Minerals with feeding straw

[Grass And Grain]

Feeding straw to sucklers up until new year (lack of silage on farm).

Anyone know if a specific mineral is required? Or is it just a higher rate of normal mineral.

 

[livestock 1]

Feeding straw to sucklers up until new year (lack of silage on farm).

Anyone know if a specific mineral is required? Or is it just a higher rate of normal mineral.

GP cattle mineral molasses and potale goes on it here too or in feeders

 

[Grass And Grain]

That's one vote for GP.

Thanks @livestock 1 , was thinking of 1.5kg of a 50:50 mix of barley/beans in the trough, then some molasses poured over the straw.

 

[livestock 1]

I like molasses and potale 50/50 but been using a urea molasses lately just as good

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Be careful with dry cows and minerals. I know things have changed a lot since I formulated cattle diets but feeding to much calcium to dry cows used to be a trigger for milk fever . Get expert advice from those who know more about modern thinking than me

 

[Agrivator]

Straw generally has a highish Calcium content but a low Phosphorus content.
Grain is just the opposite - very low Calcium but reasonable Phosphorus.

Any supplement fed with Straw to Sucklers which are only receiving small amounts of concentrate (say less than 3kg) should receive a high phos. mineral. Don't feed an intensive beef supplement because these always have a high Calcium content.

The nutritive value of straw depends on the quantity fed and the amount (say 80%) of selection allowed.
If a bale of straw has an overall ME level of 6.5, what is the ME level of the 80% eaten compared to the ME level of the 20% of the stuff which is left?

 

[Drillman]

That's one vote for GP.

Thanks @livestock 1 , was thinking of 1.5kg of a 50:50 mix of barley/beans in the trough, then some molasses poured over the straw.

Pouring molasses over the straw sounds a good idea! Who suggested that

 

[delilah]

straw and a crystalyx pre-calver block here, for the reasons re calcium stated above.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Straw generally has a highish Calcium content but a low Phosphorus content.
Grain is just the opposite - very low Calcium but reasonable Phosphorus.

Any supplement fed with Straw to Sucklers which are only receiving small amounts of concentrate (say less than 3kg) should receive a high phos. mineral. Don't feed an intensive beef supplement because these always have a high Calcium content.

The nutritive value of straw depends on the quantity fed and the amount (say 80%) of selection allowed.
If a bale of straw has an overall ME level of 6.5, what is the ME level of the 80% eaten compared to the ME level of the 20% of the stuff which is left?

Thank you. I think this is what I was angling at, an imbalance of minerals in straw, so need a mineral which is formulated accordingly. So high phos, I'll research this further.

Haven't had it tested, but using spring barley straw which is very leafy competed to usual, so I think it will have slightly better nutrative values than text book values.

Was considering molasses poured over to help intakes, but they seem to be consuming plenty without any molasses, so will feed barley/bean mix as that is what I have on farm and should (I think) tick all the boxes for FME and RDP. Arguably, urea (or slow release urea) would be a cheaper protein source.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Calcium levels...

Barley straw, 0.13
Wheat straw, 0.18
Oat straw, 0.26

 

[BBE]

How much are people paying for molasses this year? Been quoted 40ppl for general purpose or 50ppl for 20% protein (1000l delivered) seems a bit high but I guess there will be strong demand.

 

[rhuvid]

Rummenco Cattle Booster buckets gone out with all cattle. March/April calved cows which calves sold the other week just on Oat straw. Some still with calves having Spring Oat straw that was wrapped,( lot of grass in it). An later April an may calving cows with calves is having hay ATM, (soon to have last yrs silage bales) also the heifers I bulled this summer. Hoping most will stay out for a month yet on this. Don't want to open pit till Xmas really.