Cattle DLWG

[Bob the beef]

This season our grazed AAx dairy stores did 1.8 kg April to mid June, 1.2kg till mid August, then back to 1.5 kg until late September, when they were sold.
2 day shifts on good grass. Early season compensatory growth, then a miserable wet mid summer period, then amazing late summer grass yield

 

[casper74]

I have a 845kg steer doing 2.1kg/day at present, generally a batch of growing cattle 400-500kg will do 1.1-1.3kg on my ration, and fattening cattle 500kg+ 1.5-1.8kg/day.
There are always some that do more some that do less.

 

[An Gof]

I have a 845kg steer doing 2.1kg/day at present, generally a batch of growing cattle 400-500kg will do 1.1-1.3kg on my ration, and fattening cattle 500kg+ 1.5-1.8kg/day.
There are always some that do more some that do less.

854kg steer what are you keeping it for? Be seriously overweight where I sell them

 

[casper74]

854kg steer what are you keeping it for? Be seriously overweight where I sell them

All go live so get them as heavy as I want.
This lad to be fair has got a bit ott soon be xmas though!!

 

[Plain steer]

I have a 845kg steer doing 2.1kg/day at present, generally a batch of growing cattle 400-500kg will do 1.1-1.3kg on my ration, and fattening cattle 500kg+ 1.5-1.8kg/day.
There are always some that do more some that do less.

What’s in your ration?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

What should dairyx stores be doing?

About the same as a dairy cow fed the same would produce in kgMS in the same period. Pasture management + stocking rate + genetics

Handy hint: don't park them up and expect miracles

 

[choochter]

1.2-2.2 here , good grub!

homebred yearling cont crosses grass only. Since end Aug til now av 1kg/hd/day
bought in HighlandX hairy lads 0.4kg/hd/dy
apples and pears

 

[Timbo]

Need to be 100/150 kilo's heavier than that at 20 months!

You want them gone by 24 months at the latest ideally

Totally agree. I am finishing 18 -20 month heifers at 650kg.

The biggest mistake ppl make is not developing the ruman as a calf.

 

[Timbo]

How often do you weigh store cattle?

Fortnightly.

 

[gone up the hill]

Totally agree. I am finishing 18 -20 month heifers at 650kg.

The biggest mistake ppl make is not developing the ruman as a calf.

Yes i totally agree about the calves that is why if you can you are better off rearing your own calves instead of buying in weaned ones even thou its much more work for the first few weeks.

 

[gone up the hill]

How often do you weigh store cattle?

Grass system like you are going to do i would be weighing them either every 2 months or when they are in for other jobs like TB testing/ worming etc from say 6 to 15 months old.

After that then every month untill they are sold, same with fattening cattle in a yard.

Thou one big outfit down here is now weighing prime cattle weekly and i cannot see the point of that, just making work for the sake of it.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Totally agree. I am finishing 18 -20 month heifers at 650kg.

The biggest mistake ppl make is not developing the ruman as a calf.

Yes, see it all the time with dairy replacements.

Rearers pump them with milk and concentrate, then the animals take a massive check when put to pasture in the middle of summer because they have such limited capacity, and no learned grazing habits like a suckled calf has.

There is a "good start" and there is "spoiled"

 

[MixedFarmer2507]

What are you all feeding dairy x steers concentrate wise in the house? Angus bullocks at home here around 13 months old getting 2kg of blend and silage.
Roughy guess they’re averaging in around 400-440kgs