.22 bushel for oats. DDG is more of a protein source so would not be a replacement for corn. If you feel you can only get $3.50 a bushel for the oats I'd feed them then. That would be cheaper than $8.00 bushel corn. Not quiet as much energy but more protein so you'd need less of the DDG if you used it as your protein source. Corn prices are out of sight due to the dry weather in the corn belt and anticipation of a much lower yield.

This isn't accurate. DDGs do have a high amount of energy. It is like 90% of corn. So you can use DDG as a protein and energy source. We use it in our feedlot rations. Right now our ration consists of a liquid mineral, DDG, silage, straw/cornstover, and beetpulp on our 8 month old bull rations. They are gaining more than the rations says they should be so I know it works.

 

[TexasBred]

This isn't accurate. DDGs do have a high amount of energy. It is like 90% of corn. So you can use DDG as a protein and energy source. We use it in our feedlot rations. Right now our ration consists of a liquid mineral, DDG, silage, straw/cornstover, and beetpulp on our 8 month old bull rations. They are gaining more than the rations says they should be so I know it works.

You misread my comment. I said "Oats" did not have quite the energy of corn. DDG has excellent energy but is also used primarily as a protein source in a TMR. Corn is a better and less expensive source of energy. Your bull ration looks to be a rather low energy ration with the use of silage, straw and beetpulp and extremely high in fiber (undigestible fiber). Evidently whoever formulated the rations did not give you very high estimates for expected gain. You'd get much more bang for your dollar using soyhulls instead of the expensive beet pulp. More protein, more energy (90% of corn), higher TDN and less expensive. ;-)

 

[BRG]

This isn't accurate. DDGs do have a high amount of energy. It is like 90% of corn. So you can use DDG as a protein and energy source. We use it in our feedlot rations. Right now our ration consists of a liquid mineral, DDG, silage, straw/cornstover, and beetpulp on our 8 month old bull rations. They are gaining more than the rations says they should be so I know it works.

You misread my comment. I said "Oats" did not have quite the energy of corn. DDG has excellent energy but is also used primarily as a protein source in a TMR. Corn is a better and less expensive source of energy. Your bull ration looks to be a rather low energy ration with the use of silage, straw and beetpulp and extremely high in fiber (undigestible fiber). Evidently whoever formulated the rations did not give you very high estimates for expected gain. You'd get much more bang for your dollar using soyhulls instead of the expensive beet pulp. More protein, more energy (90% of corn), higher TDN and less expensive. ;-)

We have the mcal at .43, which is right where we want it to be to get a 3 lbs/day gain. The beet pulp isn't to expensive, it is actually cheaper than corn or distillers, and it isn't in the pellet form, it is the actual pulp. Plus we don't have soyhulls available in this part of the country. We have feed test results on all the feed that is being fed, so we know exactly what they are getting fed.

 

[TexasBred]

As I said it's a very low energy diet. I assume the .43 is NEG....commercial creep pellets have higher energy than that but it will give you low/slow gain if they don't burn up to many calories otherwise.

 

[BRG]

As I said it's a very low energy diet. I assume the .43 is NEG....commercial creep pellets have higher energy than that but it will give you low/slow gain if they don't burn up to many calories otherwise.

It may be low for certain type cattle like cattle the ones headed to kill, but for breeding bulls it is right on target. It is set for a 3 lbs a day ADG, and with the last weight check, they are doing better than that. Our goal is to have them look their best, but not fat, and that is what this type of ration will do.

 

[TexasBred]

As I said it's a very low energy diet. I assume the .43 is NEG....commercial creep pellets have higher energy than that but it will give you low/slow gain if they don't burn up to many calories otherwise.

It may be low for certain type cattle like cattle the ones headed to kill, but for breeding bulls it is right on target. It is set for a 3 lbs a day ADG, and with the last weight check, they are doing better than that. Our goal is to have them look their best, but not fat, and that is what this type of ration will do.

It's low period !! How much of this mix do they get everyday??

 

[BRG]

As I said it's a very low energy diet. I assume the .43 is NEG....commercial creep pellets have higher energy than that but it will give you low/slow gain if they don't burn up to many calories otherwise.

It may be low for certain type cattle like cattle the ones headed to kill, but for breeding bulls it is right on target. It is set for a 3 lbs a day ADG, and with the last weight check, they are doing better than that. Our goal is to have them look their best, but not fat, and that is what this type of ration will do.

It's low period !! How much of this mix do they get everyday??

Sorry but it isn't low. Our cows only get fed grass hay when we feed them and that is about .20 mcal

Our 800 lbs bull calves are getting 27 lbs a day. But that is about 50% moisture from the silage, modified distillers and beet pulp.

 

[BRG]

Here is the exact ration. This is fed to 144 head of Feb/March born bull calves.
136 lbs - liquid mineral with a little added fat and protein
974 lbs - modified distillers (50% water/50% distillers)
1210 lbs - silage (65% water)
409 lbs - staw/corn stover (12% water)
1271 lbs - beet pulp (70% water)
4000 lbs total

It comes to the following on a per head basis
0.94 lbs - liquid mineral with a little added fat and protein
6.76 lbs - modified distillers (50% water/50% distillers)
8.4 lbs - silage (65% water)
2.84 lbs - staw/corn stover (12% water)
8.83 lbs - beet pulp (70% water)
27.77 lbs each

 

[TexasBred]

I guess it it works for you that's what matters....what's the deal with teh liquid mineral?? Ordinarly it only takes 1 lb. each of concentated vitamins and minerals to meet their needs.

 

[BRG]

I guess it it works for you that's what matters....what's the deal with teh liquid mineral?? Ordinarly it only takes 1 lb. each of concentated vitamins and minerals to meet their needs.

Not sure what you mean, they are getting less than 1 lbs each.

136 lbs fed to 144 head - .94 lbs each

 

[TexasBred]

I guess it it works for you that's what matters....what's the deal with teh liquid mineral?? Ordinarly it only takes 1 lb. each of concentated vitamins and minerals to meet their needs.

Not sure what you mean, they are getting less than 1 lbs each.

136 lbs fed to 144 head - .94 lbs each

You can buy heavily concentrated granular vitamins and minerals from feedmills which have an inclusion rate of only 1 or 2 lbs. per ton of your feed mix...same for vitamins. These are the ingredients the mill will use for making their bagged mineral. Just takes up less space in the formulation allowing more room for other nutrients and they're really not all that expensive...A good mineral premix will run around $.75 per pound and vitamins around $1.00..maybe a bit less. Might be a bit hard to get a good mix on a small amount tho with that much moisture in the mix.