skinny old cow food
- Thread starter Rickster
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How old are they. When cows get older they lose the ability to digest or convert food to enegy as well. There may not be a feed. This issue is one that gos through my mind when I wean calves and consider keeping a cow another year. I think alot of people call it fleshing ability. Brangus and other breed associations use it as a key part of whether or not to register some cattle. My best guesse for you would be a ration high in enegy, 10 % protein. Hope this helps.
Scotty
Scotty
jerry27150
Well-known member
any cow that gets over 15 or 16 will need some grain to get through. have they been wormed & what are they eating now. if they are on good feed and not wormy you need to feed grain or sell before they get to thin
jt
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Rickster":3r6euaez said:
i guess there comes a point in time that a cow will just go down and not be able to flesh up.. but age will do that.
but.. other than that.. i have had decent luck feeding corn mixed with cottonseed meal. after 30-45 days i could see a satisfactory difference. i was feeding about 4 to 1 corn to meal at about 1-2 gal or so per head per day. the amount you feed will be according to the quality of your forage/hay, and whether these are dry cows or lactating.
better than that i think has been to mix corn and whole cottonseeds 50/50. this has worked well for me.
some others may agree or disagree with this and maybe some will give you another alternative.
of course this is in addition to salt and minerals which are available at all times.
jt
The things that come to mind are teeth, parisite load, minerals, nutrition of the feed, and age. Like some people, old cows generally alwasy look poorer. The inability to eat well and or convert what they've eaten play a roll in it.
dun
dun
CattleAnnie
Well-known member
I'm thinking along the same lines as dun. If they are on a good health program for deworming and vaccinating, I'd run those old gals into a squeeze and check their teeth.
Once they start to lose them it just seems economically prudent to can them and get younger stock.
Take care and good luck with your "grannies".
Once they start to lose them it just seems economically prudent to can them and get younger stock.
Take care and good luck with your "grannies".
I've taken over manager of a small ranch with approx. 25 head. My main job is a machine shop mngr. on the ranch. I'm a greenhorn pretty much concerning the cattle so I do and will appreciate all knowledge given! Thanks, Scotty,jerry27150,jt,dun, & CattleAnnie God Bless
