Feeding Sucker Calves

[Nearly]

Simple here.
Jan onwards born calves lead the cows around the grazing from June.
Home grown rolled barley in creep, hoping to get most of feed from grass.
Taking 6 bullocks to mart tomorrow as first draw of stores. We have buyers ringing up asking when we're starting selling.
Should be keeping 60 cows rather than just 30. Drop 30 acres of arable and build another cow shed, but then will need to buy straw. View attachment 591276

6 bullocks made £830 at 9 months old today. They went to same buyer as last year.

 

[Chae1]

So after all the conflab on the cost of breeding and feeding sucker calves I thought I would ask what folk actually fed these beasts.
I am a simple man from the hills and rear as much as I can on grass and haylage with as little use of concentrates/grain as possible. I tend to over winter my calves then run them on pasture and sell at 18/14 months old.
I've been doing this for a number of years and am happy with what I get, for what I breed and rear on my simple system.
But my son sees these boys getting the same for a 7/8 month old calf that I am getting for something twice it's age. I've tried to explain the economics and sleepless nights to him but to no avail.
I have bent a little and we have been creep feeding the calves this autumn for the first time in many years, I guess I will then have to feed a good level of concentrate once they come in or will lose the flesh I've gained when I wean. Be keen to know what levels others feed at on medium quality haylage, as I amprobably feeding half as much as I should in theory.
So my friends, what do you feed these balls of steaming muscle to get them to that size at that age. What sort of percentage sold to cows served, and what do you guys that buy these beasts do with them.
What do you fed them ?

When do you want to sell them? Our spring born charolais calves are averaging around 300 kg off the grass at the moment.

They ve been getting ad lib creep since mid July. Eating about 3kg day of 18% protein home mixed blend.

Generally put about 100kg onto them over winter depending on end market. Stots which we sell as stores in february will get more feed. These would be the steaming balls of muscle at 400-450 kg at ten months old.

Important to keep protein levels up in heifers or they will turn into butter balls. Planning feeding heifers higher protein diet this winter to put more frame on them before they go to grass.

 

[Wishful Thinker]

Depends what grass you have for turnout I think. 2yrs ago I fed suck calf heifers 4kg through winter, when they went out to rough grazing and no meal they went backwards. They finished a month earlier but I don't think it was worth it. The bullocks however were on good grass moved once a week and got a lick from August there was a vast improvement on them killed at 20-22 months I usually was 24-28.

 

[milkloss]

Depends what grass you have for turnout I think. 2yrs ago I fed suck calf heifers 4kg through winter, when they went out to rough grazing and no meal they went backwards. They finished a month earlier but I don't think it was worth it. The bullocks however were on good grass moved once a week and got a lick from August there was a vast improvement on them killed at 20-22 months I usually was 24-28.

Yes, it's a waste to feed them too well in the yards and then watch the weight fall off them at turnout. Been there and we now sell off the cow creep fed only on whole oats. Someone else can grow and fatten better than us so let them have a go.

 

[choochter]

Depends what grass you have for turnout I think. 2yrs ago I fed suck calf heifers 4kg through winter, when they went out to rough grazing and no meal they went backwards. They finished a month earlier but I don't think it was worth it. The bullocks however were on good grass moved once a week and got a lick from August there was a vast improvement on them killed at 20-22 months I usually was 24-28.

That may well be good advice, but doesn't it depend on whether you are describing native or continental types?

 

[dannewhouse]

native cows mostly here crossing to lim and bb bulls.
adlib creep, I buy 1ton per 25 calves of proper calf creep then onto our barley based ration (16% protein)
I start calving mid march and most have calved within 10 weeks, I'm then selling them fat from march-july the following year at 500-600 kg live weight. the lighter ones actually tend to towards the middle/end of selling and are sold as going fat (I aim for a grading of 3 or 4- but some heifers just go fat so I get shut at 4+ or - rather than get them too fat and get no more £££ for them 500kg * 2.30 = 1150 but 550 * 2.10 =1155 < so its not worth the extra keeping.

I reckon a calf eats around 2 ton of ration from born to death. I sometimes offer them the mix of silage/wholecrop whatever I'm mixing up for sucklers but they don't eat much and sometimes we think they get "belly" so ive started only offering them straw. my view is push them hard and don't keep them the second winter or summer grazing, grazing can be used for more cows as can the winter housing. also straw is too dear to be keeping them for longer. I don't think you make and more or less keeping them longer and feeding them a poorer feed just arguably its less throughput?

 

[Forever Fendt]

Simple here.
Jan onwards born calves lead the cows around the grazing from June.
Home grown rolled barley in creep, hoping to get most of feed from grass.
Taking 6 bullocks to mart tomorrow as first draw of stores. We have buyers ringing up asking when we're starting selling.
Should be keeping 60 cows rather than just 30. Drop 30 acres of arable and build another cow shed, but then will need to buy straw. View attachment 591276

Drop the 30 acres keep 30 more cows and build a slatted shed ,the straw won't be an issue then

 

[Nearly]

Drop the 30 acres keep 30 more cows and build a slatted shed ,the straw won't be an issue then

Yes, but buying the slats and tank will be.

 

[Old Tip]

Thought I would have had a few more folk adding their wisdom to this thread. As stated it’s a fine balance in feeding for growth while the calf is young and the milk is running out but then not wasting that feed/growth ata later date. Also you need to be able to use your available resources as best you can to both make them pay and be able to sell as and when cash flow is needed or space is required.

 

[Whitepeak]

Calves are currently still outside on mum getting an 18% calf grower put in the creep feeders. They'll be weaned once they come inside in the next few weeks, except the late born (Aug/Sept born) which will stay on mum if we've space. Bull calves and some of the steers will go onto adlib calf grower and straw. Whereas the heifers will go onto 2nd cut silage and calf grower. We can't feed silage in the sheds the bulls go into hence why they go on straw. We quite often change to a finisher nut in the new year prior to selling as stores at 10-12mths old. However we may finish more on farm this year particularly the pure bred bulls.
Cows are a mixed suckler herd put to Blonde bulls, but slowly changing to all pedigree Blondes. Majority calve in April/May outside on permanent pasture. Creep feeders go out from about July. Crossbred bulls are generally steered whereas as purebred bulls are left entire.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Add lib Crimp Grain mixed with Maize Gluton and Brewers Grain .

 

[Kevtherev]

Rolled wheat and barley mixed with DB beef 60 protein + yeast.
Good silage as well.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Rolled wheat and barley mixed with DB beef 60 protein + yeast.
Good silage as well.

You get that protein off Robert?

 

[Kevtherev]

You get that protein off Robert?

Robert?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Robert?

Guy who sells it at thirsk?

 

[Kevtherev]

Guy who sells it at thirsk?

No I’m agent for them here in Welshpool

 

[Northeastfarmer]

No I’m agent for them here in Welshpool

Ah I see

 

[dannewhouse]

Rolled wheat and barley mixed with DB beef 60 protein + yeast.
Good silage as well.

is that protein a soya and urea mixture? I think I use something similar isn't the general advice not to give it to young stock under 4 months?

I buy in "proper" calf creep about 2 ton for 50 calves and when that runs out onto my ration but cant say I notice any difference with the later calves

 

[Kevtherev]

is that protein a soya and urea mixture? I think I use something similar isn't the general advice not to give it to young stock under 4 months?

I buy in "proper" calf creep about 2 ton for 50 calves and when that runs out onto my ration but cant say I notice any difference with the later calves

Yes it’s designed for older cattle for finishing.
They do other products for younger cattle at lower inclusion rates.

 

[reverand]

@Old Tip. Do all your cows go to a bull for replacements?
I was told yesterday to feed 18% to grow the frame in a creep feeder before weaning. It's just whether your hill breeds are responding enough to make it pay