Holsteins
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shorty
Well-known member
I start holstien bull calves for something extra to do (as if I need more to do) If the feederprice is good we sell them as feeders ( as it has been ) , if not we finish them , we usually do okay. I have a friend who does about 30 a year he sells about half as freezer beef and takes the rest to auction.
We used to before we got more cows, but I have a friend that has around 500 on hand all the time. I think they still go with the Doboy "Tend-R-Lean" program. It's basically a no-roughage program, they get the proteing pellets and corn mixture free choice. All they give them for roughage is the cornstalk bales they use for bedding. It's a pretty good program, but there are several other similar ones out there by most major feed companies.
J
Well-known member
I realize the cold is a factor when raising a bottle calf. especially a holstein, but is it better to get one in the winter or summer?
Just wondering?
Just wondering?
I think it's about 50/50 on when is best to get them. There's problems with either one. Summer has flies - Winter brings on colds etc, etc. For those of you who have done the bottle to slaughter route - what did you feed? Am just trying to evaluate what we have done. Maybe someone has something better that I can learn from. Would appreciate all information.
Farmhand, I'm not sure what you're goals are for these calves, but have you looked into the Hubbard brand AS70 Range N Grow pellets? They are licorice flavored (which the animals love, believe it or not) and they are medicated so, depending on the time of year and circumstances, can help to aleviate a lot of problems. I used them this year on my bottle baby (mainly because I was having a very hard time getting him to eat anything other than his bottle) and they worked very well! Just a suggestion.
We buy Holstein bull calves, band them when we get them, feed them Kent Feeds milk replacer, all stock feed, and brome grass. Switch them over to ground ear corn/protein ration we grind ourselves. Rotate free choice brome grass bales, oats hay bales. Access to cornstalks all times. Finish these out to sell as fats with our other beef fats. Am interested in what others feed and at what age/weight they switch their feed, how hard do you push them, etc.
shorty
Well-known member
We get the calves when they are a few days old start them on milk replacer ( 22% protien 18% fat) put a 20% calf starter in front of them and also good 2nd or 3rd cutting grass hay. when they are about 6 wweeks old we start mixing some of our own feed ( 16% ) and at weaning at 8weeks or so we switch to our feed, we band a few weeks after weaning . if the feeder price is good we sell as feeders, if not they go in with our other steers which get a i2% mix of ear corn oats barley and supplement about 2-2.5% of their body wieght per day plus 1st cutting grass hay whatever they want, Holstiens need a little more feed than beef breeds to get a nice finish but you can get them nice.
Where are you located at in Pa? I am in Lancaster County. I buy Holstein Steers in at about 3 months old, and sell them at about a year. I would be interested in talking to you. I am looking for another source for steers. Drop me an email when you get a chance.
Thanks,
Mike
[email protected]
Thanks,
Mike
[email protected]
businessbreed
Member
go with the doboy (Tend-R-Leen) program, you can put holstiens on full corn (some hay if you want) at 350 and they will be finished out by 1350
what is the doboy ( tend-r-leen) program were can i find out more about it. steers want bloat or stomach want get messed up without any hay, and how much hay due you have to feed.businessbreed":3dqube2r said:
Texas PaPaw
Well-known member
We raise a few holstein bucket calves. I try to get a couple new ones each month and have 4 calves on buckets at the same time. That's all I can feed at once. At 7 weeks we begin weaning. At two months we switch from Startena starter by Purina to Growena up until 6 months. Once the switch is made we supplement with flaked corn and hay (or pasture when available).
A few are kept to feed out and sell on the hoof for butchering, but the rest are sold as light to heavy feeders depending on the time of year and market. I don't have enough pasture to feed out more or I would.
A few are kept to feed out and sell on the hoof for butchering, but the rest are sold as light to heavy feeders depending on the time of year and market. I don't have enough pasture to feed out more or I would.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
I am trying to use home raised cob corn and a wood self feeder. What are the issues and a recomended approach for moving steers onto self feed ground ear corn with a hay supplement ration?
