Ozhorse
Well-known member
I have only been farming cattle for seven years and one thing I have not done is hand feed cattle. So at the risk of sounding like a real ignoramus could I get a bit of advice of fully hand feeding a bull.
Life has been tough the last 18 moths as the whole farm got burt out in a bushfire in Jan 2013. We got through last winter with hay donations. Then I would have got away with it except then it did not rain for three months over summer and was extremely hot and windy. What the fire did not kill the lack of rain did. The whole place is like a bowling green.
I have a fairly aged bull with good genetics. He has had a really rough time and is in poor condition. I would like to hand feed him this winter and have him in good condition to work by November. I need to set it up so it is quick to feed. Big square bales are about $250 per bale plus transport and thin cows are about 80c/kg at the local sale yards so I need also to do this economically. Pellets or grain are about $25 per bag. Anyway, enough sob story.
I have on hand nice oaten hay with some oats in and rye grass with some lucerne. I can get more large bales of good lucerne and or oaten hay. Assume no grass in the paddock.
What weight of hay is he likely to need over the next three months?
Do I need to build up to feeding large quantities of oat hay or just put lots of it in front of him?
What does oat hay lack that I need to back up with?
What mix of oaten vs rye or lucerne hay?
Do you think I should feed pellets, or grain or sweet feed with the hay?
What weight of pellets should I build up to per day for a large angus bull?
If I feed oat hay should I give him a urea block with it?
I am used to hand feeding horses. Is it really any different? or the same only larger quantities?
Life has been tough the last 18 moths as the whole farm got burt out in a bushfire in Jan 2013. We got through last winter with hay donations. Then I would have got away with it except then it did not rain for three months over summer and was extremely hot and windy. What the fire did not kill the lack of rain did. The whole place is like a bowling green.
I have a fairly aged bull with good genetics. He has had a really rough time and is in poor condition. I would like to hand feed him this winter and have him in good condition to work by November. I need to set it up so it is quick to feed. Big square bales are about $250 per bale plus transport and thin cows are about 80c/kg at the local sale yards so I need also to do this economically. Pellets or grain are about $25 per bag. Anyway, enough sob story.
I have on hand nice oaten hay with some oats in and rye grass with some lucerne. I can get more large bales of good lucerne and or oaten hay. Assume no grass in the paddock.
What weight of hay is he likely to need over the next three months?
Do I need to build up to feeding large quantities of oat hay or just put lots of it in front of him?
What does oat hay lack that I need to back up with?
What mix of oaten vs rye or lucerne hay?
Do you think I should feed pellets, or grain or sweet feed with the hay?
What weight of pellets should I build up to per day for a large angus bull?
If I feed oat hay should I give him a urea block with it?
I am used to hand feeding horses. Is it really any different? or the same only larger quantities?