Question about feeding calves through the winter

[bscattle]

October is approaching at a quick pace at which we will be picking up the calves. I think we are going to keep them through the winter. So, my question is, I am assuming that they will be alright on the pasture and hay. Should we supplement them with a supplement or a feed of some sort. Horse nutrition I know about but cattle I am at a complete loss!

And please tell me more about grass fed - grass finish method of feeding. Is that what most people prefer?
Should we keep them on grass and hay and then finish them out on grain? Or will that depend on how they do on grass and hay?

 

[BritishWhiteGal]

It depends on the cow. How big do you want them to be? How big are they right now? Do they gain well on grass?
Our British Whites don't need any grain to finish, they are 500 lbs at weaning with no grain and finish out at a nice size. And we just turn em out to pasture. That is our method - simple and easy But it just depends on the calf.

 

[Brute 23]

October is approaching at a quick pace at which we will be picking up the calves. I think we are going to keep them through the winter. So, my question is, I am assuming that they will be alright on the pasture and hay. Should we supplement them with a supplement or a feed of some sort. Horse nutrition I know about but cattle I am at a complete loss!

And please tell me more about grass fed - grass finish method of feeding. Is that what most people prefer?
Should we keep them on grass and hay and then finish them out on grain? Or will that depend on how they do on grass and hay?

Can you give us some more background?

Are you buying just calves? No cows? How old are they? Are they weaned? What do you plan to do with them in the spring? Butcher? Resale?

The different aspects will determine their nutritional requirements in a lot of cases.

 

[Dave]

The last couple of years I bought light calves (350-400 pound) in October-November. Most were weaned when I bought them but not all. They were kept in a corral and got all the so so grass hay they would clean up and about 1 1/2 pounds of cracked corn a day. Twice a week they got about 4 pounds of alfalfa peer head. Once winter set in they were let to go out of the corral (still fed back in the corral). There were some pickings in the field but not much. But they had access to the river for water. They gained around a pound a day.

 

[Warren Allison]

Can you give us some more background?

Are you buying just calves? No cows? How old are they? Are they weaned? What do you plan to do with them in the spring? Butcher? Resale?

The different aspects will determine their nutritional requirements in a lot of cases.

She is talking about the "Brangus" calves they are buying from their friend. That was what her initial post was about when she joined. And in her 2nd thread, I think, she posted pictures of them. Remember, they are gonna pay $500 for them at weaning?

 

[Brute 23]

She is talking about the "Brangus" calves they are buying from their friend. That was what her initial post was about when she joined. And in her 2nd thread, I think, she posted pictures of them. Remember, they are gonna pay $500 for them at weaning?

Oh ya. I don't remember people from thread to thread like that.

 

[Travlr]

October is approaching at a quick pace at which we will be picking up the calves. I think we are going to keep them through the winter. So, my question is, I am assuming that they will be alright on the pasture and hay. Should we supplement them with a supplement or a feed of some sort. Horse nutrition I know about but cattle I am at a complete loss!

And please tell me more about grass fed - grass finish method of feeding. Is that what most people prefer?
Should we keep them on grass and hay and then finish them out on grain? Or will that depend on how they do on grass and hay?

Some questions have been asked. There seem to be a lot of "drive-by" posters that don't communicate once they've posted the first time. If you're reading this and are interested in answers, please respond to the questions already asked. Other wise we are just blowing smoke.

 

[MurraysMutts]

IF those are the calves your getting from your friend, I'd feed hay and probly some 20% cubes.
There's so many variables...
Like the questions asked to you above @bscattle
Gonna need to know specifically what weight, weaned, age etc.

And then there's the hay issue. Without a good forage/hay analysis, we can all just guess.

I've a friend down the road that put up some high quality Bermuda that will require very very little supplement.
But not everyone is that lucky!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

As mentioned, we need more info.
Grass fed vs grain fed is controversial. I, personally, would never even slightly consider grass fed. But, that's MY opinion. The White Park gal prefers it. Depends on what you are wanting to do with your "calves". Are they for butcher or breeding?
"I" prefer raising my heifers as best as possible so they have the growth to cycle early, breed early and deliver a 90# calf at 24 months of age. To do that, I feed 5# whole shell corn with a protein pellet so that their ration is 14% protein, with all the good grass hay they can eat all winter.
For steer calves, I start them off with 1% of their BW of whole shell corn + protein pellets and keep slowly increasing keeping them on full feed of WSC + all the hay they can eat until they are about 12-13 months old and ready for harvest. They will be up to about 25# of WSC/hd/day and weigh 1250-1300#, and go Choice.

 

[bscattle]

Can you give us some more background?

Are you buying just calves? No cows? How old are they? Are they weaned? What do you plan to do with them in the spring? Butcher? Resale?

The different aspects will determine their nutritional requirements in a lot of cases.

Yes, just the three calves. They are going to be weaned in October.

I would like to casterate the bull calf, raise him and use him as meat. The girls I d would like to just take them to the sale, reason being not sure the breed.

 

[bscattle]

Some questions have been asked. There seem to be a lot of "drive-by" posters that don't communicate once they've posted the first time. If you're reading this and are interested in answers, please respond to the questions already asked. Other wise we are just blowing smoke.

I am sorry I haven't been answering questions at a quick pace. Life for us is extremely busy. Believe me I have posted several times and have done my best to answer all questions.

 

[bscattle]

I have gotten a lot of good suggestions on what we could do with these calves. I want to raise them through the winter, take them to the sale barn in the spring. We have discussed making the bull calf into a steer, keeping him and taking him to the butcher. Not knowing the exact breed of these calves not sure if we want to keep the girls.

So there are 4 of us that are doing this, myself and Kimmie would like to get into the brangus breed, or the Angus/Hereford crosses…

We are also wanting to go and check out the sale barn here soon to see what's not selling and what is selling, and what breeds are there…are they pure breeds or are they crosses of some sort.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I have gotten a lot of good suggestions on what we could do with these calves. I want to raise them through the winter, take them to the sale barn in the spring. We have discussed making the bull calf into a steer, keeping him and taking him to the butcher. Not knowing the exact breed of these calves not sure if we want to keep the girls.

So there are 4 of us that are doing this, myself and Kimmie would like to get into the brangus breed, or the Angus/Hereford crosses…

We are also wanting to go and check out the sale barn here soon to see what's not selling and what is selling, and what breeds are there…are they pure breeds or are they crosses of some sort.

As far as selling goes.
Quality animals most always sell well!

Top stuff around here, High to low

Black Angus
Red Angus
Baldy calves. Angus/Hereford cross
Charolais and Hereford seem about same dollarwise.
Brahma
Any crossbred or specialty cattle.

And there's a gazillion variables in between and amongst them!
U can get by around oklahoma with a little ear as long as the QUALITY is there and they are black.

As far as feeding goes this winter.
Get an empty weight and a loaded weight when ya haul them home. Let us know average weights and ages and we will go from there...
Hope ya got some hay bought already. Winter is not the time to buy hay. Always higher when ya need it most. Plan ahead

 

[Travlr]

Yes, just the three calves. They are going to be weaned in October.

I would like to casterate the bull calf, raise him and use him as meat. The girls I d would like to just take them to the sale, reason being not sure the breed.

The "breed" of the heifers is the least of what I would be worried about. Are you likely to find something to begin with that you like better? Are they healthy? Gaining well? Of a decent size for age? Do you want to background them until they are breeding age and then wait for calves?

You can always improve what you have with careful bull selection, regardless of artificial insemination or live breeding.

And I'm not suggesting you keep, or sell, the heifers. I'm just saying that doing something without really answering the questions you're asking yourself is just making work for yourself.

 

[Brute 23]

Yes, just the three calves. They are going to be weaned in October.

I would like to casterate the bull calf, raise him and use him as meat. The girls I d would like to just take them to the sale, reason being not sure the breed.

Thanks for the info. The more info people have the more specific responses you can get. General questions tend to get generic responses that may not be in your best interest.

It's hard to go wrong with good hay in that scenario, imo. Calves generally take right to hay and it will probably make up a large portion of their diet initially. The exception would be if you are loaded with beautiful green grass. Even then you may want some to balance them out.

Feed is a tough one. @Jeanne - Simme Valley has some great recipes for feeding out calves, especially to butcher. Just run some numbers on it before because it can add up $$$. It doesn't hurt to start them off on a sweet beef or weaning mix but again, feeding out of a sack like that can really add up. It works good for teaching them where the feed trough is but it's not really a long term solution.

If any one has a bulk feed in your area that would be good. We have cotton around here so cottonseed works, some people have soybeans, etc.

Don't forget your salt and mineral from day one. Weaned calves can really get after it but it's very important. I have a friend who does feed consulting and he says when he gets a call to go out and see no salt it's money in the bank. He knows he will get get gains just off that one simple thing.

If you have grass cooked molasses tubs can be an option too. Calves generally take right to them and it will help with getting grass or hay eaten and will for sure get some minerals in them. They have some protein and what not also.

This was not part of your original question but my advice is don't worry about breeds. Only people on the enet or other people with that breed care about breeds. Go for a quality animal that does their job and that you like.... regardless of the breed. When you make it to the auction barn you will see quite the assortment of cattle and don't be surprised if you never hear a breed mentioned.

That's my .02. Hopefully you get some better info on feeding calves. I'm kind of an eye ball and wing it person so it hard to explain it to others.

 

[Brute 23]

One more thing I will add about getting new calves, have your pens and every thing ready to go before the calves get there. Have the water, feed troughs, hay and rings, tubd, etc all in there. Have them back up and drop the calves in the pens. Do not turn them straight out to pasture. When they put those calves in the pens, tie the gates shut with rope, and leave them be for 48hrs. Don't work them, or try to mess with them, dont be dragging troughs in afterwards with 10 kids and 2 dogs in tow... just let them settle in. Walk and be sure the water isn't over flowing once a day but after that let them be.

Let them know that is home base, that's where they get their food and water, it's not a torture chamber.

 

[Travlr]

I have gotten a lot of good suggestions on what we could do with these calves.

The above post by @Brute 23 is some REALLY good advice. I'd leave them in the pen for a week.

 

[Brute 23]

The above post by @Brute 23 is some REALLY good advice. I'd leave them in the pen for a week.

Absolutely, I left that out. A week or two is not horrible. You can tell when they settle down and aren't running from you. When you start walking to them with feed and they start coming toward you... you are probably good.

 

[bscattle]

One more thing I will add about getting new calves, have your pens and every thing ready to go before the calves get there. Have the water, feed troughs, hay and rings, tubd, etc all in there. Have them back up and drop the calves in the pens. Do not turn them straight out to pasture. When they put those calves in the pens, tie the gates shut with rope, and leave them be for 48hrs. Don't work them, or try to mess with them, dont be dragging troughs in afterwards with 10 kids and 2 dogs in tow... just let them settle in. Walk and be sure the water isn't over flowing once a day but after that let them be.

Let them know that is home base, that's where they get their food and water, it's not a torture chamber.

I think next week we are going to start fencing and setting up the different pastures for rotation. And I agree that everything needs to be set up and ready for them when they get there.

I know they need a salt block, should we get those big molasses mineral tubs? Or are the mineral block sufficient?

 

[Travlr]

I think next week we are going to start fencing and setting up the different pastures for rotation. And I agree that everything needs to be set up and ready for them when they get there.

I know they need a salt block, should we get those big molasses mineral tubs? Or are the mineral block sufficient?

I've never used more than a cheap red salt block nine months of the year, and a yellow selenium block every spring about a month before the grass comes on. Look to your neighbors that don't show off their wealth but have good cattle. They'll be the ones that have figured out the difference between spending money and getting value.