Calf creep feed and minerals question.

[hillsdown]

I am setting up my creep feed to go out for my calves ,I use it just to help the dams keep condition as they reach their peek milking capacity and to breed back right away.

I have my feed purchased and ready to go they are 17% protein with decox and minerals mixed in, but is says do not feed with any other selenium supplement. But I have loose minerals out for all the cattle and the calves are in it more than the cows it seems, so now I do not know what to do when I put the creep feed out because there is selenium in the minerals as well, or should I not worry about it as they will probably not eat the minerals anymore because they should be getting enough out of their feed..

I am completely confused and my nutritionist is gone for a couple of weeks..I don't want to put my mineral someplace that the calves can't get it because some calves will not eat that much creep and will need minerals but I do not want to overdose my calves with selenium either..

This is the first time I have used pellets as I have always used a 20% dairy ration mix before so I didn't have to worry about it but the pellets were $350.00 's a ton cheaper this year than the calf starter ration .

Help please.. :?

 

[TexasBred]

Hillsdown, 99.9% of commercial (purchased) feeds will contain selenium from the lowest price up to the best. Some at different levels, but .30ppm being maximum. I don't think the added selenium in the mineral will hurt anything. Anybody that feeds feed and keeps out mineral usually feeds selenium in both and I feel pretty sure that if you were feeding a dairy ration it definitely had selenium in it.

 

[hillsdown]

Thanks TB I am going out to feed right away so I will look at the labels on my minerals and find the % of selenium it contains.

What is the max % amount that my calves should be allowed to have before I have to worry about it? We are not in a selenium deficient area.

Thanks again.

 

[TexasBred]

Legally I believe it is .30 ppm in the total ration or 3 mg. per head per day so if they have access to hay, grazing etc. fed in conjunction with the feed you should have no problems at all. Mineral will have an elevated level but consumption will be very low.

 

[kypops]

Need help with minerals, I have a salt block out for my cows and bull,and a mineral block, but this time i bought loose mineral and put some out for free choice, and they ate it like it was honey. can they eat to much of minerals if i leave it out free choice.or will they eat so much and quite ?i dont guess it makes any different, they are angus bull and Hereford cows about1000#each.one of them is with calf. thanks for all the help, I have learned alot from this board. thanks again

 

[Angus Cowman]

Need help with minerals, I have a salt block out for my cows and bull,and a mineral block, but this time i bought loose mineral and put some out for free choice, and they ate it like it was honey. can they eat to much of minerals if i leave it out free choice.or will they eat so much and quite ?i dont guess it makes any different, they are angus bull and Hereford cows about1000#each.one of them is with calf. thanks for all the help, I have learned alot from this board. thanks again

They should level off after the first day or so
Free choice mineral is better IMO because the animal can get what they need when they need it certain times of the yr my cows go thru very little min and other times it seems all I do is fill the minearl feeders
I also put out free choice salt (not blocks)

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

Need help with minerals, I have a salt block out for my cows and bull,and a mineral block, but this time i bought loose mineral and put some out for free choice, and they ate it like it was honey. can they eat to much of minerals if i leave it out free choice.or will they eat so much and quite ?i dont guess it makes any different, they are angus bull and Hereford cows about1000#each.one of them is with calf. thanks for all the help, I have learned alot from this board. thanks again

They ate to much because they were behind on what they needed. Therefore, they should regulate themselves eventually. At the time I purchased my cattle I put out my minerals and the cows ate it up. They regulated themselves and only eat what they need now and I leave it out all thee time.

 

[kypops]

thanks for the info, thats what happened when they got level out they eat it only when they need it. you all were right again.
sorry i didnt answer sooner. thanks alot ran

 

[sporder]

i put free choice mineral out for my herefords and they wont touch it. they also have a salt lick which they dont touch. they do tuck into the lick tub though. the mineral is powder form. is this what others use. are they getting what they need from lick tub.

 

[TexasBred]

i put free choice mineral out for my herefords and they wont touch it. they also have a salt lick which they dont touch. they do tuck into the lick tub though. the mineral is powder form. is this what others use. are they getting what they need from lick tub.

Probably, but they're more likely eating it because it taste good and they need the protein. Try mixing some dried molasses and cottonseed meal into the mineral...not a lot but 2-3 lbs. into each bag you put out.

 

[msscamp]

Need help with minerals, I have a salt block out for my cows and bull,and a mineral block, but this time i bought loose mineral and put some out for free choice, and they ate it like it was honey. can they eat to much of minerals if i leave it out free choice.or will they eat so much and quite ?i dont guess it makes any different, they are angus bull and Hereford cows about1000#each.one of them is with calf. thanks for all the help, I have learned alot from this board. thanks again

No, they will not eat too much mineral. They are eating it like honey because they didn't get what they needed from the blocks. Once their need for mineral has been met, they will taper off on eating the loose mineral.

 

[TexasBred]

Need help with minerals, I have a salt block out for my cows and bull,and a mineral block, but this time i bought loose mineral and put some out for free choice, and they ate it like it was honey. can they eat to much of minerals if i leave it out free choice.or will they eat so much and quite ?i dont guess it makes any different, they are angus bull and Hereford cows about1000#each.one of them is with calf. thanks for all the help, I have learned alot from this board. thanks again

No, they will not eat too much mineral. They are eating it like honey because they didn't get what they needed from the blocks. Once their need for mineral has been met, they will taper off on eating the loose mineral.

Actually they can and will consume too much mineral if it has too many goodies in it to make it taste good... There are some things in mineral that can be toxie if overconsumed.....selenium being one....others only inhibit the utilization of others. But they probably were craving something in the mineral initially and should back off once they've reached good maintenance levels.