Cheap ways of Feeding growing cattle

[Welsh sheep man]

I Have 100 angus / hereford cattle around 7-9 m old average weight around 260-280 kg and bringing them In this week , Usually feed good silage and 18% rearer nut but with fees going silly prices had anyone any suggestions such as maybe brewers grains and bread mixes with hay ? thanks

 

[Thick Farmer]

Just silage?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

How far into Wales are you, alternative wet feeds are not very attractive when you put miles on them

 

[Welsh sheep man]

welsh cheshire boarders

 

[M-J-G]

Just silage?

Is silage actually cheap?

 

[Beef farmer]

Turnips and bales

 

[Thick Farmer]

Is silage actually cheap?

It’s the cheapest stuff I can get.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

If it’s good silage I’d just give them a few kilos of barley and minerals

 

[lamb89]

If it’s good silage I’d just give them a few kilos of barley and minerals

I'm thinking the same but worried the heifers in there might get a bit to fat.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I'm thinking the same but worried the heifers in there might get a bit to fat.

As long as you don’t give them too much they should be fine...I realise they are angus and Hereford so they won’t want much

 

[Werzle]

Natives dont need hard feed do they?! Good silage and some minerals would do , or just cut the concerntrates by 50/75%

 

[Agrivator]

450 gms of Soyabean Meal, sprinkled over the silage. It might cost £350/t, but a beef nut will cost £220/t.

 

[M-J-G]

450 gms of Soyabean Meal, sprinkled over the silage. It might cost £350/t, but a beef nut will cost £220/t.

How do you know the silage needs that much protein added?

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Silage and a smidgeing of rolled Barley will be sufficient

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Does anyone feed maize gluten these days?
No idea if its cost effective currently.
My uncle used to feed it to growing cattle 30/40 years ago with silage.

 

[M-J-G]

I buy whatever protein works out most economical to work in with barley price.
Soya generally works out most cost effective on years when barley is at a lower price but it's makes a more risky feed.
Things like gluten and dark grains regularly make more sense on years when barley is expensive and tends to be a less risky formulation due to less barley in the mix.

I quite like using gluten, but I have little science to back up why.
It's just an old fashioned notion!

 

[BRBX]

Looking at 60% barley, 35% malt residuals, mins + moll comes to 12% protein , that will do them this winter.

 

[Kevtherev]

Test your silage then adjust ration.

 

[M-J-G]

Test your silage then adjust ration.

Yes!
You've got to love the list of recommendations based on zero facts on the forage

 

[Agrivator]

How do you know the silage needs that much protein added?

Can you explain the difference between the ''Protein'' in grass silage, and the ''Protein'' in soyabean Meal?

The protein in Soyabean Meal will contain additional and beneficial Amino Acids, and it will vary in its solubility and degradability.

It may also help increase voluntary intake of the silage with a concomitant increase liveweight gain and an improvement in general health and appearance.

If the cattle are to be sold in Spring, their increased value will more than pay for the increased feed costs. But if they are to be retained and turned out to grass, it may well be that there is no overall economic advantage because it has often been shown that cattle not supplemented with additional true protein will exhibit compensatory growth and catch up with those fed additional protein.