What is the ration of Breeding Heifers?

[Iowa-angus]

I would like to know what the rations should be for a breeding heifer. I know they should be on a low corn high forage diet, but what exactly? how much hay? how much corn? :help:

 

[Bez+]

I would like to know what the rations should be for a breeding heifer. I know they should be on a low corn high forage diet, but what exactly? how much hay? how much corn? :help:

Breed, age, size, feed available, environment, weather factors, etc?

Why not ask a feed specialist at your local mill? Local ag rep? Local farmer? Local farm / cattle org? And the beat goes on.

I can tell you a good one that would work for me - but it might be lousy for you.

Your request as it stands will get you nothing but opinion.

And opinions are like @ss holes - everyone has one - and only some work as good as others.

However - If you are holding heifers strictly for breeding and you think they need special feed - they would not even be invited to my herd party - if they cannot make it on good hay and mineral I do not want them - they would get sent to the pasture in the sky - waste of money for the return they provide.

Hay, water and mineral does not support them then I could not imagine keeping them.

You should think very hard on this statement my friend.

Bez+

 

[Iowa-angus]

She is an angus, about 10 months old, and right now it is COLD here. Right now I am keeping her in the barn. Right now we give her about 15 gallons a day total, and she also has a mineral block. She has a little bit of space outside to run around in. We are feeding her (approximately) a quarter of a 5 gallon bucket. She might not be eating all of that corn because she is being housed in there with my Market Steer Ace. They have been together their whole lives, so it is less stressful for her. When I put her on the low corn high forage diet I will separate them like when you wean calves from there cows. Just a fence between them, they can see each other. I will put Ace on Full feed when I separate them.

 

[HerefordSire]

All the good water, hay, grass, and minerals they can eat or drink. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

[msscamp]

I would like to know what the rations should be for a breeding heifer. I know they should be on a low corn high forage diet, but what exactly? how much hay? how much corn? :help:

Why would you think she needed any corn at all? As far as hay is concerned(I'm assuming you don't have stockpiled pasture), 2-3% of her bodyweight, watch her, and make adjustments as neccessary. The amount of hay needed is going to vary depending on her, the quality of your hay, whether it is straight grass, straight alfalfa (as well as what cutting), or a combination of both. Other than that, make sure she has a good quality loose mineral available and free choice fresh water.

 

[Iowa-angus]

Other than that, make sure she has a good quality loose mineral available and free choice fresh water.

I keep the water unfroze as best I can...

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

we don't give our heifers any grain. Helps us decide which ones we're really going to keep.

 

[msscamp]

Other than that, make sure she has a good quality loose mineral available and free choice fresh water.

I keep the water unfroze as best I can...

Yeah, I know that feeling. :lol: :lol: Between the water tubs, buckets, troughs, and tanks(only 2 have tank heaters) that it takes to maintain 116 goats and 9 head of horses (ours, as well as the boarders), it uses up the better part of a day to get/keep them thawed out, ice broke, and ensure that everything has at least reasonable access to water throughout the day. Hang in there, spring is coming! Then we can bitch about the heat! :lol: :lol:

 

[Iowa-angus]

Other than that, make sure she has a good quality loose mineral available and free choice fresh water.

I keep the water unfroze as best I can...

Yeah, I know that feeling. :lol: :lol: Between the water tubs, buckets, troughs, and tanks(only 2 have tank heaters) that it takes to maintain 116 goats and 9 head of horses (ours, as well as the boarders), it uses up the better part of a day to get/keep them thawed out, ice broke, and ensure that everything has at least reasonable access to water throughout the day. Hang in there, spring is coming! Then we can be nice about the heat! :lol: :lol:

Yeah, its finaly warming up.. Today I even didn't wear my car-hart Coat!! Now the big problem is the mud... Its ankle deep!!

 

[msscamp]

Yeah, its finaly warming up.. Today I even didn't wear my car-hart Coat!! Now the big problem is the mud... Its ankle deep!!

Well, that's a good thing! I would rather deal with knee-deep snow than ankle deep mud, though. Snow does not have the tendency to suck your shoes off like mud does - I hate that!

 

[cowman30]

I feed free choice 10% protein hay and about 6 pounds per head per day of 13% protein 5% fat mixture I get from the local feed store. It has dried molasses, cracked corn, cotton seed hulls, etc in it. Pretty good all around feed I think. It along with the hay makes for fleshy heifers. Not overly fat and not to skinny but just right. Of course they are on a good mineral program and get all the free choice water (ritchie waterer) they can drink.

 

[Iowa-angus]

Heres some pics of me with my calves: (sorry I have to post links I can't get the direct codes to work) http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll31 ... C00324.jpg

Here I am with both of my calves: http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll31 ... C00325.jpg

Here I am with Ace (my steer) http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll31 ... C00326.jpg

And its not a post without showing a pic of the dog doing her "herding":
http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll31 ... 0320-1.jpg

I don't think we can put her on no corn because she is still growing.

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

Ace

Both Calves

Deborah

Patrash

 

[Aaron]

Our ration is free choice mixed hay with 1lb/hd/day of a mixed grain ration (50% Oats/25% Rolled Corn/25% Pellet). If we had higher quality hay, then we would ditch the grain all together. But with our hay in about the 6-7% protein area, the heifers need just a little extra protein to get some frame on them. Don't want a speck of fat on them, just frame and muscle. Fat is what gets put on in grass season. :cowboy:

 

[novatech]

I would like to know what the rations should be for a breeding heifer. I know they should be on a low corn high forage diet, but what exactly? how much hay? how much corn? :help:

Include fat.
A very good article you may want to read.
http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2005 ... T424.shtml

 

[mnmtranching]

My replacements get good grass hay, 10 pounds of corn silage, a mineral 30 protein lick tub and I pail feed them a couple pounds of cracked corn and gluten on top the silage. My heifers will be at least 1200 pounds calving as 2 year olds. Big good doing heifers calve easy and milk good. I don't believe in skimping the replacement heifers. And I can handle them easy with the bucket.

 

[TexasBred]

I would like to know what the rations should be for a breeding heifer. I know they should be on a low corn high forage diet, but what exactly? how much hay? how much corn? :help:

They need plenty of roughage in whatever form you have it, but they also need energy. That's where your grain ration will come in. Negative energy balance is very often the culprit in poor breeding results.

 

[CHHSFFA]

You're to be commended for taking on livestock projects, especially in that Iowa snow! Here's what you do. Talk to your county agent or local ag teacher. They should be well equipped to advise you on what to feed you heifer. Keep up the good work and hang in there!

 

[TexasBred]

You're to be commended for taking on livestock projects, especially in that Iowa snow! Here's what you do. Talk to your county agent or local ag teacher. They should be well equipped to advise you on what to feed you heifer. Keep up the good work and hang in there!

They should be but 99.9% of them are not.

 

[Iowa-angus]

Ace

Both Calves

Deborah

Patrash

thanks for getting those pics on