Feeding Bulls

jd6110

Member
Looking for advice on feeding bull weanlings to slaughter. I have not done this before as generally sell as store cattle. They are March born chx calves average weight 400kg. They are on 2kg of a bought in super beef nut since weaning in September they are housed for 10 days now and are getting extra kg in evening. Thinking its time to up rate again. Below is a print of ration make up is adequate for feeding Bulls? How many kg a head should they be on now? Want to keep them going. Local abattoir not fussy with age and wants 300kg carcase minimum. Tia.
 

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jd6110

Member
Thanks for replying. At what stage would I want to change protein level? Should I introduce some straw along wit ad lib silage?
 

jd6110

Member
I am not in area of much tillage and have no way of storing grain only ton or so at time. probably could source some that way but possibly not that much cheaper than the ration. Will start giving them 2kg twice daily now and a little straw? Thanks for suggestions and more welcome.
 
Might be cheapest diet, but it is cost/kg gained that is most important. Get your silage tested and go from there feed company should be fit to give you some more advice. I aim to keep mine at a Full diet protein level of 14-15%DM.
And add lib barley/protein pellet will be the cheapest cost per kg of weight gain for bulls. Silage is for growing Cattle. Nothing on a beef farm will pay more than a decent bull on adlib
 

Chae1

Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
And add lib barley/protein pellet will be the cheapest cost per kg of weight gain for bulls. Silage is for growing Cattle. Nothing on a beef farm will pay more than a decent bull on adlib
Any tips on getting them to fill out. Our Saler Bulls keep just growing bloody frame. We've upped the starch, getting a mix with 1600kg barley, 300kg Oats, 200kg wheat dark grains, 150kg molasses. Access to fresh straw. At moment would be average 550kg back end calves so about 13 months old. Last time we weighed them they were averaging 1.6kg per day. That was over a 41 day period. Which sounds reasonable enough but looking at them they are all frame. I know they are a maternal breed but think we could do a better job of them. They are eating plenty 54 animals clearing that mix in 3 days.
 
Any tips on getting them to fill out. Our Saler Bulls keep just growing bloody frame. We've upped the starch, getting a mix with 1600kg barley, 300kg Oats, 200kg wheat dark grains, 150kg molasses. Access to fresh straw. At moment would be average 550kg back end calves so about 13 months old. Last time we weighed them they were averaging 1.6kg per day. That was over a 41 day period. Which sounds reasonable enough but looking at them they are all frame. I know they are a maternal breed but think we could do a better job of them. They are eating plenty 54 animals clearing that mix in 3 days.
I would drop the oats for wheat. But I'm sure a lot won't agree with that. In 90days if there 700kg they will still KO at 400kg? Sounds very good to me. You normally do bulls?
 

Chae1

Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
I would drop the oats for wheat. But I'm sure a lot won't agree with that. In 90days if there 700kg they will still KO at 400kg? Sounds very good to me. You normally do bulls?
90 days they will be 16 months which is limit. This is third year and still don't feel we have perfected it yet. Finishing heifers and steers is easy. Don't understand what it is with the bulls. Most of heifers and steers that we finish are charolais though.
 
90 days they will be 16 months which is limit. This is third year and still don't feel we have perfected it yet. Finishing heifers and steers is easy. Don't understand what it is with the bulls. Most of heifers and steers that we finish are charolais though.
You'll take them right up to the limit won't you?
I always find feeding bulls easier, growing heifers without getting them to fat was always my issue, no patience.
 

Chae1

Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
Why don't you finish the Charolais as bulls and the Salers as steers?
We sell a fair amount of the Charolais as stores and always get good prices so prefer to just keep all of them as steers. In the past we did finish the Salers as steers. Everyone always raves about how how well bulls do so thought we'd finish them as bulls. To be fair to them they out perform the Charolais steers.

If the store price was to continue to drop we would consider keeping Charolais entire. Sold 60 as steers in spring last year and averaged 1250 at 11 months 450-500 kg so hard to beat that.
 
We sell a fair amount of the Charolais as stores and always get good prices so prefer to just keep all of them as steers. In the past we did finish the Salers as steers. Everyone always raves about how how well bulls do so thought we'd finish them as bulls. To be fair to them they out perform the Charolais steers.

If the store price was to continue to drop we would consider keeping Charolais entire. Sold 60 as steers in spring last year and averaged 1250 at 11 months 450-500 kg so hard to beat that.


Wow
 

jon115r

Member
Any tips on getting them to fill out. Our Saler Bulls keep just growing bloody frame. We've upped the starch, getting a mix with 1600kg barley, 300kg Oats, 200kg wheat dark grains, 150kg molasses. Access to fresh straw. At moment would be average 550kg back end calves so about 13 months old. Last time we weighed them they were averaging 1.6kg per day. That was over a 41 day period. Which sounds reasonable enough but looking at them they are all frame. I know they are a maternal breed but think we could do a better job of them. They are eating plenty 54 animals clearing that mix in 3 days.
I'd drop the oats cut the molasses in half and cut the dark grains a bit, neighbour has 60 bulls in a shed all types breeds there on barley and a buffer nothing else and there shifting well
 

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