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nw oh | I assume you are feeding calf fed holsteins and not yearlings. We buy 500 lb calf fed calves they have all been started and introduced to grain, gluten, and distillers. I still ease them on gluten, and wet distillers say 2 lbs of gluten, and 6 lbs of Wet cake and 5 lbs of corn. This year we are feeding silage as a roughage source at 8-10 lbs. (When it runs out will go to a grass hay, when that runs out will go to straw) Then after 5-10 days will add a lb of gluten and 2 lbs of wet cake. Eventually get them to 4 lbs of gluten and 8-10 lbs of wet cake. Then as they need more to eat add more corn. We like to see the bunk with crumbs every morning. If gluten unavailable or expensive feed 12-15 lbs of wet cake. After they have been on feed about month we have no problems adding or subtracting ingredients. When cattle are about 1000-1100 lbs they will be getting about 16 lbs of corn 4 lbs gluten 9 lbs wet cake, silage.
I would stick with the bunks and TMR. You could still do corn and pellets just feed them everyday or every other day. If you go to self feeders you cannot switch to wet feeds when cheaper.
As far as finishing weights, in times of narrow choice select spreads will move them at 1300-1325 lb pay weights. The grading will be lower (55-65%) When the choice select spread is wide will feed an extra 20-30 days and finish at 1375-1425 pay weight.
Even with the wide choice select spread I would probably be better off only feeding to 1300 pay weight. The last 100 lbs on these things are very expensive. I have tried to analyze at what point you feed them longer for the better grade versus selling early to save on putting on inefficient lbs. The only way to really do it is to weigh some feed for 30 days and see what they gained and how much you fed. | |
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Help understanding Feeding out cattle.
