Feed blocks/licks for sucklers?

[biggmw]

Evening all

Normally we feed reasonable quality dry silage to cows from November until turnout in April ish.

Calving March April.

Calves spent normally late November.

This year.... well.....
Cows not just as good a condition as I would like and now housed.....
Forage is mediocre at best, lot of hay to feed that's not great but belly fill.

Plan is to spend what we can next week and let cows catch their breath so to speak letting calves get best of feeding etc.

Set up for ad lib forage so hard feed not ideal, lack of feed rail space for all at one time etc.

Been suggested high sugar and protein blocks/licks as good way to up condition on cows.... although not the cheapest??

Any thoughts or suggestions to keep them going etc and thoughts on the blocks?

 

[Downser]

I’m using mole valley high energy and protein this year rep rang last week to say offer is on until November £350 a ton.
Used to use rumevite cows only take it when they need it was feeding crap hay 35 cows were taking more than a block a day change onto good hay hardly 1 a week back to crap hay and the blocks were disappearing again

 

[Kevtherev]

Straw and molasses?
Fodder beet?
I

 

[capfits]

What is the actual quality of your silage?
Low proteins?low energy?
Feed blocks really are the most expensive way to sort a serious problem unless you only have a few cattle.

 

[milkloss]

Liquid molasses is an option, don't know any prices though but far cheaper than blocks.

 

[steveR]

Are you using a feeder for the silage? Dump molasses into the feed wagon from an IBC?

Feeding big bales, use IBC's and dump molasses onto a bale placed "on end". Put bale in ring/feeder

As per another thread, Crystalyx are around 900 quid/t... Godd in a field situation, but for me, too much for sucklers

 

[biggmw]

I’m using mole valley high energy and protein this year rep rang last week to say offer is on until November £350 a ton.
Used to use rumevite cows only take it when they need it was feeding crap hay 35 cows were taking more than a block a day change onto good hay hardly 1 a week back to crap hay and the blocks were disappearing again

That's exactly what I was thinking. Might be a dear option though?

Straw and molasses?
Fodder beet?
I

Straw as scarce as fodder to be honest so rock and hard place!!

What is the actual quality of your silage?
Low proteins?low energy?
Feed blocks really are the most expensive way to sort a serious problem unless you only have a few cattle.

Main problem being we are buying in a lot of fodder this year due to our lovely summer.... only got 1/4 of ours done!! Perils of a single cut system!! Due to buying in its a lot of cow hay and varying in quality!

Liquid molasses is an option, don't know any prices though but far cheaper than blocks.

Sounds like worth looking at..

Are you using a feeder for the silage? Dump molasses into the feed wagon from an IBC?

Feeding big bales, use IBC's and dump molasses onto a bale placed "on end". Put bale in ring/feeder

As per another thread, Crystalyx are around 900 quid/t... Godd in a field situation, but for me, too much for sucklers

Looks worth looking into.
Feeding bales along feed rail.

Would one of the floating ball type licks feed them..... two or three around each shed?

 

[steveR]

Sounds like worth looking at..

Looks worth looking into.
Feeding bales along feed rail.

Would one of the floating ball type licks feed them..... two or three around each shed?

They work well, although they will scare you at how much they can "lick"! Bigger the better else you spend a lot of time topping up with 20l contianers... Urea additions for added protein is relatively cheap, but minerals seem to really hike it and I am not convinced they do not settle after a few weeks. Easier to feed salt licks or min buckets I find.

If along a fence and feeding ad lib, the issues is waste with using molasses. Time for one of those fancy bale unrollers

 

[biggmw]

They work well, although they will scare you at how much they can "lick"! Bigger the better else you spend a lot of time topping up with 20l contianers... Urea additions for added protein is relatively cheap, but minerals seem to really hike it and I am not convinced they do not settle after a few weeks. Easier to feed salt licks or min buckets I find.

If along a fence and feeding ad lib, the issues is waste with using molasses. Time for one of those fancy bale unrollers

Fancy isn't a word I likes!!!! Ha.

Think we will look into whom supplies around us..... roller tubs in each pen and keep the forage ad lib. Can swapull about etc then on condition score etc

 

[Kevtherev]

Have a look at www.db-agri.com
I sell them in this area and very competitive and helpful.
Based in york