Changing feed type

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Raeleigh26

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Hi, I'm New here, but I've got a question,
I've got 5 head in varying stages of growth, age, and productivity.
Maggie 3 yr old dexter nursing dairy Angus calf, getting 2 lb 20%cubes tad
Dude,3 month old maggies foster, nursing and given 2 lb 12%creep tad,but isn't eating much of it and either showing his holstein or not gaining like he should at this point.
Lou, 5month old Angus, in good size and weight, shaggy,but healthy appetite, getting 2 1/2 lb 12%grower tad.
And Yubie, 4 month old black baldy, malnurished, coming it out of it, had pretty bad bvd, still breathes a little heavy. getting 2 lb tad 12% grower

My question is this: would it be safe to switch from dry feed to 20% vitalix tubs? For all of them or some of them? Dude will lick I think better than he eats (gets bored or distracted and never finishes) , Idk if Yubie will continue to thrive on it, Lou I'm sure will be fine, Maggie will have to have dry feed or she won't let dude nurse (I intend to stop feeding her when I'm ready to wean him, 2 weeks after his vaccinations/dehorn/castration, which is being scheduled today)
I'm considering this for cost differences, simplicity, (it's a pain to separate them so they each get their rations) and to prep them for being turned out to pasture in a month after we burn the fields.
Bad idea?
 
Just for the sake of simplicity and not feeding a different feed to each animal I'd probably just buy a good high quality horse and mule feed and pour it to them. You're not feeding any of them enough feed to get any gain. the horse feed won't be but about 10-11% protein but should contain plenty of oats and corn giving it a good energy level. If you don't want to do it that way get your feed store to point out a good high quality textured cattle feed in the 10-12% protein range and feed it. Avoid pelleted feed as you have no idea whats in it.
 
Dude is finally up to 3 lb a day, I don't have a way to creep feed them so he's fed after nursing and just wasn't that interested.
They all look good except the baldy, I bought her in bad shape, she's already looking much better, losing the potbelly and putting on some meat.
Maggie is fat. I'm weaning dude@ 4 months(he'll be dehorned, castrated, vaccinated Monday, I'll give him a couple weeks to recoup) for her comfort, and to turn her onto pasture where hopefully she'll drop the feed fat and be ready to breed in June.
But dexters are like bassett hounds, lol, so easy to get fat on almost nothing.
This is my first time dealing with a junk calf (Yubie) and these two don't look nearly as good as the ones I've raised from birth.
I'm not feeding enough? It's about 1-2%of their body weight, by my estimate. Yubie is stunted enough that she's smaller than dude and a month older, I'll admit I'm not great at judging cattle weight, I'm going by my vets estimate and plan to increase according to growth. And she is gaining, was skin and bones, I'm not kidding, 3 weeks ago, she's put on 30 lbs.
The grower is textured, corn, soybean meal, what mids, oat, and they don't seem to clean it up as well as pellets.
 
Are you feeding the Purina Stocker/Grower by chance? If you are, I have cattle that just don't like it!

TB is the feed expert, I would listen to his advice. Cattle also eat better when they have competition. So other then the sickly or the tiny one, they can eat together.
I might add, make sure that you have a good worming program.
Also if you want to increase appetite and balance the gut, sprinkle their grain with Probios. It works.
 
Sounds to me like everything is doing perfect. I don't even know why he/she asked the question. Apparently has some 3,4 adn 5 month old calves that weigh 100 lbs. each getting 2lbs. feed per day (2% of body weight) yet thriving. Don't need my help.
 

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