Collection worthy?

[Nesikep]

If you're developing cows for a particular environment and feed management, give them the food they will be finding, the ones that make it make it, the ones that don't will fall out. Genetic potential means nothing if it's not the right genes. Grain inputs around here are expensive, no one grows corn or any other grain in the area.. Why would I spend money developing cows that need grain? Grass and mineral, maybe a lick tub for the first time calvers before breeding, that's as much as I'm willing to give them.

 

[gizmom]

TG

We aren't collecting with intentions of marketing, but if someone wants to try him we will make it happen.

Gizmom

 

[CattleMan1920]

So tell me how cattle develop thier WW and YWs without feed? They must gain weight off air and water? More feed =More pounds. Not enough feed = Loss of weight potential.

I guess you never heard of grass. Most seedstock people feed ww to yearling. From yearling on they go to grass. Not feeding a bunch of cows just to keep them fat.

Richnm,

I think Red Bull is trying to suggest that you do this

http://bit.ly/2LflY33

My grass is not as thick as I wanted it this year, but we aren't at 100% growth just yet. Still had some really cool nights that slow it down some.

I'm just hoping my cattle can maintain condition, LOL.

Also, Richnm, that cow in the video above recently had an SAV Elation calf, she's in the video to the left. Momma was a touch over 1500 when she had her daughter, she's probably about 1600 right now and still a very young cow, lot's of growing left to do.

And to think people on CT thought I raised them only on grain inside a barn. How silly! This is one lot of many lots in rotation with that kind of growth.

Now you see why I scratch my head when producers in Kentucky are weaning under 550-600 pounds, it's GENETICS, not available forage. People all around me have what I have in their pastures if not better, yet they don't exploit it to their advantage. :bang:

 

[CattleMan1920]

If you're developing cows for a particular environment and feed management, give them the food they will be finding, the ones that make it make it, the ones that don't will fall out. Genetic potential means nothing if it's not the right genes. Grain inputs around here are expensive, no one grows corn or any other grain in the area.. Why would I spend money developing cows that need grain? Grass and mineral, maybe a lick tub for the first time calvers before breeding, that's as much as I'm willing to give them.

I understand that completely, and if I was there, I would not be raising mine as I do here.

Fortunately, for our operation. Inputs are relatively cheap, and if you don't wait till the last second to prepare, you can have a war chest to get you through winter.

Our herd basically has the equivalent of an all you can eat Chinese buffet year round.

As I have ALSO said, everyone around me has it as well, some take advantage of it better than others. If you have skinny cows in Kentucky, you need to seriously review your nutrition program, and probably take a very close look at your herd genetics. It's hard to feed your way to 1800-2000 pound cows. They have to have the bone structure to allow for that weight, otherwise they would look like Jello on 4 twigs.

 

[T & B farms]

I would only collect him if he lets you massage his tools.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I would only collect him if he lets you massage his tools.

You got kin folks in Kentucky?

 

[Richnm]

I would like to know how much everyone feeds. Post it , tell us. Please share. I figure a small square bale per head a day, 60 pounds mostly alfalfa or wheat. My Calves and lactating cows get an aditional 20 pounds of a grain mix from the local feed mil each.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

I would like to know how much everyone feeds. Post it , tell us. Please share. I figure a small square bale per head a day, 60 pounds mostly alfalfa or wheat. My Calves and lactating cows get an aditional 20 pounds of a grain mix from the local feed mil each.

An idle, average sized stock horse eats a small bale a day of quality hay. There is no way in Hades a large ruminate is going to maintain condition on that amount. Perhaps that is why you are feeding so much grain?

My mature bulls (2 years and older) get only high quality alfalfa and grass mix hay, along with free choice salt and mineral through the winter months. During the summer, they are on pasture working and get nothing but what they graze. My weanling to 2 year old bulls get the same hay, plus about 5 pounds a head a day of cracked corn and soy beans. The cows are on the same hay, until lactation. The two I have on the home farm that have calves right now (14 years old with twins and a first calf heifer) are getting about 10 pounds a day of CC and beans. They will keep getting that until the calves are eating creep well. What the creep will be will be dictated by spring pasture growth and economics. The fact is, I don't have to go overboard on any part of the feed/hay program because the proper genetics and management are in place....

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

This bull hasn't seen grain of ANY kind since he came off a show string at 2 years old...
This pic was taken last week (he's 5 years old)...

 

[Richnm]

I didn't say they eat all the hay that's what I feed. That's how I like my cattle . Good job. I was making the comment to a few others in particular. Drive bys

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

I didn't say they eat all the hay that's what I feed. That's how I like my cattle . Good job. I was making the comment to a few others in particular. Drive bys

I'm trying to figure out why grain is the basis of your feed program, not roughage...?

 

[Nesikep]

I'm currently feeding about 40 lb/day alfalfa hay to each cow (lactating).. In the winter they get about 20-30 lbs of oat hay.. more or less depending on how cold it is... Salt and minerals.

 

[Richnm]

My feed program is pretty much whatever I have from my hay farm. Alfalfa , wheat, triticale, oats, Sudan, millet, grass. I farm 1,000 acres. Whatever I have around I feed. When I use to sell all my feed and run out of hay, I would sell all my cows. Now I have some registered and phasing out the commercial.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

My feed program is pretty much whatever I have from my hay farm. Alfalfa , wheat, triticale, oats, Sudan, millet, grass. I farm 1,000 acres. Whatever I have around I feed. When I use to sell all my feed and run out of hay, I would sell all my cows. Now I have some registered and phasing out the commercial.

Now that makes sense! Sell whatever commodity is up and feed what is down. I buy all my feed stuffs, so I have to figure things quite differently.

 

[True Grit Farms]

On good 10 -12% hay my cows get nothing but 40lbs of hay a day. Fair 8% hay I add 2 - 3lbs wcs, and poor hay I add 5 - 6lbs of a wcs - corn mixture. When it gets unseasonably cold I add more corn. My cows have been on pasture only for the past month and won't see any feed till November.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

On good 10 -12% hay my cows get nothing but 40lbs of hay a day. Fair 8% hay I add 2 - 3lbs wcs, and poor hay I add 5 - 6lbs of a wcs - corn mixture. When it gets unseasonably cold I add more corn. My cows have been on pasture only for the past month and won't see any feed till November.

Our grass just started to turn green. We are a good bit out from actual pasture.

 

[Richnm]

It ONLY works for me because I have so much feed. I sell hay to customers that hay feed 365 days a year. That is 100% way to loose money. $6-$7 per bale for cow hay. 1/2 a bale a day = 182 bales a year = $1,100 feed cost a year per head , not including what the calf eats , minerals, time , shots ,a bull etc.

 

[True Grit Farms]

On good 10 -12% hay my cows get nothing but 40lbs of hay a day. Fair 8% hay I add 2 - 3lbs wcs, and poor hay I add 5 - 6lbs of a wcs - corn mixture. When it gets unseasonably cold I add more corn. My cows have been on pasture only for the past month and won't see any feed till November.

Our grass just started to turn green. We are a good bit out from actual pasture.

Your grass is worth waiting for, we have nothing here compared to there grass - hay wise. As a kid I spent time loading and stacking bales in Hayward. As I recall no fertilizer was needed and lots of legumes mixed in with the grass.

 

[CreekAngus]

I would like to know how much everyone feeds. Post it , tell us. Please share. I figure a small square bale per head a day, 60 pounds mostly alfalfa or wheat. My Calves and lactating cows get an aditional 20 pounds of a grain mix from the local feed mil each.

37 lbs per day of forage and 3lbs of grain. If your cattle are bcs 7 or higher your wasting money and potentially ruining your cows. (Base off 24lbs of dry matter per 1200 lbs of cow). I'm always checking body conditioning to adjust feed, along with weather. Feeding alfalfa and grains in really cold weather is actually a detriment to your cattle, they need excess fiber during those periods. Running a 1000lbs of hay ground is no joke, I miss making real hay (alfalfa).

 

[Nesikep]

Some beautiful 2nd cut... Selling most of that except for what the calves ate over winter


Averaged 88lb a bale



Some really nice fall grazing, Barley, Crimson clover, ryegrass.. Wish I'd had better weather, sowed in august and the weather turned to crap in September, really cold and no light, only about 1 crimson clover plant per acre had made a flower which is unfortunate, would have seeded earlier but I was too busy with haying because the weather was crap in May, pushing my haying way back.. was a tough year to make good hay.