Rearing weaned calves

[Farmer H]

What DLWG are possible to achieve from dairy bred blues, or other breeds from a cereal based diet when pushed? Is over 1kg/day achievable from 200kg to 600kg?

 

[Full of bull(s)]

What DLWG are possible to achieve from dairy bred blues, or other breeds from a cereal based diet when pushed? Is over 1kg/day achievable from 200kg to 600kg?

Easily, in the 200-350kg range 1.5-2kg is possible and that’s when they are at their most efficient for feed conversion. The only problem with steers and particularly heifers is having them fat and not heavy enough, and if you take your foot off the throttle you end up wasting some of what you’ve spent. Feed a 16% ration until at least 6 months and aim for 300kg by then

 

[Farmer H]

Easily, in the 200-350kg range 1.5-2kg is possible and that’s when they are at their most efficient for feed conversion. The only problem with steers and particularly heifers is having them fat and not heavy enough, and if you take your foot off the throttle you end up wasting some of what you’ve spent. Feed a 16% ration until at least 6 months and aim for 300kg by then

Yes would potentially try and get over that problem with Blue steers so don't go fat as easy. Thinking of a ration mainly using crimped wheat with high protein grass/legume silage potentially with additional protein pellets if needed. Would this be okay in your opinion?

 

[Zippy768]

Easily, in the 200-350kg range 1.5-2kg is possible and that’s when they are at their most efficient for feed conversion. The only problem with steers and particularly heifers is having them fat and not heavy enough, and if you take your foot off the throttle you end up wasting some of what you’ve spent. Feed a 16% ration until at least 6 months and aim for 300kg by then

300kg by 6 months??
That's 1.5kg from the moment it drops to the floor

 

[Full of bull(s)]

They won’t all do it but 260kg is certainly an achievable average, I have done it with bought in Angus bull calves. Aim high!

 

[Full of bull(s)]

Yes would potentially try and get over that problem with Blue steers so don't go fat as easy. Thinking of a ration mainly using crimped wheat with high protein grass/legume silage potentially with additional protein pellets if needed. Would this be okay in your opinion?

I would take it easy with the silage until they are 7-8 months, they won’t have the capacity to eat enough low DM product which will slow them down, use high bypass proteins, soya etc.

 

[Zippy768]

They won’t all do it but 260kg is certainly an achievable average, I have done it with bought in Angus bull calves. Aim high!

That certainly is aiming high.
1kg/day, arriving on farm at 2 weeks @45kg would only be 210kg.

Not having a go, but talk me through it.
All things considered I'd be looking at between 0.86-0.9kg dlwg average between arrival at 2-4 weeks old and 6 months. AAX steers

 

[An Gof]

What DLWG are possible to achieve from dairy bred blues, or other breeds from a cereal based diet when pushed? Is over 1kg/day achievable from 200kg to 600kg?

It’s easy to achieve that.

 

[HarryB97]

1kg as an average should be fairly easy, comfortably do that with good silage and a few kg of barley.