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frederick, MD | I had competent calf feeders and a few years back calves where bringing about 10 bucks a head. So I got mad and said raise the bull calfs.
Got an education in the beef biz real quick. Can't let them just run with the heifers cuz they don't grow fast enough. Then I found out how much grain you beef guys feed and I don't know why the steers don't die.
Finally I figured out the best thing for me to do is to raise them band them vaccinate them and get them up to about 350 lbs or so. This seems to be where you beef boys want them. So you can start laying the grain to them. If I feed them much longer then that on the heifer diet it seems like the feeder buyers don't want them as bad.
If I could stick more of them together so I could run a mix just for feeder calves I would consider it. If I had the space. And enough animals of the same size. Paying hired help to to the work, or even if I do it, I need to feed a lot to be efficient.
I know a beef farmer near me. He spends as much time feeding his 75 head as I do feeding 500 head. Granted he is doing most if it buy hand so he don't have the investment I have in equipment. | |
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Why do dairies generally not feed out their bull calves?
