Young Heifer Feed?

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LRTX1

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I've been around cow/calf for a while never ventured into the stocker side of things. We typically have spring calves and sell them in Oct. I don't worry about feeding those calves while they are sucking and plenty of good pasture during their time on the farm.

On to the question, I just bought (12) 2-3 month old heifers, they have been on hay and feed for about a week from the guy I bought them from. I have never had to feed young calves and wondered how much and what % to feed them? They will have free choice hay, salt block, molases block, and a rye field when they settle in and get to know what the feed bucket is.

I am in North Central Florida so the weather is not horrible.

I plan on selling these in Oct/Nov possibly retaining a few black ones if they look good.


Thanks,
Layne
 
If the hay is decent, the rye is up good, I wouldn't feed anymore than you are now. Unless you really want to push them. In that case 1-2% of their body weight a dayu of a good feed mix.
 
Thanks, thats about where I was guessing. I want to find a good balance of putting decent weight on and not killing $$$$ me at the feed store. They will be delivered tommorow so I'll see how this thing goes.
 
Why were 2-3 month old calves pulled off the cows, put on feed and sold? I'm just wondering.
 
I didn't ask, but I assumed it was to keep the mommas thru the rest of the winter easier. I see em for sale that young quite frequently around here in the winter.
 
The younger the calves are, the better quality of feed that they need. Young calves do not have a well developed rumen, and cannot get the nutrients they require out of hay and grass. In order for them to grow well, they really need some sort of grain ration. You can just put them out on hay/grass and they will probably survive, but will not grow very well and you will have a bunch of potbellied calves.
 
im just filled up the feed bunk for the 350-400lb calves im feeding and it went a little like this

5 bags of soy hull/corn gluten mix
1/2 bag of salt
1 bag of cotton seed meal

it averages out to them eating (theres 7) 50 lbs a day at about 18-20% protein and about 4% fat and free choice hay and salt block

just what im doing and its working and the only reason im feeding soy hull corn gluten is the man i buy it from bout a truck load befor it wen up but will go to just straight soy hulls
 
randiliana":24kbxh3a said:
The younger the calves are, the better quality of feed that they need. Young calves do not have a well developed rumen, and cannot get the nutrients they require out of hay and grass. In order for them to grow well, they really need some sort of grain ration. You can just put them out on hay/grass and they will probably survive, but will not grow very well and you will have a bunch of potbellied calves.
Which waht happens to a lot of bottle calves and makes people think that you can;t bottle raise a decent calf
 
Any idea what kind of quality the hay is? On that young of heifers you need to keep a decent protein level in the ration for them to grow out well.
 
Not sure on the hay protein, it is this years hay fertilized costal, my big cows don't waste much of it. I bought some 12% feed and plan on feeding them for 2-3 months at the 1-2% body weight. After then i'll have green grass and I think I might scale back on the feed a bit.
 
Well, I'e had em for 2 weeks now, they are on 15% show grower mix....got a deal on it, Eating a bit of hay and an hour or so a day in some rye. All but one is doing great, can see a big difference in their looks already. The one is not an aggressive eater, she started going downhill so I isolated her, feeding her seperate and has shown much improvement. Still she takes a while to eat.
 
The rye field will meet their protein needs, the hay will add the roughage. I'd just give them all the straight cracked corn they can eat in about 10 minutes as well as not buy any more protein tubs. They won't need it with the ryegrass.
 
Just a few pics of the heifers right after I got them. First time posting pictures, let's see if I did em' right.


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Other then the pictures being resized a little small you did fine. Problem is the pics are so small I can;t see much
 

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