Should i supplement 390 pound calves on wheat pasture?

[Littlesalesman]

Hi guys i was just wanting you opinion on if i should supplement my calves on wheat pasture?

 

[kenny thomas]

Just make sure they have good mineral.

 

[dun]

Just make sure they have good mineral.

With high magnesium!

 

[1982vett]

They would probably appreciate some fair quality hay.....

 

[hillsdown]

They should do really well on it especially if there is lots of grain in the stand .

Agree about the mineral with mag and just keep an eye on their manure to make sure they are getting digestible fibre and not all indigestible fibre .

 

[TexasBred]

They should do really well on it especially if there is lots of grain in the stand .

Agree about the mineral with mag and just keep an eye on their manure to make sure they are getting digestible fibre and not all indigestible fibre .

HD good wheat pasture has very little fiber and what is there is extremely digestible. Just take a lot of grazing to add up to enough dry matter intake as it is extremely high in moisture. Just don't stand behind one if it starts to cough. :lol2:

 

[hillsdown]

They should do really well on it especially if there is lots of grain in the stand .

Agree about the mineral with mag and just keep an eye on their manure to make sure they are getting digestible fibre and not all indigestible fibre .

HD good wheat pasture has very little fiber and what is there is extremely digestible. Just take a lot of grazing to add up to enough dry matter intake as it is extremely high in moisture. Just don't stand behind one if it starts to cough. :lol2:

It isn't like that here anymore because of the time of year and I have no idea as to the OP's locale. Wheat, barely and oat pastures are pretty much the same by this time of year ; lots of grain left, but very stocky usually.

If you are short of dry matter that is an easy fix throw some bales of hay or even straw in with them.

 

[Douglas]

I don't understand what you mean by "a lot of grain left" Was this stuff planted in the fall or last July?

 

[hillsdown]

GRAZING PROBLEMS
Two potential problems when grazing wheat
pasture are bloat and grass tetany. To aid in preventing
bloat, do not put hungry cattle on lush pasture. Bloat
potential is greatest during the three- to four-week periods
of lush growth in the fall and early spring. Feeding
Bloat-Guard (poloxalene) in a dry or liquid energy
supplement, molasses block, or mineral supplement is
the most effective procedure to prevent bloat. Feeding
high-quality grass hay, silage and/or grain with Rumensin
or Bovatec also will minimize the bloat potential.
Tetany is characterized by a low blood magnesium
level in livestock. It occurs more often in older
cows nursing young calves, but may affect stockers as
well. The easiest prevention is to provide 6 to 8 percent
magnesium in a palatable, free-choice mineral supplement.

http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/forage/pubs/97n ... fora23.pdf

 

[jedstivers]

They should do really well on it especially if there is lots of grain in the stand .

Agree about the mineral with mag and just keep an eye on their manure to make sure they are getting digestible fibre and not all indigestible fibre .

HD, when we hear wheat pasture this is what we think. It would help if his location was posted, this is a good example of what people in vastly diffrent locales think.

 

[Littlesalesman]

I can get some pictures on here maybe tomorrow for you guys to look at. I don't think that there is much grain out there.

 

[user1]

When you have wheat pasture all you need is mineral. If it is volunteer wheat that is better. Planted wheat does help if you add a little low quality roughage to slow down the wheat through their system. Adding other things like grain will increase gains only slightly and with the cost of grains it is a money loser.

 

[Littlesalesman]

it is volunteer wheat

 

[Boss Cowman]

I don't think you have to worry about grass tetany :roll: I would maybe supplement with some cake just to keep em around