I am looking for info on feeding weanling calves alfalfa hay. I have a small registered herd, and have a set of bull calves I am going to wean in a few days. I typically feed a ground grain type feed that I make. This year however, I have a new patch of alfalfa(my first time growing alfalfa), and now have some nice hay. I do not have the analysis, but am quessing the hay would be 10-15%? The feed I make is normally around 14% based on average values for corn, oats, cotton seed etc. So I know without the analysis on the hay it is a quess, but my question can be simplified. If I feed a pound of 15% alfalfa hay, is that as good as a pound of 15% ground feed? I typically feed a.m./p.m. and was hoping to replace the p.m. feeding with the hay. I have no experience with alfalfa because it is so expensive to buy, and typically have fescue and coastal bermuda grass hay and some oat hay. The hay that I put out is free choice in addition to any grain,but I am thinking to use the alfalfa in a ration? I need to put 2-3lbs/day on these guys and dont want to loose a bunch of time experimenting. Any help appreciated
Feeding Calves
- Thread starter cotton1
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Son of Butch
Well-known member
Only on paper.cotton1":2nxttwce said:
Ground feed will develop the rumen much faster than hay. Starting with a Hay only diet will give them pot bellies. Start with ground feed and then gradually add hay to 'wean' them from ground feed to alfalfa hay.
kinda what I was afraid of. The idea of replacing 1/2 of my ground feed input cost by using the hay may not work out. I just have to figure out the best way to utilize the alfalfa hay now that I have it. Im not sure if I want to grind it in with the feed or just give them an extra 10lbs of the alfalfa every day or two. The feed is not so bad but the weather is not looking good for making a corn crop this year. If I had to buy corn it would be very expensive. Using alfalfa ground in I may could save on cotton seed meal, which is a big form of protien in my feed. Just seems like it may cause a little moisture problem with the feed. In my mind, it seems just feeding the square bales in a lbs per head per day strait out is best. Protien is one thing but my feed has vitamins/minerals and fat content that are too important to abandon. That is why I was wondering if I did a half grain, half alfalfa this year could I produce the same quality bulls with less input cost.
TexasBred
Well-known member
In addition to what you already mentioned, your feed has ENERGY. Extremely important in growing calves. Don't know that I would go 50% grain but wouldn't be afraid to go 40%. Just don't want to get the rumen out of balance.cotton1":z40lkqci said:
TexasBred , your right. What I have been doing is just fine. There is the old saying about if it aint broke dont fix it, but now I have a new "tool" to work with. I do not want to sacrifice quality,even If it means not even using my new tool, so to speak. Just wondering if I could help my bottom line this year with the hay.Having high quality hay to feed is a goal along with a proper way to use it.To me the bull calves are the perfect candidate for the extra protien. I like to ease the heifers along,but the bulls are going to work at 15 months where the heifers will just get bred at that age. Plenty of muscle on a good long yearling is great, but there can be too much of a good thing. The feed doesnt get too bad until the bulls reach 11-12 mo. Thats when it really ramps up and I was hoping to use my new feed source to hold cost at bay and still deliver the nutrition nessesary plus a little. Good long yearlings are valuable these days....
