Feeding Sucker Calves

top char

Member
thats a decent weight if thats males/females, do you feed cows any concentrate before they go to grass and are you working with high genetic expensive bulls?
Aye thats males and females. First time weighing everything at this stage, adds a bit of excitement judging what they could all be. Cows never get concentrate, silage bales all winter then some draff in the spring to boost the milk when they calve and that's it. Cows with plenty milk counts for a hell of a lot doesn't it? Stock bull wasn't expensive, just a sensible purchase, well bred but some people wouldn't have touched him for certain reasons! Some ai sires as well.
 
Aye thats males and females. First time weighing everything at this stage, adds a bit of excitement judging what they could all be. Cows never get concentrate, silage bales all winter then some draff in the spring to boost the milk when they calve and that's it. Cows with plenty milk counts for a hell of a lot doesn't it? Stock bull wasn't expensive, just a sensible purchase, well bred but some people wouldn't have touched him for certain reasons! Some ai sires as well.
what type of cow do u have since your getting so much milk?
 

top char

Member
Why do you prefer dark coloured ones?

Its only being fussy and what we are happiest looking at really! Have plenty light ones too, but the dark ones tend to give you an orange calf, and there's less chance of sunburn with darker cows,some pale coloured sims could be the first ones to struggle in a hot summer?
 
A lot of Aberdeenshire men like the dark red Simmental. There is a reason but I can’t remember what it is .
Yeah , I was wondering what folk might say. I've heard this talk of how folk prefer the dark coloured females for years now , but in nearly 20 years of selling Simmental heifers for breeding , I've never yet seen it backed up whenever I sell in the mart.

9 times out of 10 it's my yellow heifers that are my top sellers. Looking at everyone else selling , I don't see a definite better trade for their red heifers either , so I wonder how many folk actually follow this , although it seems like @top char does. :)

Personally , I don't care what colour a good one is. A right good heifer who comes from a right good line of hard working cows , is a right good heifer whether she's yellow or red , and I don't care what colour her calf comes out either ....:LOL:
 

top char

Member
Yeah , I was wondering what folk might say. I've heard this talk of how folk prefer the dark coloured females for years now , but in nearly 20 years of selling Simmental heifers for breeding , I've never yet seen it backed up whenever I sell in the mart.

9 times out of 10 it's my yellow heifers that are my top sellers. Looking at everyone else selling , I don't see a definite better trade for their red heifers either , so I wonder how many folk actually follow this , although it seems like @top char does. :)

Personally , I don't care what colour a good one is. A right good heifer who comes from a right good line of hard working cows , is a right good heifer whether she's yellow or red , and I don't care what colour her calf comes out either ....:LOL:

Your bang on, if they are good it doesn't matter a dam what the colour is!! We have some great breeders that are light coloured too. And i went and bought a light coloured heifer at the Sterling dispersal, started off a small pedigree herd with everything dark, but she was too good not to buy!
 
Your bang on, if they are good it doesn't matter a dam what the colour is!! We have some great breeders that are light coloured too. And i went and bought a light coloured heifer at the Sterling dispersal, started off a small pedigree herd with everything dark, but she was too good not to buy!
Didn't stay in to see all the Sterling females sold but there were some absolutely lovely heifer calves sold on the day , including a cracker that was very white!
 

top char

Member
Didn't stay in to see all the Sterling females sold but there were some absolutely lovely heifer calves sold on the day , including a cracker that was very white!

Aye i seen her! Quality herd, sad to see them all being split up. We got an in calf one, gingerspice, from the krumpet family line, her mother wan the welsh and royal show. I was among the Charolais bulls as well, so had to leave father at it so i didna see many of them being sold.
 
What was your pick of the simmental bulls on the day?
There were 4 or 5 bulls that I liked on the day , and they came in at very different price tags.

Islavale Hogan. 15000 gns , but a cracking big , clean bull.

Kyleston Hercules. A Whitemire King Kong son , so he was very pale as most of his that I've seen have been. Out of a Dinton Nautical cow. Long , clean , smooth , very correct and smart. 4200 not sold.

Springfield Hercules. Another pale King Kong son and very like the bull above. 3200 not sold .

Brownhill Hulk. Long , smooth , correct , beautifully well balanced bull for a lad that had extreme length. Red for the red fans , 3000 gns.

Breaghey Harrison. A real steal for somebody near the end of the sale. Young , a bit immature on the day , but is going to make a super bull if he lives and breeds.

These bulls all caught my eye as they're all cow getters , which is what I'm all about.

What about yourself? Any bulls take your eye?
 
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goodevans

Member
they need creep feeding I am sure the ones that pick up pneumonia 7- 10 days after weaning are the ones we buy that haven't been creeped and are the ones that you cant see are ailing not coming to trough I think it pays to keep them hungry and pushing for food at this period just to pick up sick ones
 

top char

Member
Interesting that. Think i seen the Breaghey bull, was a tidy beast. Due to the fact i was working for someone i didnt get a chance to study them as much as yourself, the islavale bull was a fair lad though! I seen his class, the good kilbride bull was in it too, was a tough class for any judge that one! As you say the Simmentals have so many different types,like you say you are looking for cow getters, I thought there was a good show of mixed types to suit everyone, not a big tail end at all this time, but it was a pity the clearance rate didnt match my thoughts. Time of year to blame probably!
 

pine_guy

Member
Location
North Cumbria
they need creep feeding I am sure the ones that pick up pneumonia 7- 10 days after weaning are the ones we buy that haven't been creeped and are the ones that you cant see are ailing not coming to trough I think it pays to keep them hungry and pushing for food at this period just to pick up sick ones

Stands to reason, as it is all extra stress, sudden change of diet etc. when we used to by suckled calves in mart straight off the cow. Rispoval 4, three days in the shed to get over missing mum, then back out in a field for a least a month. Stubble field with a feeder if need be. But preferably some grass as they need to learn what feed and silage is.
 

jamesy

Member
Location
Orkney
Yeah , I was wondering what folk might say. I've heard this talk of how folk prefer the dark coloured females for years now , but in nearly 20 years of selling Simmental heifers for breeding , I've never yet seen it backed up whenever I sell in the mart.

9 times out of 10 it's my yellow heifers that are my top sellers. Looking at everyone else selling , I don't see a definite better trade for their red heifers either , so I wonder how many folk actually follow this , although it seems like @top char does. :)

Personally , I don't care what colour a good one is. A right good heifer who comes from a right good line of hard working cows , is a right good heifer whether she's yellow or red , and I don't care what colour her calf comes out either ....:LOL:

I have no real preference in colour but the red ones do sell better up here...... even the steers!

I don't even bother trying to sell the dun heifers as breeders in the mart.....
 

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