winter feeding heifer calves

desertshi · #1 01/05/10, 01:09 PM

Okay...so one more question today. I am wondering if anyone has knowledgable advice or knows of a web page that I can go to for amount of hay needed.

At this point in time I am not feeding any grain whatsoever. I have two heifer calves, angus and angus/hereford cross. They have a collective weight of about 715 pounds. I am currently feeding peanut hay. But will soon be grinding different hays together. (Sorghum hay, peanut hay, high quality straight alfalfa.) I am wondering, more or less, how many pounds of hay do these girlies need to grow a good frame. The hay is loose, so I am not sure how well I am going to be able to weigh it, I just pitchfork it into a wheelbarrow! My goats and horse have been on this hay for the last 2 months and are doing beautifully!

tinknal · #2 01/05/10, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertshi

Okay...so one more question today. I am wondering if anyone has knowledgable advice or knows of a web page that I can go to for amount of hay needed.

At this point in time I am not feeding any grain whatsoever. I have two heifer calves, angus and angus/hereford cross. They have a collective weight of about 715 pounds. I am currently feeding peanut hay. But will soon be grinding different hays together. (Sorghum hay, peanut hay, high quality straight alfalfa.) I am wondering, more or less, how many pounds of hay do these girlies need to grow a good frame. The hay is loose, so I am not sure how well I am going to be able to weigh it, I just pitchfork it into a wheelbarrow! My goats and horse have been on this hay for the last 2 months and are doing beautifully!

Not sure of the nutritional content of sorgum or peanut hay, but with young stock I would free choice it.

francismilker · #3 01/05/10, 03:10 PM

Peanut hay and sorghum hay is generally pretty good. The peanut hay can be compared to soybean as a general rule on protein, TDN (total digestable nutrients), and fiber. However, peanut hay usually has quite a bit of dirt and dust in it which wears a cows teeth out pretty fast. It just grinds them down. Too much of it and they will be shooting it over the barn out of the backside. Use caution when startleing them from that end!

The only way you can truly know is to have your hay tested for content before you'll know how much to give. I'm not the expert on this subject however. I'm one of the only people I know who can vaccinate, give minerals, and feed according to the textbooks and still have cattle that you can see through when the green grass finally comes on in Spring. lol.....

desertshi · #4 01/05/10, 04:21 PM

Peanut hay, protein wise, is very comparable to alfalfa hay. I do agree that it has alot of sandyness to it though! I cannot get my hay tested....sources for hay vary greatly and it just isn't cost effective here. Sorghum has been compared very closely to corn...not too much difference. This is hay that has been cut with about half of the seed heads on the stalk still.

Allen W · #5 01/05/10, 06:07 PM

A lot of information herehttp://www.beefextension.com/. It will be hard to provide an adequate diet for young calves on hay alone.

oneokie · #6 01/05/10, 06:53 PM

Feeds and Feeding by Morrison is an excellent book on various feedstuffs.

desertshi · #7 01/05/10, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allen W

A lot of information herehttp://www.beefextension.com/. It will be hard to provide an adequate diet for young calves on hay alone.

Thanks, I will go check that out. So you think that they will need supplement? This isn't grass/alfalfa mix that I am feeding. If I am not mistaken, peanut hay acts much like straight alfalfa content wise?

tinknal · #8 01/06/10, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertshi

Thanks, I will go check that out. So you think that they will need supplement? This isn't grass/alfalfa mix that I am feeding. If I am not mistaken, peanut hay acts much like straight alfalfa content wise?

With the heads on the sorghum you actually are giving them some grain.