how much do i feed

[allinnow]

I have 30 head on a 3 acres until i finish fixing a stretch of fence where calves have gotten out. When the fence is done I'll put them out on pasture but in the mean time I have to feed corn and minerals. I need to know how much to feed them. They're average weight is 300lbs. I currently give them 60 pounds of grain and 50lbs of coastal hay every day and it's all gone in 20 minutes. Should I feed more grain or more hay or more of both?

 

[cfpinz]

Feed 1% of their body weight per head per day. Then slowly increase it until they are at a couple pounds of day.

:?: :?: :?:

1% of 300lbs is 3lbs. Let's start there and ramp it up to a couple lbs per day. :roll:

cfpinz

 

[msscamp]

I have 30 head on a 3 acres until i finish fixing a stretch of fence where calves have gotten out. When the fence is done I'll put them out on pasture but in the mean time I have to feed corn and minerals. I need to know how much to feed them. They're average weight is 300lbs. I currently give them 60 pounds of grain and 50lbs of coastal hay every day and it's all gone in 20 minutes. Should I feed more grain or more hay or more of both?

You don't mention your goal for these calves, so I would suggest leaving the grain where it is and increasing the hay to say 20, maybe 25 lbs/animal. I would start with 20 lbs, watch them and increase as needed. There is no way I would give these calves free choice grain.

 

[Sir Loin]

MS,
Re:

There is no way I would give these calves free choice grain.

Why is that?
SL

 

[cfpinz]

You don't mention your goal for these calves, so I would suggest leaving the grain where it is and increasing the hay to say 20, maybe 25 lbs/animal. I would start with 20 lbs, watch them and increase as needed.

Or just set a roll in there and let them have at it til it's gone, use a ring so they won't waste as much. I'm too lazy to ration hay.

There is no way I would give these calves free choice grain.

msscamp - It's obvious you are not a Tennesseeee Master Beef Producer! :lol: :lol: ;-)

cfpinz

 

[msscamp]

MS,
Re:

There is no way I would give these calves free choice grain.

Why is that?
SL

Free choice grain tends to lead to this nasty little condition called acidosis, which I really don't want to have to deal with. It also has a nasty tendency of leading to dead calves, which are very hard to make money on.

 

[msscamp]

You don't mention your goal for these calves, so I would suggest leaving the grain where it is and increasing the hay to say 20, maybe 25 lbs/animal. I would start with 20 lbs, watch them and increase as needed.

Or just set a roll in there and let them have at it til it's gone, use a ring so they won't waste as much. I'm too lazy to ration hay.

That works too!

There is no way I would give these calves free choice grain.

msscamp - It's obvious you are not a Tennesseeee Master Beef Producer! :lol: :lol: ;-)

cfpinz

That's ok - I'm perfectly content with being a Wyoming Live Producer! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[hillsdown]

I have 30 head on a 3 acres until i finish fixing a stretch of fence where calves have gotten out. When the fence is done I'll put them out on pasture but in the mean time I have to feed corn and minerals. I need to know how much to feed them. They're average weight is 300lbs. I currently give them 60 pounds of grain and 50lbs of coastal hay every day and it's all gone in 20 minutes. Should I feed more grain or more hay or more of both?

My take on this is completely different from some of yours;what a surprise ;-) .

First is that 60lbs and one small square(50 lbs is almost half a small square) for all 30 or per animal?
Also if they are 300 lbs each that would mean to me thay are 2-3 months of age no one finishes beef at that age (beef not veal and that is definately not the case here) so where are the dams or are these bottle fed animals?

To many questions unanswered to give a correct and realistic answer.JM2cnts :roll: [/quote]

 

[msscamp]

I have 30 head on a 3 acres until i finish fixing a stretch of fence where calves have gotten out. When the fence is done I'll put them out on pasture but in the mean time I have to feed corn and minerals. I need to know how much to feed them. They're average weight is 300lbs. I currently give them 60 pounds of grain and 50lbs of coastal hay every day and it's all gone in 20 minutes. Should I feed more grain or more hay or more of both?

My take on this is completely different from some of yours;what a surprise ;-) .

Also if they are 300 lbs each that would mean to me thay are 2-3 months of age no one finishes beef at that age (beef not veal and that is definately not the case here) so where are the dams or are these bottle fed animals?

It is very common to have these size calves ran through the auction barn here - we bought some 50-75 head of them this past spring, and there were a lot more available - some are bottle calves, but most are just early weaned due to the ongoing drought.

[/quote]

 

[hillsdown]

So true Msscamp so I guess I was just reinforcing your previous statement;"what is the expected result of these calves?"

 

[msscamp]

So true Msscamp so I guess I was just reinforcing your previous statement;"what is the expected result of these calves?"

Not necessarily, and you brought up some very good points. Having said that, I think you would agree that the goals that the owner is looking to achieve are definitely going to have a bearing on how these cattle are fed, as well as how much grain vs hay. I tend to look at things from a pairs standpoint, since that is what I'm used to, and so my reponses tend to be geared to that scenario. You, on the other hand, have the ability to look at things from a broader viewpoint and that is always a good thing, at least in my book.

 

[novatech]

I have 30 head on a 3 acres until i finish fixing a stretch of fence where calves have gotten out. When the fence is done I'll put them out on pasture but in the mean time I have to feed corn and minerals. I need to know how much to feed them. They're average weight is 300lbs. I currently give them 60 pounds of grain and 50lbs of coastal hay every day and it's all gone in 20 minutes. Should I feed more grain or more hay or more of both?

If you have good high quality hay you do not need anything else but free choice mineral. If your hay is of lesser quality you may want to add some protein supplement. You may want to read the article I posted in the feed yard board.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

300# calves of any age need quality feed. They need about 14-15% protein - I would guess that is difficult to achieve with coastal hay.
They should be receiving 1% of their body weight (3#) of 14% protein grain and ALL THE HAY THEY CAN EAT!! You NEVER need to LIMIT hay with calves. Their grain can be increased SLOWLY to 3% of their body weight.
If you had fat & happy COWS, yes, they need to be limit fed hay (no grain).
50# of hay is equal to 1 small square bale of hay - that's about enough to feed 3 head a day - not 30!!!
And even if you did have a great grass crop in that 3 acres - 30 head should have gleaned it clean in a day.
Hmmm, maybe you should get put in a room & hand fed a piece of bread and 1 slice of balony each day - oh yeah, and all the water you can drink.
Sorry, shouldn't be nasty, just couldn't help myself. Maybe I misunderstand what you are doing.

 

[dun]

Hmmm, maybe you should get put in a room & hand fed a piece of bread and 1 slice of balony each day - oh yeah, and all the water you can drink.

Except for the slice of balogna and it was one loaf of hard bread a day, I was on that diet a couple of times in my misspent youth.

dun

 

[Beefy]

you are feeding about 2 lbs of grain (assuming they all get their fair share) and about 1.66666666666 lbs of hay per calf now. i would feed more hay.

 

[allinnow]

Thanks for all the info, so I feel stupid now. They are feeder calves and I will increase both to 3lbs a day for grain and free choice hay with a round bale ring. Thanks!

 

[novatech]

300# calves of any age need quality feed. They need about 14-15% protein - I would guess that is difficult to achieve with coastal hay.
They should be receiving 1% of their body weight (3#) of 14% protein grain and ALL THE HAY THEY CAN EAT!! You NEVER need to LIMIT hay with calves. Their grain can be increased SLOWLY to 3% of their body weight.
If you had fat & happy COWS, yes, they need to be limit fed hay (no grain).
50# of hay is equal to 1 small square bale of hay - that's about enough to feed 3 head a day - not 30!!!
And even if you did have a great grass crop in that 3 acres - 30 head should have gleaned it clean in a day.
Hmmm, maybe you should get put in a room & hand fed a piece of bread and 1 slice of balony each day - oh yeah, and all the water you can drink.
Sorry, shouldn't be nasty, just couldn't help myself. Maybe I misunderstand what you are doing.

You are right I did not realize they were feeder calves. But on the other hand 14% is good coastal and easily achievable if you get enough rain and fert. I have seen coastal in the 20's.
Those with irragation advertise it on a regular basis. I will have my next cut tested an PM you the result.

 

[msscamp]

Hmmm, maybe you should get put in a room & hand fed a piece of bread and 1 slice of balony each day - oh yeah, and all the water you can drink.

Except for the slice of balogna and it was one loaf of hard bread a day, I was on that diet a couple of times in my misspent youth.

dun

You never cease to amaze me, dun! :lol: :lol: :lol: