Like a fool..........

[Brandonm22]

Anyone know how much a block of hay weights? :roll: :lol:

I think it all depends on what model square baler your using and how tight a bale you are making. IF I had to guess I would say a "block", "flicker", or "flake" of hay probably weighs about 11 pounds.

 

[grubbie]

Big Iron, depends on what you're doing with the animal. She will do just great on hay alone. Free choice hay, not a flake. Then finisher on grain if you want. If you want to give her grain now to fatten her up, fine. But she is plenty old enough to do well on free choice hay. Have done it many times, have a bum in the corral doin it right now and she is just as big as the other calves. We are raisng ours for replacements though, not freezer beef. Either way, keep hay in front of her at all times.

 

[6M Ranch]

I'll jump in. Depends if you're going to breed her or eat her. I would give her free choice hay/grazing until she's around 500 pounds. Then get her on a starter mix until you get up around 1.5% - 2% body weight a day. If you're going to breed her, back off on the grain. For future reference, I wouldn't buy calves that small. Not sure why anyone would wean a 250 pound calf.

 

[angie1]

Wow. This is interesting. We call it a "slab" of hay.

Anyhow. I am not familiar with the grain you are feeding. I would advise a calf grower (not starter). It is too bad she has been weaned, but it is common enough and she will do ok.

What your plans are do matter.

Keep it light on the corn, too much fat. If you buy a mixed grower, it will be balanced. I would say free choice grain at her size, but it looks like I am out voted there. Do not pull grain from her.

If possible let her have access to your other cattle rather than keep her penned alone ~ maybe you are already doing this.

Ignore the peanut section, your questions are more important than their comments.

Good luck with your calf!

 

[dun]

The suggestions of a lot of hay for that size calf don;t wash. You'll end up with a potbellied poor growing calf. An early weaned calf can turn out just as growthy and as good a quality as one raised by a cow IF you pay attention to it's nutritional needs. Hay typically has way too much bulk for the amount of protein, that is why grain is a btter feed for small calves. Calves that small are the only ones that the corn should be ground or at least chopped for. A good quality 14-16% calf grain is a must and has to be adjusted in quantity as the calf grows.

 

[Bigiron]

Thank you all.Dun that is why I asked the question about how much I should be feeding this calf. If you read my first post I stated I didnt want to end up with a pot bellied calf and I was told by a friend hay would do that to a calf that size if overfed on hay. That is what I wanted to verify. I wonder if anyone else has the same opionion as Dun?

 

[hopalong]

Thank you all.Dun that is why I asked the question about how much I should be feeding this calf. If you read my first post I stated I didnt want to end up with a pot bellied calf and I was told by a friend hay would do that to a calf that size if overfed on hay. That is what I wanted to verify. I wonder if anyone else has the same opionion as Dun?

Only the smart ones!
Dun as usual has given the kind of advice that some on here wish they could give, and seeing how they can't they only offer criticism or make jokes, thus givin the board a bad name!

 

[newrancher]

Good luck with your calf, you will figure out who on here will give you good advice, dun and angie are some of those. Ignore the bologna producers, they post everytime someone breaks wind, even if they have nothing constructive to say. All those stars by their name makes em feel superior, I think they are trying to make up for other SHORTcomings.

 

[djinwa]

I've been away for a few days. Let me clarify my post. My point wasn't so much against feeding grain, as it was giving some perspective to those who accuse you of mistreating your calf.

Some general comments, some already covered by others:

Too much hay does not cause disease. But in a young calf, they cannot eat enough to extract the necessary energy and protein they need for growth. That's why they normally continue nursing until they get a bigger rumen – relying on their mom's big rumen to extract nutrients that go into milk.

The lower the quality of hay, the more is needed. Give calves all the hay they can eat, so they can extract as much as possible – but they'll still need more nutrients through grain.

I bought a lowline/Jersey 6-month old heifer. The guy was promoting the lowlines as only needing grass. Well, he had weaned the heifer at 3 months and thereafter was only giving her grass hay, and she looked pretty poor – pot-bellied and lacking muscle. I got her home and started alfalfa hay and some fortified grain ration and she perked right up. Adults with big rumens can live on just grass, but not calves.

Too much grain can be a problem. It is more of a problem at a later age when the rumen is more developed and contains more microbes. The microbes convert the starch in grain to acid which can cause problems. Always want to introduce grain slowly so microbes can adjust, and better if divided into multiple feedings. Feedlot/dairy rations are mostly grain, so the amounts you're feeding are fine.

Here's some readable info on rumen development and function:

http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2000 ... ay85.shtml

http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2000 ... ay88.shtml

 

[Brandonm22]

If the calf is 250 pounds and you are feeding it 2.5 pounds TWICE a day you already are feeding it 2% of it's body weight in grain. It is certainly not going to get pot bellied on a high protein concentrate at that high a %age of it's body weight (at that age it probably doesn't eat 3% of it's body weight anyway). The forage that it eats after it's 2% grain ration is only going to increase appetite and help it to eat more forage as it grows. The ONLY reason you would need to limit availability to forage, would be if it were refusing to eat the grain. Mollasses and splitting it's ration into two feedings generally will usually prevent that from being a problem.

 

[ONEGICOP]

I agree with Dun. I've seen the results of calves that small raised on hay alone versus hay and grain. She'll turn out alot better if you bring her along with both.