Buffer feeding Sucklers.

[JNG]

Been burning up on the dry ground here, grass growth almost non existant for a month if not more, cows seem content in the heat but with strong calves (jan/feb born) and one in the belly also should I be adding to the diet, have a tub feeder so could mix some barley straw (14bales only left from last year but should be some new crop available soon) with molassis for a bit of energy? Sliage I do not want to use as it stands already not enough for next winter! Some pictures of Paddocks attached! Maybe will start creeping calves also to keep them growing and take pressure of cows? Any thoughts? Cows are in generally good nick, but I am trying to put a plan in place If it stays dry, and harvest is about to start so its the time of the year for cows to be low maintenance!

View attachment 8715

 

[topground]

Likely to be in much the same position here shortly and have put whole oats in front of April born calves in anticipation to take pressure off the cows.

 

[Walterp]

Lovely cattle (Charolais bull?), worth a lot, why not consider selling the calves right now?

Money in the bank, problem goes away.

 

[le bon paysan]

My cows are having some baled silage and I have just put granules in the creep this morning.
I have sold 2 this morning, €2,90 under 350Kg and €2,80 if over 350Kg. They will go on Tuesday morning.
Grass burning off here fast . I sell all calves as stores and I want the cows to go into winter in good nick.
If short of grub , I would think about doing as Walter said. Sell the calves now and get the cows in as good a condition as you can before winter. It is easier to manage a cow in good nick, thin cows take a lot of winter feed and that leads to calving problems.
Nice bunch of cattle you got there.

 

[Baling Hay]

I would just start creep feeding the calves, whole oats should suffice. This would take some pressure off the cows and help push the calves further on.

 

[d williams]

I would just start creep feeding the calves, whole oats should suffice. This would take some pressure off the cows and help push the calves further on.

Agree but would look to some protein beans or the like keep them growing

 

[JNG]

Lovely cattle (Charolais bull?), worth a lot, why not consider selling the calves right now?

Money in the bank, problem goes away.

Sold their brothers from a year earlier a month ago as 17 month bulls and they did approx 2000 Euro a head and left a nice margin to finish so Ill keep if I can, also meal looking better value to finish with (Im a arable farmer also and grain price falling so will put what I can in cattle rather than sell cheap) this winter. Picture below of Char bull, breeding season did not knock much condition off him this year.

Great bull, put 34 out of 35 cows in calf after 7 and a half weeks, makes the job easy with boys like him, a real eye for the ladies.

 

[JNG]

My cows are having some baled silage and I have just put granules in the creep this morning.
I have sold 2 this morning, €2,90 under 350Kg and €2,80 if over 350Kg. They will go on Tuesday morning.
Grass burning off here fast . I sell all calves as stores and I want the cows to go into winter in good nick.
If short of grub , I would think about doing as Walter said. Sell the calves now and get the cows in as good a condition as you can before winter. It is easier to manage a cow in good nick, thin cows take a lot of winter feed and that leads to calving problems.
Nice bunch of cattle you got there.

I agree, also hoping to have cows in good nick (which they currently are) before winter then I can keep on starw plus a very small level maybe1-2kg of 18% ration, will be alot cheaper than silage this year! Not plannning on selling stock just yet, happy to purchase a bit of molassis or creep to tide me over till rain inevetably comes, I am in Ireland after all!

 

[JNG]

Agree but would look to some protein beans or the like keep them growing

Yea might put a bit of something palatable in just to get the calves started then maybe drop back to cheaper option once they are all eating. Agree on a bit of Protein too, but not much.