Graining a Holstein...

R.Adams · #1 01/10/10, 07:24 PM

I recently obtained a young holstein 2 y/o FF thats been milking since April. Now she's a big cow compared to the jerseys I used to have as in she's about 5'6 height at the back and approximately 1000 lbs. I feel she's a little on the light side for her frame. I've been feeding her approx. 10-12 lbs grain twice daily at milking. She's currently giving on avg. 30-32 lbs of milk a day. At the dairy she was doing 42 lbs from her DHI sheet. I expected her to drop on the move so I'm not to worried about that.

She gets free choice coastal hay, and her grain consists of a 14% sweet feed, alfalfa pellets, and 18% lactation pellets in equal combination. Should I try and increase the protein with some added soybeans to help her in the weight gain or just wait until her dry off period to get the weight on her? She is currently bred as of November 17, 2009 so she's not to far along in her pregnancy.

I know holstiens are known for the high milk production and this one was sold for her lack thereof, but 32 lbs at 9 months into her lactation isn't to bad for a FF is it? Also, are they just breeding these things to be monsters these days? I grew up on a dairy farm with holsteins and they were nothing in size compared to this thing and she's just avg size for this farm.

Any help appreciated,

Thanks,
Ray Adams

DaleK · #2 01/11/10, 09:06 AM

Without having the analysis in front of me, it sounds like she has lots of protein in her grain and if anything she's probably lacking in energy, which is what mostly adds weight to them. Corn silage would be perfect but you probably can't get any, I'd try adding a bit of ground corn and maybe replace some of the protein with it.

R.Adams · #3 01/11/10, 10:53 AM

Would corn chops work or does it need to be ground into meal for better digestiong for her? Used to just feeding the dairy goats corn chops didn't even think of it for the cow, lol.

DaleK · #4 01/11/10, 05:46 PM

Not sure what "corn chops" means, must be a local term or something.

R.Adams · #5 01/12/10, 08:13 AM

Corn chops here refers to cracked corn I believe in most other places, lol

DaleK · #6 01/12/10, 10:50 AM

OK that should be fine.