Problem with feeding red angus heifers.

[redangus]

I have some registered red angus heifers (5-7 months old) on feed getting ready for a sale in about 60 days. They are on 15lbs of corn/sb meal/rice bran/cotton seed hulls a day. The mixture is 12% protein, 3% fat, mixed with a mineral with about 1.7% salt. They also get free choice hay that is 16% protein/ 63% TDN.

My question is this: They do not seem to clean up large portions of the feed. Is it too early to expect them to eat 15lbs a day?

Would mollasses make them eat the feed better?

 

[farmer rich]

A 400lb calf will eat about 13-14lbs of feed free choice. Whether they need to is another matter.

Athough many might disagree, I also think the protein content of your ration is way too low for growing cattle. On such a high energy diet I would be feeding 20% protein.
Yes, molasses will increase intakes.

 

[bigbull338]

i see nothing rong with what your feeding them.sounds to me like they are eating their fill.i wouldnt worry about it.scott

 

[mtnman]

15 pounds of concentrate, plus grass hay?

You are feeding them way too much!

They should be somewhere around 13-15,16 TOTAL, not just concentrate.

Cut out about 1/2 the concentrate before you kill them. Probably just kill the one that will eat the most, though.

mtnman

 

[farmer rich]

mtnman, they probably are only eating half the feed put in front of them. It won't kill them, I expect theyve been on full feed a while. I would be conerned about them getting too fat, especially if I was selling them for breeding stock in 60 days or so. Protein is way too low.

 

[ollie]

If you are feeding them twice a day, pour the feed out , turn your bucket over and set on it for 15min. What they didn't clean up put back in the bucket and throw it back in the feed bin. The next feeding take them however much they cleaned up the feeding before plus a handfull or two. Do that every day twice a day. You'll get more feed in them this way than you will by leaving it in front of them.

 

[redangus]

What should the protein be for heifers 5-7 months old? I want to pour weight on them.

Also, can you give me a better mix? I have access to corn, Wheat mids, corn gluten, oats (more expensive though), rice bran, sb meal & cs meal.