Pottbellies a bad thing. Means rumen isn't ready.
Which beef breed bull to use going forward
- Thread starter Scholsey
- Start date
BELOWAVERAGE
Member
So what about all these chap's who tip them out at a week or two old and rear them on grass ? Are you sure the belly doesn't mean that they're eating it and the rumen is developing, whereas with straw they eat as little as possible so rumen doesn't develop, hence no stomach, never heard summut so daft, you'll be telling all these single suckler chap's to take the calves off the cow's next incase they eat some of mummy's food
Dlwg doesn't lie. Say all you want.
Farmer Keith
Member
- Location
- North Cumbria
Maybe potbellied is the wrong term, these are 5 months old with developed rumens which in a forage based system is the goal. Wouldn’t like to see them potbellied at 2 months old. Heifers hitting all targets here, if anything they’re too heavy at 15 months for the size of cow I’m targeting, there’s certainly room to cut concentrates but I’m always nervous of it!
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Holsteinfriesian90
Member
- Location
- Cornwall
Farmer Keith
Member
- Location
- North Cumbria
You’re calving them down at 15 months?
bulling at 15 months, it’s been a long year!Kinds figured thats what you meant. We have similar issue. Hitting 500kg-550kg at 16 months, should be doing them at 13 months at 400kg.
What's mature weight?
We are averaging £1250 on cull if that gives you any idea. Haven't actually weighed one in years. Best cull we've done was North of £1500.What's mature weight?
Farmer Keith
Member
- Location
- North Cumbria
You’ll get weights back on the statement when you send them to the mart. Weighed our whole herd when we tb tested in November, it was a worthwhile experience and did change what we served to Beef/Dairy.
I'm always too distracted at the £
BELOWAVERAGE
Member
Feeding hay doesn't affect daily live weight gain.
BELOWAVERAGE
Member
In fact just thinking a bit more about this, didn't the King brothers who won the Gold Cup a few years ago change from feeding straw to feeding hay on the advice of the girl who reared their calves, if I remember correctly they said it was against their better judgement, but found the calves did better and grew faster on hay rather than straw,which makes sense as your replacing a low quality indigestible food with a good quality one.
It doesn't perform the same as wheat straw. And doesn't develop the rumen as well. Ofc providing you are feeding a cake on top.
There are studies done on this. Not anecdotal farmer experience.
- Location
- somerset
l think the problem is what 'kind' of hay you feed.
traditionally, the best soft hay was put back, for the calves. Basically it was rocket fuel, which didn't do the calves any favours, and it was variable in quality.
calves need a constant feed value ration, this is easily achieved by using straw, as the main forage, and rely on conc, for the growth etc.
And it works well, it's simple.
Rye grass hay, or 'overstood' hay, can work well, it's not so 'rich', r/grass tends to have a higher % of stem, and overstood is generally of less feed value.
it's not so much about straw being of less feed value than hay, it's about supplying a constant feed value ration. After all, you are feeding 'babies', and if you have kids, nappies soon tell you the effects of differing foods !