Feeding beef stirks

Grass….
Why the nuts

The 3 mth old ones will do better for a top up of the 16% nut, the 6mth old ones probably dont need it. Dont get them mud fat, you want growth ideally.

Dairyfarmer2016 said:

Evening all just wondering what’s best to supplement some beef stirks 3-6 month old now aiming to sell them in September so just wanting the summer to get them looking their best. There outside grazing there currently getting a 16% all purpose nut just seeing what others thoughts are?

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we keep and sell all our own beef calves, we also buy in beef calves, to sell as stirks, 5/6 months old, for our own, takes a bit longer for bought in, but we only buy lower medium calves, not the best.

we just keep them on ad-lib cake, in shed, or field, they grow like stink, as long as they haven't had a growth check. Working on the principle, young calves have the best feed to growth ratio will never be attained again.
it would be very unusual if our own calves don't top the mkt, or very close to.

But, its hard work to keep them going, from day 1, its not an easy job, everything has to be correct. Our mortality rate bought and home, under 2% of calves born alive.

som farmer said:

we keep and sell all our own beef calves, we also buy in beef calves, to sell as stirks, 5/6 months old, for our own, takes a bit longer for bought in, but we only buy lower medium calves, not the best.

we just keep them on ad-lib cake, in shed, or field, they grow like stink, as long as they haven't had a growth check. Working on the principle, young calves have the best feed to growth ratio will never be attained again.
it would be very unusual if our own calves don't top the mkt, or very close to.

But, its hard work to keep them going, from day 1, its not an easy job, everything has to be correct. Our mortality rate bought and home, under 2% of calves born alive.

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You need top of the market if you keep them on ad lib cake. must cost a fortune.

Holsteinfriesian90 said:

You need top of the market if you keep them on ad lib cake. must cost a fortune.

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but worth it.

the problem is, if you give the calves a 'check' by restricting conc, it takes a lot to get them 'going' again, and always the risk they lose their 'bloom'.

we allow 600kg calf, some eat less, some more, about £180/calve, we use some home mix, so a saving there, plus no milk powder, for most of our own. Labour, employed, works out at £10 calf, once weaned, its just straw, and keep the hoppers full, very little work.

Definitely sold to soon this year, price kept rising ! This year again, conc was dear, next yr, will be £80/90ton less.

lts not a system for everyone, we have reduced our dairy numbers, this allows us the time to do them, and a hedge against TB, or if we stop dairying, a receding risk, we would then be 'stocked' to carry straight on. But, get it wrong ..................... you lose.