Given the sky high price of concentrated feeds I’m wondering about trialling giving my suckled calves none . Just good silage &hay with minerals . I’m not a huge concentrate feeder anyway calves weaned off there mothers would get a little morning and night last year just a little once a day and when it came to selling store in spring wasn’t much difference in weights year on year . My cattle are all about 3/4 to pure Angus’s nowadays .
Thoughts on not feeding concentrates this winter
- Thread starter valtraman
- Start date
- Location
- North Somerset.
To add to the OP. Since it is protein that grows frame, what are the cheapest options for boosting the protein content of the hay and silage diet?
Feeding round bale hay and silage from various sources means sampling to establish protein content isn’t really practical but what would the optimum protein content be for spring born weaned suckled calves over winter?
Feeding round bale hay and silage from various sources means sampling to establish protein content isn’t really practical but what would the optimum protein content be for spring born weaned suckled calves over winter?
Not such an issue for those selling at 12mths+ but those of us usually selling at 9-10mths are going to be doing some head scratching. I dont think stores need anything over 16% and would grow on silage alone if it was tidy stuff.
Job to second guess cake prices with corn price starting to fall
Job to second guess cake prices with corn price starting to fall
We would sell some of the bigger bullocks at 11/12 month at spring grass sales then summer rest of bullocks on grass to sell in October sales . All heifer calves would be summered and keep the best for replacements the remainder sold as stores . 200 cow herd. Normally calves would just be Getting a 16% protein over winter. Todays price £370 possible slight fall end of month
See what state the jobs in come september here, either bite the bullet and start creeping them or decide to winter them in which case they will not get adlib creeped at all. Wean later and winter on silage and 1-2kg of 16% beef nut and hope the spring trade is mental. Too much work involved calving etc to mug them away .
Never feed concentrate to weaned spring suckler calves that are overwintered here. Hay in shed for them but can roam around the farm as they please.(which they prefer) Herefords. If they're well grown when weaned at 8 months they grow on to sell well in the early spring or to be kept as bulling heifers.
Do you earn your living from them?
Do any of us?
If they are going out to grass after winter and get enough grass when they do go out then they will soon catch up.
How long is your winter inside though? I leave some fields empty over winter from late October early November onwards for the grass to be there for them in March to go out to. It makes a massive difference going out 2 months earlier from when we used to leave them in till May. Even if they have to come back in when the weather turns to sh!t again mine went in for a few days and out again lots of times this year Through March and April That overwintered grass in spring is like rocket fuel for them to get them growing. But you can't really do that unless you can walk them in of course.
Silage is a lot better for them than hay if you are going to leave them without. Not sure I'd be brave enough to sell them in spring out of the shed without some feed though.
How long is your winter inside though? I leave some fields empty over winter from late October early November onwards for the grass to be there for them in March to go out to. It makes a massive difference going out 2 months earlier from when we used to leave them in till May. Even if they have to come back in when the weather turns to sh!t again mine went in for a few days and out again lots of times this year Through March and April That overwintered grass in spring is like rocket fuel for them to get them growing. But you can't really do that unless you can walk them in of course.
Silage is a lot better for them than hay if you are going to leave them without. Not sure I'd be brave enough to sell them in spring out of the shed without some feed though.
From a small herd of cows that live out all year (8) and a flock of 125 ewes, who only get concentrate just before lambing, I earn enough to pay for my rent (I live on the farm), all my inputs..bull hire, ram replacements, truck costs, utilities, cattle winter feed and winter sheep tack etc and make a modest profit on the farm. Work off farm 2/3 days a week unless lambing or calving march-may. 62 now so don't need/want much except to enjoy working the cattle and sheep in peace.
Couldn't rent a crappy bedsit in town for twice the rent that I pay for my 100acres.
Rent 5k/year.
Last year farm income 15k+
Couldn't rent a crappy bedsit in town for twice the rent that I pay for my 100acres.
Rent 5k/year.
Last year farm income 15k+
livestock 1
Member
Brewers grains are still the cheapest form of protein looking at the figures
Urea protein in a liquid feed molasses is also looking cheap but not a true protein and you will need something else added
15% will do in a feed
Urea protein in a liquid feed molasses is also looking cheap but not a true protein and you will need something else added
15% will do in a feed
- Location
- Lorette Manitoba
Grain prices here have fallen big time. Wheat is down 25% oats 40% even canola is down 40% off its high. Fertilizer is rumoured to be down too