Feeding suckler calves this winter - advice please?

[Becs]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice on what to feed 5-7 month old CHX this winter. They are being suckled and plan to sell February time. We normally set up a creep area for them and put in the better hay/barley straw and around a kg of calf creep per head once a day. We only have 20 this year to feed. We don't have arable so have to buy in feed but we have some good silage this year that we could use for the calves. Is there a cheaper way to feed than calf-creep (waiting for some prices for calf creep to come back to me) that would keep them going forward and what quantities would you advise? Thanks in advance- sorry if it's a very novice question!

 

[Werzle]

adlib silage and 2-3kg p/day of a 16% nut imo.

 

[Agrivator]

In the absence of other concentrates, good silage plus 500gms/day of Soyabean Meal would help.

0.5kg x 20 calves x 100 days = 1t.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Oats
Protein
Sugar beet
Minerals

 

[Hfd Cattle]

As above but if you can't get oats get some barley . It's cheep enough ! Get a mill & mix in ....job done !

 

[michael N123]

As above but if you can't get oats get some barley . It's cheep enough ! Get a mill & mix in ....job done !

Would barley not be better anyway ?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Would barley not be better anyway ?

Not for young stock

 

[livestock 1]

Spain them

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Not for young stock

They are 5 to 7 months old . Is there a reason for not giving Barley to young stock ? Mine have always had a rolled barley mix with protein and molasses mixed in .

 

[Northeastfarmer]

They are 5 to 7 months old . Is there a reason for not giving Barley to young stock ? Mine have always had a rolled barley mix with protein and molasses mixed in .

Sorry no you are right didn’t realise they were that old...barley will be fine

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Spain them

What will a holiday do?

 

[AGN76]

What will a holiday do?

No stress, better growth rates.

 

[Bullring]

Barley, 33% protein pellets, sugar beet and molasses.

 

[Whitepeak]

We're feeding an 18%, 12.9me, 30%S&S beef grower nut to our calves atm. Calves are doing well on it. They will stay on that once they are weaned and come inside within the next month or so.

 

[Henarar]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice on what to feed 5-7 month old CHX this winter. They are being suckled and plan to sell February time. We normally set up a creep area for them and put in the better hay/barley straw and around a kg of calf creep per head once a day. We only have 20 this year to feed. We don't have arable so have to buy in feed but we have some good silage this year that we could use for the calves. Is there a cheaper way to feed than calf-creep (waiting for some prices for calf creep to come back to me) that would keep them going forward and what quantities would you advise? Thanks in advance- sorry if it's a very novice question!

how much good silage do you have ? if only a bit give this to the calves in a creep pen, if you have a lot give some to the cows at this end of the winter to keep them milking

 

[haybob]

I have started using whole oats bought from a neighbour this year on similar aged calves. I had the creep feeder outside during the summer but they didn’t eat from it much. Now back inside for winter and the young stock soon started eating them. I got a 5liter tub of molasses to mix with it but have not been bothering with molasses now. I have also started using whole oats in the lamb creep with great success. I like the fact they are safer to feed than other cereals.