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Free choice feed?

1K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Oregon1986 
#1 ·
Hello people,
I haven' been raising cattle very long, so let me fill you in real quick. I have a 1year old Holstein heifer, a 5 month old Holstein steer, and a 5 month old Jersey bull. I also have 20 goats. I am trying to get them more on free choice feed. I'e seen several creep feeders around and they just eat when they want, or at least that's what it looks like. I keep fresh hay and they have plenty of grass around. I have been feeding them producer's pride "all stock" from tractor supply, mixed with cracked corn, on a 50/50 ratio. The local grain elevator only offers 3 types of feed, whole corn, Milo, and wheat. I was told to feed them wheat and corn. So I've been slowly introducing the wheat into their feed rations, in the hopes of being able to pull my creep feeder in and letting them have free access. Have any of you had issues with doing this, will it be ok to allow them free choice ? What should I do?
 
#2 ·
We never gave cattle or goats free choice feed. Too expensive and we had plenty of pasture for them to eat. The steers got grain 90 days before heading to the freezer and my dairy goats got feed when they were on the milking stand. Other than that, grass and hay was all we fed. We did give free choice minerals appropriate to the type of livestock and in winter we put out protein buckets for the cows.
 
#4 ·
Newbie Farmer;
I would only caution you of 2 things. If you plan to keep your Holstein heifer to breed she does not need to get too fat. Her udder will fill up with fat and it will cut her milk production. Cows and goats need grass, hay, or lots of fiber.
Worming them will also help a lot, not to imply that you had not done this but it is important.
Goats do not need a lot of carbohydrates, corn can cause them to develop "polio encephalitis" It is not pretty to watch them go through it, ask me how I know. Hidden Springs is right on with his/her comments. Good Luck. Dsmythe
 
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