G&L Cattle
Well-known member
Our weaned calves are 300 lbs and up. crossbreds with no ear (char, limi, angus) no horns. They have free choice hay/grass and occasional grain. What weight range should I expect the most rapid gain. GLEN
Glen, I'm not real sure I understand your question, but I'm going to give it a shot since nobody else has. The evasive answer is that its all dependant on nutrition.G&L Cattle":3p8hcbq7 said:What weight range should I expect the most rapid gain.
Assuming that you are meeting the requirements for maintenance and growth that are relatively exclusive to each stage of development, I would expect the most rapid growth at the lighter weights.G&L Cattle":2ihzwf3g said:What I am wondering is this--is there a weight range when growth is more rapid?
Texan":3b5j8bnn said:Glen, I'm not real sure I understand your question, but I'm going to give it a shot since nobody else has. The evasive answer is that its all dependant on nutrition.G&L Cattle":3b5j8bnn said:What weight range should I expect the most rapid gain.
Actually, they should make make the most rapid gains after they get in the feedlot because they don't need to be pushed that hard until you're ready for them to finish. But, I assume that you're talking about prior to the feedlot?
If they were mine, I would expect the best gains at whatever weight range they're at when Spring grass gets here. When I winter light calves like that on hay and ryegrass, they don't reach their potential because I don't spend the money it takes to put it on them in the winter. To me, hay is pretty high-priced feed. Ryegrass is too, if you have to seed it every year.
Along with hay and ryegrass, I normally use a salt-limited range meal at about a pound per day for a little supplemental protein and all the loose mineral they will clean up. If I make 'em rough it a little bit through the winter, I've always felt that they'll make it up when grass gets here. So, I try to do about three-quarters to a pound a day gain through the winter and then they'll be ready to do two plus easily when grass gets here. That's when they start to make money for me. When they're feeding themselves and I'm not having to haul it to them.
Tod, I just try to let my ryegrass go to seed every year. I seeded some a few years ago and I think it ended up costing 60 or 70 dollars an acre. That's with attributing the full fertilizer cost to the ryegrass establishment and none to residual. To me, that's an expensive feed. But, some people say I'm a tightwad, so I guess you have to put everything in perspective. ;-)Tod Dague":1bhq4ugt said:Hey Texan do you plant anything for winter grazing or have a volunteer cool season grass that comes up? Just curious because you stated that Ryegrass was an expensive feed. I plant a lot of ryegrass because it is the cheapest way that I know of. That is a cost that I would like to cut if possible.
Texan":17pjpfj4 said:Tod, I just try to let my ryegrass go to seed every year. I seeded some a few years ago and I think it ended up costing 60 or 70 dollars an acre. That's with attributing the full fertilizer cost to the ryegrass establishment and none to residual. To me, that's an expensive feed. But, some people say I'm a tightwad, so I guess you have to put everything in perspective. ;-)Tod Dague":17pjpfj4 said:Hey Texan do you plant anything for winter grazing or have a volunteer cool season grass that comes up? Just curious because you stated that Ryegrass was an expensive feed. I plant a lot of ryegrass because it is the cheapest way that I know of. That is a cost that I would like to cut if possible.
However, if you have a place where you don't already have cool season grasses or weeds established, I think ryegrass is a good investment. I just try to manage it so that I don't ever have to seed it again. That includes letting ryegrass mature in the hay meadows before cutting that first cutting. Its amazing how much "free" seeding you can do by feeding first cutting hay in areas where you want to establish ryegrass.
Let me give you another suggestion based on your statement that your's normally goes to seed anyway. Instead of seeding all of it at half-rate, seed half of your land at full rate and leave half of it with no seeding for a control. That will let you know if there's any visible difference in stand from seeding versus reseeding. I really don't think you'll be able to tell the difference.Tod Dague":1lmj2bc1 said:Ours will typically go to seed before our spring shredding..........Maybe I will cut my seeding rate in half and see how I do.
Tod, I've never tried those. I have tried the Arrowleafs, crimson and white. If I were going to seed any more clover, it would be a white clover, without a doubt. Simply for its reseeding behavior. I have some that is still trying to grow and put on a seedhead in early July every year. No matter how hard you use it, it keeps on trying to be reproductive. Granted the others will provide a little more dry matter, and if I were going to seed it every year, I would probably use a crimson. But for me, the crimson is too finicky when it comes to reseeding management. The Arrows are overrated on dry matter because too much of it is stem, in my opinion.Tod Dague":1lmj2bc1 said:I'm looking to broad cast clover next year. Have you ever tried Armadillo Bur or ball? What do you suggest?
sidney411":1qy764fq said:I have a question about broadcasting rye grass. We no-till drilled about 20 acres of gulf rye grass. I hand threw seed in a few small areas that had washed out and those areas are twice as tall then the pastures I drilled. No catlte have been on either area yet. Why isn't the drilled seed coming up like the hand thrown?
sidney411":33qbotc2 said:We drilled it in 1st week of this month. So, would rye grass do better not put in with a drill? Wouldn't the critters eat a lot of the seeds?
txag":2yq5wa4g said:sidney411":2yq5wa4g said:We drilled it in 1st week of this month. So, would rye grass do better not put in with a drill? Wouldn't the critters eat a lot of the seeds?
sid,
typically w/ryegrass it will come up faster by broadcasting but you'll get a better stand by drilling.
Tod Dague":thh6jnk2 said:Texan":thh6jnk2 said:Tod, I just try to let my ryegrass go to seed every year. I seeded some a few years ago and I think it ended up costing 60 or 70 dollars an acre. That's with attributing the full fertilizer cost to the ryegrass establishment and none to residual. To me, that's an expensive feed. But, some people say I'm a tightwad, so I guess you have to put everything in perspective. ;-)Tod Dague":thh6jnk2 said:Hey Texan do you plant anything for winter grazing or have a volunteer cool season grass that comes up? Just curious because you stated that Ryegrass was an expensive feed. I plant a lot of ryegrass because it is the cheapest way that I know of. That is a cost that I would like to cut if possible.
However, if you have a place where you don't already have cool season grasses or weeds established, I think ryegrass is a good investment. I just try to manage it so that I don't ever have to seed it again. That includes letting ryegrass mature in the hay meadows before cutting that first cutting. Its amazing how much "free" seeding you can do by feeding first cutting hay in areas where you want to establish ryegrass.
I'm just a coward. Ours will typically go to seed before our spring shredding. We do not bail, plow, disk, or no-till drill our pastures. We do broad cast ryegrass then shred the fields after. The seed cost us $16.50/acher then diesel to broadcast. The shredding is something that I would have done anyway so I don't count that toward the cost of seeding. I've always been to chicken not to plant. Maybe I will cut my seeding rate in half and see how I do. If it does well then I will try to go with out seeding the next year.
I'm looking to broad cast clover next year. Have you ever tried Armadillo Bur or ball? What do you suggest?
Campground Cattle":22vcdym6 said:Tod Dague":22vcdym6 said:Texan":22vcdym6 said:Tod, I just try to let my ryegrass go to seed every year. I seeded some a few years ago and I think it ended up costing 60 or 70 dollars an acre. That's with attributing the full fertilizer cost to the ryegrass establishment and none to residual. To me, that's an expensive feed. But, some people say I'm a tightwad, so I guess you have to put everything in perspective. ;-)Tod Dague":22vcdym6 said:Hey Texan do you plant anything for winter grazing or have a volunteer cool season grass that comes up? Just curious because you stated that Ryegrass was an expensive feed. I plant a lot of ryegrass because it is the cheapest way that I know of. That is a cost that I would like to cut if possible.
However, if you have a place where you don't already have cool season grasses or weeds established, I think ryegrass is a good investment. I just try to manage it so that I don't ever have to seed it again. That includes letting ryegrass mature in the hay meadows before cutting that first cutting. Its amazing how much "free" seeding you can do by feeding first cutting hay in areas where you want to establish ryegrass.
I'm just a coward. Ours will typically go to seed before our spring shredding. We do not bail, plow, disk, or no-till drill our pastures. We do broad cast ryegrass then shred the fields after. The seed cost us $16.50/acher then diesel to broadcast. The shredding is something that I would have done anyway so I don't count that toward the cost of seeding. I've always been to chicken not to plant. Maybe I will cut my seeding rate in half and see how I do. If it does well then I will try to go with out seeding the next year.
I'm looking to broad cast clover next year. Have you ever tried Armadillo Bur or ball? What do you suggest?
Tod if you spray your pastures with 2-4D Crimson is a good choice to plant due to cost. Arrowleaf and S-1 white Dutch. Personally I think the S-1 is the best due to it tolerates wet and dry areas. Crimson and Arrowleaf don't like to have wet feet as much as S-1. We plant Crimson every year figure it cost 8 bucks an acre we getting feed and fertilize at the same time. Todd we are pretty close but Craig might have some good info as he central Texas also.