OT-feed ration, custom mix....400-550# weaned calves

Dave from MN · Dec 2, 2011

5000# cracked corn
4700# rolled/whole oats
100# Sel E
25# c/Vit
500# dry molassis.
Calves have free choice corn husk/leaves bales, and free choice grass hay. How many #'s per head per day should I be feeding for best gain until I put them on full grain /pellet finisher ration at about 750-800#. Note, will this be too hot of a feed if they are on free choice 3rd crop alfalfa, rather than stalks/grass hay? Just doing things a little different this year for some and looking for some advice.

Dave from MN · Dec 2, 2011

Oops, forgot to include the mix has 1950# of 40% protien pellets also in it.

Nebraska Cowman · Dec 2, 2011

Yeah half oats out to make it about like ear corn. I feed ear corn at a little less than 1% body weight and all the grass hay they want and them buggers do grow. If you are going to feed them out yourself you can feed 1.5 % Which would be 6 or 7 # per hd, but to turn back out on grass they'd get too fat. As far as protein I don't think you need it. Especially if you are feeding alfalfa.

LAA · Dec 2, 2011

If you have alfalfa the 40% pellets are not needed, don"t see the need for the dry molasses either with two sources of energy already in the ration. 50/50 ground corn and alfalfa hay is almost a perfect ration for growing/fattening cattle and lambs, if, for example, you have corn silage instead of corn or clover hay instead of alfalfa you can adjust any ration to equal the desired amount of protein and energy depending on the cost of the inputs which is what you want to control. most co-ops and feed mills push complex mixtures featuring their particular additives when most everything you need is in good legume hay and corn.

thurlow · Dec 2, 2011

It's a cop-out on my part, but I'd suggest you REALLY need a professional to figure your ration..........free from your State Land Grant University/Extension Service or from the place where you buy your supplement(s). I fed a couple of hundred calves each Winter for more years than I can count and it's mighty EASY to get 'em too fat; at this stage you just want 'em to grow. Just across the airwaves, your mix sounds rich......unless you really cut back on the amount fed.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 2, 2011

what er yopu using for protein we feed a lot of cattle and would be glad to share ideas

LonM · Dec 2, 2011

Through just some quick figuring the mix works out to around 14% protein with those 40% pellets, so I would not offer alfalfa hay in addition to this, but you could cut back on the pellets and feed the alfalfa. This would definitely be cheaper than pellets, but if you have an ionophore (Bovatec, Rumensin, etc.) in the pellet you will need to do something to get that same level of ionophore into the cattle that you would have had with the pellets. I also think the molasses is unnecessary- we've fed soybean oil with an additive to make it smell like butterscotch to make it more appealing to calves (@20# oil/ton of feed), but we mostly use the oil to cut down the dust for our own benefit, not the cattle. I also agree an extension agent or ag-school teacher would be helpful. Feed company nutritionists know their stuff too, but have additional interests at stake which may not be in your best interest. Good Luck.
LonM

tjdub · Dec 2, 2011

I start my calves at about 2 lbs/ head / day. And increase it up slowly to about 7lbs / head / day by the time I sell them. I give my best alfalfa/sudex hay and haylage to the calves free choice, the cows can have the grass hay. I feed them for 60-90 days before I sell them. It the past, I've tried going heavier on feed, but they get loose stool, seem generally less healthy, and get fleshy. Also corn is expensive

As others said, skip the protein pellets if they're on alfalfa, clover, or sudex hay. Definitely going to need protein supplement if on grass hay and corn stalks though.

What's the reason for the molasses? It seems like that mix would already be plenty sweet.

I'm not an expert, just speaking on my own experiences.

John (C-IL) · Dec 2, 2011

I ran your ration through my feed calculator at work and came up with the following for a 1 ton batch.

1350 corn
300 oats
300 protein
50 molasses.

Worked out to be about a 12% ration.

At 1000# I would eliminate the oats completely, go to a 10% inclusion rate on the protein (200#) and add the molassess if you really think you need it.

As others have said you could cut the protein in half from my recomendation if you are feeding alfalfa which seems a little over board for finishing cattle.

OT-feed ration, custom mix....400-550# weaned calves

Dave from MN

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Dave from MN

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Nebraska Cowman

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LAA

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thurlow

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Anonymous-0

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LonM

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tjdub

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John (C-IL)

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