Q's about adding silage

[VtMapleGal]

Right now I have 8 cows and 8 calfs. I have the calfs inside so they are compleatly out of the wind. The cows have free choice round bales, and a salt block. They also get 5 gallons of 14% sweet feed and 5 gallons of cracked corn every day. My Father in law just purchased some corn silage. I have been giving them 8 5 gallon buckets a day. They have not been eating so much hay, and seem to be eating the silage good (at first they didnt like it so much). Can anyone tell me if i should be giving more or less silage? Is to much bad? I know a round bale last a cow about 15 days, how much silage would it take to feed a cow 15 days (trying to figure if hay or silage is a better feed deal). I also have been giving the calfs 2-5 gallon buckets of silage a day, 1 5- gallon bucket of 14% sweet feed and 1 bucket of corn. They get 2 square bales of hay a day (about 100 pounds hay total). They have a small amount of hay left. Any ideas on this feeding situation? I should mention i have replacement calfs and steers in the same pen. Its the only set up I have.

 

[novaman]

IMO silage is not very economical for beef cattle compared to hay. The silage itself is expensive when all is said and done. Add to that the fact that you have to supplement some protein in most instances and your talking about a high energy feed that will cost more money than you can make on it. I can pencil silage out for my dairy cows but that's a whole nother ball game.

 

[jerry27150]

do you mean corn silage of grass silage? i used to feed both. grass silage has more protein & less energy than corn silage. as far as weight it depends on the moisture content of the silage. used to figure i could run twice as many cows on the same acreage if i raised corn silage. if you feed mostly all corn silage you may have more calving trouble. cows will eat about three times as much corn silage at 70 % moisture than dry hay. cows will stay in real good shape if not get too fat

 

[VtMapleGal]

Its corn silage. We pay $7 for a tractor bucket load...Hay we are paying about 40 for a 4x4 bales. im not really sure on the weight or moisture content. I know our hay is mostly dry bales, but some are wet. I will weigh a bucket of silage tomorrow am

 

[larryshoat]

You need to know a little more about what everything weighs and the quality of the hay. It sounds like you're getting plenty of feed in everything. As far as saving money the sweet feed would be my first target, they'll get along just as well on cracked corn and bean meal with salt and mineral.

Larry

 

[VtMapleGal]

I am feeding the sweet feed because it was higher in protien then the corn. I'll get weights ect today

 

[larryshoat]

7 lbs of corn and 1 lb bean meal will give you about the same protien. I'm sure what you are feeding is good, but usually a little expensive.

Larry

 

[msscamp]

Right now I have 8 cows and 8 calfs. I have the calfs inside so they are compleatly out of the wind.

The first thing I would do is get the calves out of the barn(since you have been keeping them in the barn, this will have to be done gradually as they probably do not have the coat to withstand the winter months). The fastest way I know of to end up with sick calves is to keep them in an enclosed barn.

The cows have free choice round bales, and a salt block.

Where are the loose minerals?

They also get 5 gallons of 14% sweet feed and 5 gallons of cracked corn every day. My Father in law just purchased some corn silage. I have been giving them 8 5 gallon buckets a day.

This is a finishing ration, not a maintenance ration. You're going to end up with cows too fat to breed, or some major problems with calving problems due to overconditioning.

They have not been eating so much hay, and seem to be eating the silage good (at first they didnt like it so much).

Of course they are not eating hay, they are getting filled up on grain and silage. A cow is a ruminant, she needs roughage to keep her rumen working properly.

Can anyone tell me if i should be giving more or less silage?

For mature cows, I personally would not be feeding any grain. For first year heifers, I would not feed more than 1-2 lbs of grain TOTAL/day. If I had to feed my mature cows grain for them to maintain their body condition, I would be swapping out the cows for some that could maintain condition on the hay I had access to.

Is to much bad?

Too much grain/silage(which is simply fermented grain) can cause overconditioning which can lead to calving problems, problems with breeding back, problems with milk production in first time heifers due to fat deposits in the udder, and probably other problems as well.

I know a round bale last a cow about 15 days, how much silage would it take to feed a cow 15 days (trying to figure if hay or silage is a better feed deal).

Hay is almost always the better deal - 1) it is almost always cheaper, and 2) it is better for the cow because it provides roughage which keeps her rumen functioning properly.

I also have been giving the calfs 2-5 gallon buckets of silage a day, 1 5- gallon bucket of 14% sweet feed and 1 bucket of corn. They get 2 square bales of hay a day (about 100 pounds hay total). They have a small amount of hay left. Any ideas on this feeding situation? I should mention i have replacement calfs and steers in the same pen. Its the only set up I have.

Good luck on getting those replacement heifers bred, or having them be able to raise a calf because it is a proven fact that excess feed causes fat deposits in the udder, thereby reducing milk production. Your feed ration is what we would have fed to approximately 25 calves. I would also suggest figuring out some way of seperating the heifers from the steers(possibly dividing the pen?) because the steers will ride the heifers when they come in heat, and run off weight. I'm not coming down on you, just trying to offer suggestions that will help you with your quest to raise cattle.

 

[VtMapleGal]

The first thing I would do is get the calves out of the barn(since you have been keeping them in the barn, this will have to be done gradually as they probably do not have the coat to withstand the winter months). The fastest way I know of to end up with sick calves is to keep them in an enclosed barn.

The barn is not compleatly enclosed. It does not have a front door that closes (a 8ft opening). it is a 36x36ft barn, and is also has a 4x4 "window" right at the calfs stall (the barn is divided in half..The other half the horses go in at night. Also, the calfs stall is thoughly cleaned nightly and fresh shavings are put down.


Where are the loose minerals?

I was just informed about the minerals. I am trying to find minerals safe for horses and cows.

This is a finishing ration, not a maintenance ration. You're going to end up with cows too fat to breed, or some major problems with calving problems due to overconditioning.

I know about cows being to fat is a problem. So far they are not. 3 of the cows and 4 of the calfs are new to my herd, and were very thin when i got them. They have been wormed and checked for worms (Im a small animal vet tech).


Of course they are not eating hay, they are getting filled up on grain and silage. A cow is a ruminant, she needs roughage to keep her rumen working properly.


Too much grain/silage(which is simply fermented grain) can cause overconditioning which can lead to calving problems, problems with breeding back, problems with milk production in first time heifers due to fat deposits in the udder, and probably other problems as well.

I know a round bale last a cow about 15 days, how much silage would it take to feed a cow 15 days (trying to figure if hay or silage is a better feed deal).

Hay is almost always the better deal - 1) it is almost always cheaper, and 2) it is better for the cow because it provides roughage which keeps her rumen functioning properly.

I also have been giving the calfs 2-5 gallon buckets of silage a day, 1 5- gallon bucket of 14% sweet feed and 1 bucket of corn. They get 2 square bales of hay a day (about 100 pounds hay total). They have a small amount of hay left. Any ideas on this feeding situation? I should mention i have replacement calfs and steers in the same pen. Its the only set up I have.

Good luck on getting those replacement heifers bred, or having them be able to raise a calf because it is a proven fact that excess feed causes fat deposits in the udder, thereby reducing milk production. Your feed ration is what we would have fed to approximately 25 calves. I would also suggest figuring out some way of seperating the heifers from the steers(possibly dividing the pen?) because the steers will ride the heifers when they come in heat, and run off weight. I'm not coming down on you, just trying to offer suggestions that will help you with your quest to raise cattle.

These heifers are only 4 months old. Not in heat yet....

 

[VtMapleGal]

Also forgot to mention my grain scale broke so i cant weigh the silage. Also, the calfs i just got (6 of the 8) are pritty thin. The new cows are rescues of sorts. Some guy had about 40 cows and was putting 1 round bale out a day for them and i small tractor bucket of silage. Thin to say the least. The last calf came sunday and even with her winter coat I can see her ribs.

 

[TexasBred]

If it's good quality corn silage I'd give them all they wanted everyday along with all the water they can drink, access to a good mineral and grass hay IF they want some of it. Start out with what you think they'll eat and if they clean it up increase it every day until they leave a little bit....If the silage has a good supply of grain it should help them put their weight back on and silage contains enough long stem roughage to balance out the grain:roughage ratio IF it's not chopped too short. Leave out the sweet feed and cracked corn so you don't load them up on too much starch.