Calves newly weaned weight gain

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CowboyRam

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What is considered a good weight gain for calve just weaned. The middle of November I fence line weaned my calves for 45 days. My average weight at weaning was 501 pounds, and the average weight when I sent them to the sale was 558 pounds, so they gained about 57 pounds in those 45, and that comes out to about 1.26 pounds per day. They were on alfalfa and the sweet-pro cattle kandy tubs for those 45 days. Those 62 head would go through a 225 pound tub in about three days. I also should also say that they were giving their weaning shots, and dewormed two weeks before weaning.

Did I do good, or did I do poorly?
 
Another 45 days would've done better!
Were they implanted?

I've not had much luck weaning calves myself. Last group I tried didn't do well.
I'd a been happy to have gotten your gains. But 2 lbs a day would've been better. I'd say they would've really gained if you had held em longer, but then you'd have more inputs too! Gotta get over the hump from weaning. They go backwards for the first couple weeks I hear.
 
Another 45 days would've done better!
Were they implanted?

I've not had much luck weaning calves myself. Last group I tried didn't do well.
I'd a been happy to have gotten your gains. But 2 lbs a day would've been better. I'd say they would've really gained if you had held em longer, but then you'd have more inputs too! Gotta get over the hump from weaning. They go backwards for the first couple weeks I hear.
No implants.
 
There were ways you could have done better. 1.26# isn't very good, but you have to take into consideration that they most likely lost weight for a couple of weeks. So they had to gain that back. If they lost 50# and that is just guessing, they gained 107# in 45 days. That's much better gain. Then if you hauled them anywhere to weigh, there is shrink besides.

Just a tip: Calves need the best feed you have, because they don't have a very big rumen. Lick tubs are expensive and don't do much in the way of gaining weight, since they are usually a protein tub. It takes energy (grain) for cattle, especially calves to gain weight and the best, finest grass hay you have.

Figure what it cost you for them to gain 57#, and see if you would do it again.
You didn't lose any, or if you did, you didn't mention it so that's a bonus for sure.

Hope this helps!
 
There were ways you could have done better. 1.26# isn't very good, but you have to take into consideration that they most likely lost weight for a couple of weeks. So they had to gain that back. If they lost 50# and that is just guessing, they gained 107# in 45 days. That's much better gain. Then if you hauled them anywhere to weigh, there is shrink besides.

Just a tip: Calves need the best feed you have, because they don't have a very big rumen. Lick tubs are expensive and don't do much in the way of gaining weight, since they are usually a protein tub. It takes energy (grain) for cattle, especially calves to gain weight and the best, finest grass hay you have.

Figure what it cost you for them to gain 57#, and see if you would do it again.
You didn't lose any, or if you did, you didn't mention it so that's a bonus for sure.

Hope this helps!
I did haul them to town to weigh them, and then dumped them in the pasture next to mama. I don't think they even realized that mama was on the other side of the fence, they went to grazing right away. They were on alfalfa that was not cut for about a week, maybe two before I started feeding them. I started out with third cutting alfalfa, but switched to second cutting alfalfa about week later.

I think I did ok, comparing to the calves I sold the year before; those I jerked them off the cows and they went to the sale barn. I think I will do it again, but would like to improve.
 
I did haul them to town to weigh them, and then dumped them in the pasture next to mama. I don't think they even realized that mama was on the other side of the fence, they went to grazing right away. They were on alfalfa that was not cut for about a week, maybe two before I started feeding them. I started out with third cutting alfalfa, but switched to second cutting alfalfa about week later.

I think I did ok, comparing to the calves I sold the year before; those I jerked them off the cows and they went to the sale barn. I think I will do it again, but would like to improve.
I agree with faster horses. The protein in the alfalfa was probably enough for them; the lick tubs probably didn't contribute to your ADG at all. You'd be better off investing the same money in grain.
 
You were feeding alfalfa. You didn't gain anything by giving them protein tubs. The alfalfa would give them all the protein they need. Maybe a little more than they need. You would have been money ahead to spend the dollars you spent on tubs to on corn and fed it. Your tubs must have been soft too. I have 35 calves that weigh about 400 pounds. It has been taking them about 3 weeks to go through a tub.
 
You were feeding alfalfa. You didn't gain anything by giving them protein tubs. The alfalfa would give them all the protein they need. Maybe a little more than they need. You would have been money ahead to spend the dollars you spent on tubs to on corn and fed it. Your tubs must have been soft too. I have 35 calves that weigh about 400 pounds. It has been taking them about 3 weeks to go through a tub.
The cattle Kandy is pretty soft. The reason I fed the tubs is that I don't have any bunks to feed grain in, at least not yet.
 
The tubs might have worked against you. Too much protein is expensive and can make the calves loose. When they are loose, they aren't gaining weight.
They are gone now, so now you can get ready for this coming fall and hopefully get some feed bunks. Good luck!!
 
The price of a tub probably would have purchased a feeder.
Fence line weaning is best (IMO), so you did great with that. As others have said, too much protein is not good. They need carbs to gain. I always recommend whole shell corn. Cheapest grain and very healthy for fresh calves.
 
The price of a tub probably would have purchased a feeder.
Fence line weaning is best (IMO), so you did great with that. As others have said, too much protein is not good. They need carbs to gain. I always recommend whole shell corn. Cheapest grain and very healthy for fresh calves.
Whole corn over cracked? How do you get them to eat the corn?
 
If you would have implanted them when you had them in the chute two weeks before weaning, that $1.50 per head investment would have probably added another 6 to 10 lbs per head. Nice chunk of change for 62 head.
 
Sounds like you are off to a good start. Getting them weaned is the first and hardest step. We don't have easy access to Alfalfa so don't feed it so I can't really speak to how they would gain on it. Weaned calves only need about 14% protein feed, anything more can make them go backwards. I feed mine a 14% commodity mix and they eat whatever grass they can find. Start at 4# and bump them up slowly to 6#. I know you said you don't have troughs but the money you save in feed will pay for the troughs most likely.
10-12 calves can eat out of a 8' trough easily. As others have said they're gonna be stagnet or loose for a week or so after weaning too. I'm not sold on the tubs.
 
Not to good. Get rid of the tubs buy bunks and buckets keep them 60 days. Your on the right track and implant them
 
You don't need anything too flash and expensive for bunks, those blue plastic 205 litre drums cut lengthwise, I use the angle grinder with the thin metal cutting disc to do it and then bolt 2 ends together. I use these for weaning my calves and they work well. The bulls I am developing will graduate to a proper trough or controlled feeder in a couple of weeks. The heifers I retain will get a grain mix in these blue troughs out in whichever paddock they are in during winter. The advantage of these is their portability, easy to throw in the back of the UTV and move to the next paddock. The colour is distinctive and they will always remember them, just pick one up and drag along and call them and they come running.

Ken
 
If you would have implanted them when you had them in the chute two weeks before weaning, that $1.50 per head investment would have probably added another 6 to 10 lbs per head. Nice chunk of change for 62 head.
Implanting is one of the most cost-effective inputs you can have (unless there is a reason you don't want to do it, i.e., marketing freezer beef etc.)
 
Whole shell corn - not cob corn - calves love it. WSC will show up in their manure - a lot - but they have utilized within 8% compared to cracked corn. If you took manure after feeding cracked corn and looked at it thru a microscope, there is just as much visible corn, we just can't SEE it on the ground like you do with WSC. "Generally," you will save more than the 8% - and depending on your source of cracked corn, cc is usually powdery and that is not healthy for calves.
I only feed WSC (with a pellet protein) to all my weaned calves and then to my heifers until bred.
My showstring gets WSC with oats, pellets (show feeds). I do farely well showing. I avoid bag feed as much as possible. WSC is bought by the ton.
 
Whole shell corn - not cob corn - calves love it. WSC will show up in their manure - a lot - but they have utilized within 8% compared to cracked corn. If you took manure after feeding cracked corn and looked at it thru a microscope, there is just as much visible corn, we just can't SEE it on the ground like you do with WSC. "Generally," you will save more than the 8% - and depending on your source of cracked corn, cc is usually powdery and that is not healthy for calves.
I only feed WSC (with a pellet protein) to all my weaned calves and then to my heifers until bred.
My showstring gets WSC with oats, pellets (show feeds). I do farely well showing. I avoid bag feed as much as possible. WSC is bought by the ton.
Jeanne, the feed we have had mixed for the last several years is 20% coarse ground corn. We feed this to yearlings, cows, bulls, and horses. Are you saying whole shelled corn would be better? We're talking with the feed mill now about tweaking it for next year.
 
I have calves eating out of these bunks. Right now 35 calves eat from 2 12 foot bunks and one 16 footer. They are cheap and nearly indestructible. The last one I made cost about $50 for the lumber and some bolts to make a 16 footer. Use old worn out 16 inch pickup tires free at a tire store.
As to the corn type availability will be the biggest issue. I feed cracked corn because it is cheaper and available here. Cracked corn is 7% more digestible than whole shelled corn. But areas with lots of available corn the whole corn is most likely more than 7% cheaper.

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