Finishing Cattle , Simple Small Scale

[DrWazzock]

I bought some Lim X Shorthorn stores off a mate at about 300 kg and on a diet of silage in a ring feeder and half oat half barley ration with 25% inclusion of 30% protein beef nuts they gained close on 2kg per day. I was pleased with that. So far so good. They are now about 550kg but the briskets haven't filled out so i'm guessing not fat enough and also not heavy enough. I went onto hay about 4 weeks ago as the silage was going mouldy with the heat before they finished it. I am feeding about 8 kg per day per head of the cereal blend. I haven't weighed them but they don't seem to be putting on as much as they were. They aren't filling out enough. I reckon I can up the cereal ration a bit more to maybe 12 kg per day and maybe takeout the oats so all the cereal is barley. I have reduced the protein nuts to 12.5% inclusion to get an overall protein in the diet of about 12%. I have added a buffer to the ration in case of acidosis but it reduced intake as they turned their noses up at the ration.

Any thoughts on how I might improve the rate of finishing? I could turn them out onto aftermath and carry on grain. feeding but they are quite lively and might go over the fence!

 

[Werzle]

Do better out but would go backwards before they went forwards for abit, beef price is cr#p so nothing to lose. Your giving them a fair old mixture of grub, wouldnt a beef nut be cheaper and easier in a hopper

 

[czechmate]

Maybe that amount of oats holding them back?

 

[DrWazzock]

Maybe that amount of oats holding them back?

I suspect it is. They look like a lot of chaff. Not brilliant quality oats.will scale them back.

 

[DrWazzock]

Do better out but would go backwards before they went forwards for abit, beef price is cr#p so nothing to lose. Your giving them a fair old mixture of grub, wouldnt a beef nut be cheaper and easier in a hopper

It would be easier but I like using up odds and ends of cereals here that won't make up a full load rather than buying stuff in, which always feels expensive, but maybe it isn't.

 

[ridger]

Do better out but would go backwards before they went forwards for abit, beef price is cr#p so nothing to lose. Your giving them a fair old mixture of grub, wouldnt a beef nut be cheaper and easier in a hopper

Id be inclined to disagree, I graze for about 10 weeks and put them in shed again to finish

 

[livestock 1]

I bought some Lim X Shorthorn stores off a mate at about 300 kg and on a diet of silage in a ring feeder and half oat half barley ration with 25% inclusion of 30% protein beef nuts they gained close on 2kg per day. I was pleased with that. So far so good. They are now about 550kg but the briskets haven't filled out so i'm guessing not fat enough and also not heavy enough. I went onto hay about 4 weeks ago as the silage was going mouldy with the heat before they finished it. I am feeding about 8 kg per day per head of the cereal blend. I haven't weighed them but they don't seem to be putting on as much as they were. They aren't filling out enough. I reckon I can up the cereal ration a bit more to maybe 12 kg per day and maybe takeout the oats so all the cereal is barley. I have reduced the protein nuts to 12.5% inclusion to get an overall protein in the diet of about 12%. I have added a buffer to the ration in case of acidosis but it reduced intake as they turned their noses up at the ration.

Any thoughts on how I might improve the rate of finishing? I could turn them out onto aftermath and carry on grain. feeding but they are quite lively and might go over the fence!

If you have got enough frame on them then you can get rid of the protein nuts and oats. Can’t beat starch if you are sticking a bit. Are they eating too much hay and not enough barley?

 

[gone up the hill]

Feeding hay to finishing cattle is NO NO for starters. ( unless barley beef bulls )

Cut out the oats,

Any pics of these cattle?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Why aren’t they on ad lib...

 

[DrWazzock]

The hay is stalky ryegrass seed hay. I would have thought it was as good if not better than barley straw. They havent got gutty on it.

They are just about in ad lib, just cleaning up before next feed.

 

[livestock 1]

The hay is stalky ryegrass seed hay. I would have thought it was as good if not better than barley straw. They havent got gutty on it.

They are just about in ad lib, just cleaning up before next feed.

I often just give them a bit of straw for roughage

 

[Northeastfarmer]

The hay is stalky ryegrass seed hay. I would have thought it was as good if not better than barley straw. They havent got gutty on it.

They are just about in ad lib, just cleaning up before next feed.

Stick them on full ad-lib...they are shorthorn crosses they might not get any bigger....pointless feeding cattle unless you’re weighing them every month...they may of reached genetic capacity and are now blowing you money

 

[gone up the hill]

The hay is stalky ryegrass seed hay. I would have thought it was as good if not better than barley straw. They havent got gutty on it.

They are just about in ad lib, just cleaning up before next feed.

Feed straw and not hay.

Hay is the worst thing you can feed of any roughage to finishing cattle!

As for Ad Lib, no need to be doing that with native cattle, 8/9 kilos with the correct roughage should be fine.

What rumen balancer are you feeding?

 

[gone up the hill]

Stick them on full ad-lib...they are shorthorn crosses they might not get any bigger....pointless feeding cattle unless you’re weighing them every month...they may of reached genetic capacity and are now blowing you money

Good job we convinced you into buying a weighing crush a few years ago and the benefits of weighing your cattle monthly

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Good job we convinced you into buying a weighing crush a few years ago and the benefits of weighing your cattle monthly

I know....can’t afford them going overweight where I’m sending them now

 

[gone up the hill]

I know....can’t afford them going overweight where I’m sending them now

Aye now if you weigh them and they are 550 kilos you need to book them in because they will be 700 kilos before anyone will take them the way things stand

 

[czechmate]

Feed straw and not hay.

Hay is the worst thing you can feed of any roughage to finishing cattle!

As for Ad Lib, no need to be doing that with native cattle, 8/9 kilos with the correct roughage should be fine.

What rumen balancer are you feeding?

My ad lib limmi bulls never eat over 9 Kg anyway but it’s a lot less work

 

[Case290]

I think some wheat will help I use 50/50 wheat / barley in fat cattle ration along with sugar beet nuts soya & molasses add lib . Also on haylage buffer but they dot eat much of that. Have you thought about adding some maize that stuff will fatten enything

 

[cattleman123]

Feed straw and not hay.

Hay is the worst thing you can feed of any roughage to finishing cattle!

As for Ad Lib, no need to be doing that with native cattle, 8/9 kilos with the correct roughage should be fine.

What rumen balancer are you feeding?

So why is Hay worst than straw..i offer hay beside add lid...would they do better with straw if so why?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Best way to fatten cattle is on grass with add lib bunkers . But restrict the grass a little