Ok hope this doesnt sound stupid to everyone, but just looking for some opinions out there, I have three calves, 1 is sick (treating him now ) but he doesnt like whole corn, the other two dont seem to be bothered by it however I dont think they like wet molasses, so I tried a different recipe that my father in law gets which is shelled corn, oats, dry molasses but they dont like how powdery it is and leave 50% of the powder in the feeder so its like throwing my money away, any suggestions out there?
picky calves-need help on feed
- Thread starter mystery74
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jkwilson
Well-known member
The dry molasses mix should get their interest. How big and how old are they? How much feed are you giving them at a time? Are they getting hay or do they have access to grass?
mystery74
Well-known member
they are all 6-8 months old, they get all the feed they can eat in a day I put about 1/2 bag in feeder of two different kinds of feed but they leave that powder in the feeder and wont eat it, its a waste and then one calf wont eat whole kernels , no pasture for them to graze on yet, fence should be finished this weekend but they get hay, I keep trying new feeds and spending a fistful of money trying to figure out what they want, whole kernels isnt working, and now either is shelledjkwilson":3uny3uea said:
warpaint
Well-known member
I've got a heifer that is real picky about her feed. But I've got her on a show mix.
I don't think you said, but how long in between are you giving them to adjust to the new feed?
I don't think you said, but how long in between are you giving them to adjust to the new feed?
mystery74
Well-known member
The one calf starved himself for over a week I finally had to put him on kentrol for awhile, I thought he was relapsing on me and when we offered him a different feed he ate it, not sure on all the different ways of having the corn fixed? NEVER had this problemwarpaint":1quqh29r said:
jkwilson
Well-known member
mystery74":3p43hone said:
Sounds like a lot of feed at once. Split it into two feedings and they'll probably clean it up better. Not really clear if you are putting a half-bag each of two different feeds or a half-bag total. A half each would be 50 lbs of feed, which is a lot of feed for calves that age. If they are 500 lbs each, 30-40 lbs a day would be pushing pretty hard, and if one of them isn't eating, the other two are going to be so full they won't mess with the stuff in the bottom of the trough.
Herefordcross
Well-known member
I'm sorry to be unkind but, if they won't eat what I feed them. UNLESS they are or have been sick, then they'll die or go to the sale barn!
mystery74
Well-known member
I'm almost to that point, but just was seeing what other choices i had, this feed that is shelled corn, looks like powder with some little pieces of corn in it, :roll: we used to feed three years ago and let me tell you, my daughters dairy beef steers look like crap and she got 4 and 5th place and 3rd place with each her beef steers, the next year we switched feed and she did alot better, but it seems like these calves just dont want to eat it, but thank you for your advice, i am sick of the picky eaters!Herefordcross":2n97g3bp said:
auctionboy
Well-known member
You need to read up on the rumen.
Tod Dague
Well-known member
So the shelled corn is part of a mix that you are mixing with something else? What else is in that mix?mystery74":1a6a65um said:
My philosophy is keep it simple. We feed shell corn from a local farmer and whole cotton seed from a local gin to our butcher calves. We also keep hay and mineral out there for them free choice.
mystery74
Well-known member
I have it mixed at a local feed mill, they eat the shelled corn, they also put oats, protein, this was my first batch at this feed mill, and I had a friend look at it, he said to go back to the other feed mill, it was just to powdery and it was like throwing my money away, they just didnt like the powder thanks for all your suggestions board!Tod Dague":3au414zm said:
mystery74
Well-known member
My original formula was whole corn, oats and wyatt mixer (feed mill formula) and wet mollasses have never had a problem with cattle eating it. until now two of them kinda eat it, just the sick one doesnt, right now I dont think the sick one will make it anyways, so I went back to the original mix and two of them eat everything I put in there feeder twice a day, thanks for all your help board.bggoff":2ajdhwm5 said:
One last question, I have one calf that loves to eat sandy dirt and alot of eat, someone told me that he is probably lacking phospherous? any suggestions on that? if so what would you guys recommend me adding to the feed mix
Bobg
Well-known member
You need to cut back on the the amount of feed. I would be feeding either alfalfa or grass hay and work them up to about 6 pounds of grain over time. Depending on what your plan is for them I would either hold them there if you'r just wintering them or increase the amount of grain for fattening.
Bobg
Bobg
