Ok another question

[fcnubian]

Well I got on the KENT website. And did some reading. I am currently feeding Active Starter 18DQ. On the site it says after calves are 2-3 months of age they may be fed growing rations made from Active Calfgo 32 Deccox or Active Grower 16 DQ45. She's 4 months old so I was wondering has any one fed the two feeds I listed above?? I was wondering what you all thought of those two and if I should go ahead and switch to one of them. Im getting low on her feed now so if Im going to change to one them I'd like to get it so I can mix it with the last bit so that she's changed over to that feed slowly. ;-)

Thanks In advance!

 

[msscamp]

Sorry, but I can't help you with this - I've never even heard of those feeds, much less used them. I'm assuming this is a bottle calf? My bottle calves have always been fed plain old C.O.B. (corn, oats, and barley with molasses mixed in), milk replacer, and good quality hay.

 

[mnmtranching]

I know nothing about those feeds either.

Are they in 50 paper bags from some big company?

If so, I believe it's probably overpriced. These company's use their grain "bi products" make a nice looking pellet and charge as much as they can possibly get by with.

If you have a co-op or a privately owned feed store around, buy their calf feed in 100lbs sacks, be better feed.

Better yet buy it by the ton bulk.

 

[larryshoat]

I have used some of the 32% which will have to be mixed with something like corn. The 16% is a complete feed. I am sure they are both good feeds,maybe a little expensive.If you only have a few the 16% would be easy.

 

[fcnubian]

I'm assuming this is a bottle calf?

Yes she's weaned.

Are they in 50 paper bags from some big company?

They are 50lb bags from the Elevator. They are KENT feeds though.

The stuff we use now is 18.something a bag.

Also Im only feeding one calf.

My bottle calves have always been fed plain old C.O.B. (corn, oats, and barley with molasses mixed in), milk replacer, and good quality hay.

How long did you feed that and what amounts of each? Did you have liquid molasses mixed in with it or did you use the dry stuff.

 

[msscamp]

My bottle calves have always been fed plain old C.O.B. (corn, oats, and barley with molasses mixed in), milk replacer, and good quality hay.

How long did you feed that and what amounts of each? Did you have liquid molasses mixed in with it or did you use the dry stuff.

I have an unconventional approach to raising bottle calves - I try to duplicate, as closely as possible, what would happen if the calf were on his mother. Assuming the calf is a day to a few days old when I acquired him/her, I start out with 4 2-quart bottles spaced as evenly as possible over a 24 hour period(first feeding was around 7/8 am, and last feeding was around 11/12 pm), a handful of C.O.B.(keep it fresh), and a small flake of good quality grass hay (also kept fresh) per day. As the grain/hay intake increases, I start decreasing the bottles and start adding a little good quality alfalfa - a small flake alternated with grass twice a day, usually around a couple of weeks of age. As the calf's appetite increases, I increase the hay until he/she is getting a couple of flakes of both - grass at one feeding, and alfalfa at the other feeding. When the calf is eating grain good - around a pound per day - I start eliminating 1 bottle over the course of a few feedings, usually a pint at a time each feeding or every other feeding, depending on the calf. I also gradually increase the grain, and introduce ground hay - maybe a 1/2 of a 5 gallon bucket - using the grain as a top dressing. By the time I wean - usually around 3 or 4 months of age - the calf is eating 2, maybe 3 pounds of grain/day split into 2 feedings, several pounds of ground hay, and a couple of flakes of hay 2X/day. Depending on the time of year and the calf, he/she was then transitioned into the weaning calves and fed what they were eating - usually ground hay, a couple of pounds of grain/calf, beet pulp, and receiver pellets. The molasses was liquid and pre-mixed in the grain.