Bull Development Ration ?

[BA]

We will be feeding our bull calves this year. We are planning on feeding free choice millet and grass hay, but am unsure about what else to feed to finish out the ration. We do not want the bulls to get excessively fat, and want the bulls sound. What do other breeders do? We want to average 2.5-3.0 lbs./day ADG. The bulls will also be on ADM mineral program. Thanks for any help.

 

[MikeC]

I use:

750 lbs Cracked Corn
500 lbs Cottonseed Hulls
400 lbs Oats
225 lbs Soybean Meal (48%)
100 lbs Molasses
25 lbs Trace minerals

About 12.5% protein
2.5% Fat
20% Fiber

You might want to sub Beet pulp for the CS Hulls, etc.

Or Corn Gluten can be worked in for protein source and sometimes add some Soyhull Pellets and take a way some oats.

You also might want to start with a little more protein and slowly drop it down to around 8-10% by the time the bulls are ready for sale.

 

[greatgerts]

Mike,
What kind of weight gain do you get with that ration?

 

[MikeC]

Mike,
What kind of weight gain do you get with that ration?

If I feed them this ad libitum, the sky is the limit. :lol:

Average is around 4-4.5 lbs per day but can slow them down by making them eat more hay.

Have had a calf that gained just over 6 lbs for a sixty day period.

What I usually do is start them on grain slowly and build up to max gain and bring them down slow again to not upset the rumen and have long term bad effects.

 

[greatgerts]

If I feed them this ad libitum, the sky is the limit. :lol:

Average is around 4-4.5 lbs per day but can slow them down by making them eat more hay.

Have had a calf that gained just over 6 lbs for a sixty day period.

What I usually do is start them on grain slowly and build up to max gain and bring them down slow again to not upset the rumen and have long term bad effects.

Cool. Those are really the results I am looking for. I had a bull on test a couple of years ago that averaged 4.5 ADG, and another bull that I had at home on "the local mix" gained 6 lbs a day for about 45 days or so. So, maybe I'll just tweak the mix a bit, and should be in good shape.