feeding weaned red angus 7 month old heifers

[redangus]

I recently bought 18 red angus heifers out of Chateau, Vacation and a Marias son. They were about 575 - 600 at weaning. If my hay is about 13% protein and 50-55% TDN, what do I need to supplement them with?

I am intending to use a 14% corn and soybean meal feed. I am just going to give them about 2.5 lbs a day. I just want to push them along enough to get them plenty growthy at 12 -14 months. Any better ideas?

 

[Tod Dague]

I usually just give enough to keep them at a BCS of 6.
I like to use corn & cotton seed meal. Looks like you have pretty good hay and you may not need much supplement.

 

[dun]

Depends on what you consider "plenty growthy". Our Red Angus and F1s just get good quality pasture after a couple of weeks of grain right at weaning. Too much supplement at this point can cause fatty udders that will decrease milk production. As yearlings our heifers run around 750-800 and calve at around 1000-1050. The only supplement they get is a high quality mineral and white salt. If the weather is going to be severe we'll give them a little corn gluten for a couple of days before and after the cold. Other then that it's strictly medium quality hay or stockpiled fescue pasture.
They cycle and breed first service over 90% and are bred to calve at 23-24 months.

dun

 

[hillbilly]

I recently bought 18 red angus heifers out of Chateau, Vacation and a Marias son. They were about 575 - 600 at weaning. If my hay is about 13% protein and 50-55% TDN, what do I need to supplement them with?

I am intending to use a 14% corn and soybean meal feed. I am just going to give them about 2.5 lbs a day. I just want to push them along enough to get them plenty growthy at 12 -14 months. Any better ideas?

That sound exactly like we grow our heifers except our weaning weight is
about 50 lbs lower than your heifers.
You may have to sort them if a couple start getting fat, but ours stay about right at 2.5# of 14% per day.
Our heirers weigh 850-900 @ 14 months, yours will be at least 50# heavier.
Then you can turn them out with the cows and not have to worry about them untill calving.

Hillbilly