Grumpy Sucklers

[steveR]

I have seen it before once or twice, but this Winter has been really a stand out!

I have housed a bunch of older Sucklers in the yard, ready to start calving in 2-3 weeks time... we hope. They are all in nice condition, and have had high selenium mollased buckets for the past 4 weeks too, after some pretty dopey calves last year.

However, the hoped for multiple bays of hay did not transpire last Summer, something to do with a dry spell.... But I have a fair old amount of tidy round bale silage and a bit of haylage, made when I was able to... No analysis, but looks, handles and smells really nice fodder.

However, they are the faddiest bunch about, pick at, sniff and eat it like 5 year old presented with cabbage on his plate. Yet, if I chuck in a bale of 2nd quality hay in, they are all at the rack munching inside 2 mins!! I tend to make them clear up the silage bales in a ring every 2/3 days, but boy do they let me know what they think of my behaviour!!

Yet the cows running out, welcome me with happiness when I arrive with a bale of silage.... Wimmin!

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

We have the same, this years silage smells reasonable but they don't even bother standing up when you put a new bale in, last years leftover they go mad for.

I had some we made on a neighbours patch, was sprayed for thistles and they just hated it, but this years lot is a mystery.

 

[livestock 1]

Is it fairly wet? We made some which is fairly wet and they seem pretty uninspired by it. They look ok on the stuff probably gaining condition slowly but when I fill the barrier nothing much appears for a look. Maybe they are too well off!!

 

[steveR]

Is it fairly wet? We made some which is fairly wet and they seem pretty uninspired by it. They look ok on the stuff probably gaining condition slowly but when I fill the barrier nothing much appears for a look. Maybe they are too well off!!

Mine is lovely stuff. They possibly preferred some 3rd cut, made late October, now THAT was wet... All been fed, as I knew it would have a short shelf life.

Too well off may well sum them up... Srill some haylage left in the bottom of the ring this morning, so I got a watering can, and dribbled 10l of molasses on it... That fooled 'em!!

Got a bunch of last years calves on the same silage and a Proplus bucket, and they look great!

 

[livestock 1]

Mine is lovely stuff. They possibly preferred some 3rd cut, made late October, now THAT was wet... All been fed, as I knew it would have a short shelf life.

Too well off may well sum them up... Srill some haylage left in the bottom of the ring this morning, so I got a watering can, and dribbled 10l of molasses on it... That fooled 'em!!

Got a bunch of last years calves on the same silage and a Proplus bucket, and they look great!

How times have changed. Father used to give our cows two feeds a day they would be eaten up in half an hour or less each feed then wait for the next one to come. Different story now, silage is always in front of them 24/7 even if I see a barrier empty I start to panic.
Fella next door made silage on a droughty year only half filled the pits, he asked his father ’how will we cope’ his father said ‘give them less’

 

[steveR]

How times have changed. Father used to give our cows two feeds a day they would be eaten up in half an hour or less each feed then wait for the next one to come. Different story now, silage is always in front of them 24/7 even if I see a barrier empty I start to panic.
Fella next door made silage on a droughty year only half filled the pits, he asked his father ’how will we cope’ his father said ‘give them less’

IKWYM, I do tend get twitchy late at night, and have been known to pop out at 11pm to check.... do they need a bale? Knowing full well, that they have enough and will not starve until morning, they are not dairy Holsteins!!

 

[Bossfarmer]

im a bit low on silage this year but like them to have something in feeder all the time, should i cut back a bit? its one cut low quality stuff

 

[livestock 1]

im a bit low on silage this year but like them to have something in feeder all the time, should i cut back a bit? its one cut low quality stuff

I used to give them feeds rather than ad-lib I’m not sure I saved any money. They seem to eat more with feeds at times

 

[N.Yorks.]

I have seen it before once or twice, but this Winter has been really a stand out!

I have housed a bunch of older Sucklers in the yard, ready to start calving in 2-3 weeks time... we hope. They are all in nice condition, and have had high selenium mollased buckets for the past 4 weeks too, after some pretty dopey calves last year.

However, the hoped for multiple bays of hay did not transpire last Summer, something to do with a dry spell.... But I have a fair old amount of tidy round bale silage and a bit of haylage, made when I was able to... No analysis, but looks, handles and smells really nice fodder.

However, they are the faddiest bunch about, pick at, sniff and eat it like 5 year old presented with cabbage on his plate. Yet, if I chuck in a bale of 2nd quality hay in, they are all at the rack munching inside 2 mins!! I tend to make them clear up the silage bales in a ring every 2/3 days, but boy do they let me know what they think of my behaviour!!

Yet the cows running out, welcome me with happiness when I arrive with a bale of silage.... Wimmin!

Sound like my kids during lockdown...... although I don't give them silage!

 

[steveR]

I used to give them feeds rather than ad-lib I’m not sure I saved any money. They seem to eat more with feeds at times

I had the argument on feeding 2 times a day 35-40 years ago. Went to once a day hard feed then, mainly to save work.

Once big bales appeared when I bought a baler in the early 80s. Fodder went ad-lib, again saved work as the farm moved to a one man band status.

 

[livestock 1]

I had the argument on feeding 2 times a day 35-40 years ago. Went to once a day hard feed then, mainly to save work.

Once big bales appeared when I bought a baler in the early 80s. Fodder went ad-lib, again saved work as the famer moved to a one man band status.

That’s basically what’s happened here. Feed each batch enough for a few days at a time. Gives you time to do something else rather than running around in circles.
I don’t think there’s much of a saving giving them 2 feeds instead. Maybe you will use more for the first few weeks when they initially come in but once they are filled up and going forward I think they eat less. Add the saving of time and you are definitely better off ad lib