The two main feeding options for dairy steers are: a traditional, forage-based TMR diet and a whole-shell corn, high-energy diet. A traditional, forage-based diet can utilize feedstuffs already present on your farm.
What do you feed a dairy cow?
The two main feeding options for dairy steers are: a traditional, forage-based TMR diet and a whole-shell corn, high-energy diet. A traditional, forage-based diet can utilize feedstuffs already present on your farm.
What do you feed light calves on pasture?
Feeding grain rations to steers while on pasture allows light calves to grow efficiently while lowering cost of gain as compared to steers fed grain diets with high quality stored hay or silage. Using Dairy Calf and Heifer Association Gold Standards, dairy calves should weigh approximately 425 pounds at six months of age.
Should I feed grain to my young calves?
However, younger lighter calves cannot digest high forage diets and exhibit decreased performance. Feeding grain rations to steers while on pasture allows light calves to grow efficiently while lowering cost of gain as compared to steers fed grain diets with high quality stored hay or silage.
What do you feed a holstein cow?
The preferred method for raising and finishing Holstein steers is to wean them onto a high-concentrate starter diet followed by sustained feeding of a high-energy diet until the desired finished weight is achieved. This method results in finished Holstein steers commonly referred to as “calf-fed” cattle.
What is the best feed to feed out a steer?
Feed a free choice mixture of 80 percent ground sorghum grain, 10 per- cent protein supplement and 10 percent salt as cattle are placed on pasture and continue until slaughter weight is reached. Cattle will consume this mixture at approximately 1 percent of their body weight daily.
How do I fatten up my Holstein steer?
1:084:59Raising Calf-Fed Holsteins: Feedlot Nutrition - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe answer has to do with grain. And more specifically corn corn is the primary ingredient in usMoreThe answer has to do with grain. And more specifically corn corn is the primary ingredient in us feedlot diets it makes up as much as 80 to 90 percent of the total diet in most feed Lots.
How much grain should I feed my Holstein steer?
feed intake—about 18-20 pounds daily, and 3. feed conversion—about 6-7 up to 1,000 pounds Above 1,000 pounds of live weight, feed conversion for Holstein steers is much higher (less efficient). Dressing percentage is generally 6-8 percent lower for Holsteins compared with beef breeds.
How do you bulk up a steer?
0:010:40What to Feed Cattle to Fatten Them Up - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhat product do I believe in as far as to promote growth and not let cattle get too fat and to meMoreWhat product do I believe in as far as to promote growth and not let cattle get too fat and to me that's an easy answer. The fitters edge that's. That's a universal feed.
What can I feed my steer to gain weight?
To gain 2.75 pounds a day, a diet with 80% TDN will need to be provided. Steers need to be placed on a 70% to 85% grain diet to finish adequately. During the last 100 pounds of gain, the diet may approach 85% grain content.
How can I get my cow to gain weight fast?
5 Ways to Increase Cow WeightTips to Increase and Maintain Cattle Weight. Add Grain into Their Daily Diet. Prevent Illness and Parasites. Add a Weight Gain Supplement. Use Creep Feeders During Weaning. Prevent Cattle Shrink and Stress, Especially During Transport.Explore Farmco Creep Feeders. Meet Farmco Manufacturing.
How long does it take to fatten a steer?
The amount of time on feed can vary from 60-150 days. For a backyard steer, 90 days on grain should be sufficient. The grain component will help him gain faster and change the flavor of the beef to more closely match what is purchased in the grocery store.
How long does it take to finish a Holstein steer?
A target gain should be 2.4 to 2.6 pounds per day, reaching the 1,400 pound market weight in 18 months or less. With implants, steers can reach this weight in as little as 14 months. Once weaned and in the finishing phase, steers ideally should be fed a total mixed ration that's 80 percent grain on a dry matter basis.
Is feeding dairy steers profitable?
Low milk prices and tighter margins have dairy producers and those exiting the dairy industry looking for alternative sources of income. Feeding dairy steers can be a viable and profitable option to supplement farm income.
Do dairy steers have a return on investment?
Feeding dairy steers offers a relatively quick return on investment, depending on the feeding program and management. While there may be some initial capital investment, you can manage your costs and reduce your risk by focusing on the purchase price, overall feed costs and the selling price. Run projections at several different prices to evaluate what it does to your breakeven.
What is the basis of dairy farming?
Purchase right feeds at low costs all the time. The basis of a profitable dairy farming lies in its economic operations. Feeding accounts for a larger percentage of production and a farm may not be able to produce everything a cow feeds on every day.
Why are minerals important for dairy?
Minerals make up small portions of diets but have a major functional contribution to dairy animals. Generally they are needed for growth and development of bones, muscle function or formation, water balance and milk production, among others. Vitamins, on the other hand, are needed in minute quantities but are essential for various metabolic processes in the body, ability to fight stress, diseases and to maintain good health. Clearly, they are very important in the diets, therefore finding the right balance for them helps boost overall production.
What is the role of voluntary feed intake in cows?
Provide diets that are palatable and appealing to cows. The palatability of a feed can stimulate or inhibit intake. Feed intake provides a framework for a productive and profitable herd. High voluntary feed intake in cows is a good indicator of feed acceptability.
How to increase milk production after calving?
Keep rations constant, especially during the first half of the lactation. After calving, milk production steadily rises up to a peak level. Feeding diets and strategy should aim at steadily increasing milk production and sustaining peak production for as long as possible.
What is cow milk?
A cow is a factory that utilises quality grass (or other roughage) to give milk. Poor quality, mouldy feeds reduce palatability hence dry matter intake. This in turn leads to a reduced nutrient intake, low weight gain and low milk production. 3. Weigh the amount of feed to include in the total ration.
How to spend less on feeds?
The best way of spending less on feeds is to grow your own fodder. Sometimes if milk production is not optimised with your own feeds, it makes sense to compare the economics of home feed production with outright purchasing of complete concentrates or fodder. The basic principle in dairy farming is ‘no food, no milk’.
Can cows produce milk?
High quality, pleasant tasting milk cannot come from unhealthy cows. Keeping cows healthy, therefore, is the first step towards producing tasty milk. Healthy cows with low somatic cell count do not produce milk with a foul aftertaste, off-flavours or unpleasant odours. Some feeds with flavour substances accumulate in cow body tissues, particularly in the fat and later transfer to the blood, hence to the milk. In dairy, avoid feeds that impart undesirable flavour on milk or withhold feeding them for a reasonable amount of time before milking.
How to choose milk replacer for dairy cows?
There are many options available for calf milk replacer, and each is designed to meet different needs. To sort through them, first set goals for calf growth, health, and weaning age. Then select a product designed to meet those goals. When comparing products, the first step is to read the label. The most important items to identify are the crude protein and fat content, ingredients, and feeding instructions. Differences in the price of milk replacer are due to ingredient selection, manufacturing technology, and nutritional quality. Consider these factors when balancing cost and calf performance.
What is the digestive system of a dairy calf?
The Digestive System. At birth, the dairy calf's digestive system is underdeveloped. From birth to about 2 weeks of age, the calf is a monogastric, or simple-stomached, animal. The abomasum is the only stomach compartment actively involved in digestion, and milk or milk replacer provides nutrients.
How much of a calf's stomach is omasum?
The stomach compartments grow in proportion to the calf's body size. By 12 weeks of age, the reticulum and rumen will make up more than two-thirds of the total stomach capacity. The omasum still makes up about the same proportion at 10 percent. In contrast, the abomasum comprises only 20 percent.
What are the goals of raising calves to weaning age?
The goals of raising calves to weaning age are optimizing growth and minimizing health problems. We do this by understanding the digestive system, immune system, nutrient needs, and feed options.
Why is colostrum feeding important?
Timing of colostrum feeding is critically important for two reasons: the short-lived ability to absorb large molecules and the potential for pathogenic bacterial colonization of the intestine.
What percentage of a cow's stomach is omasum?
At birth, the reticulum and rumen make up 30 percent of the stomach capacity, and the omasum makes up approximately 10 percent .
Why is constant feeding not good for calf?
This is not the case, because calves with different body weights have different maintenance energy requirements. A constant feeding level will meet the needs of an average calf, but exceed the needs of smaller calves and fall short of the needs of larger calves, resulting in different rates of gain.
Why are dairy steers important?
Holstein steers have the genetic ability to produce carcasses with quality comparable or better than many beef breeds. Ensuring steers receive high quality care is a critical first step in raising healthy calves that can grow rapidly and efficiently. Feeding the dairy steers can be an excellent profit center for the dairy farm or feeding operations. For more information on raising dairy steers, contact Frank Wardynski, ruminant educator with Michigan State University Extension.
Why is it so expensive to feed dairy steers 300 pounds?
Cost of gain while feeding dairy steers to 300 pounds is considerably more expensive than at heavier weights because milk and concentrate feeds greatly increase ration cost as compared to rations with higher roughage content.
Why is accelerated calf feeding important?
Accelerated calf feeding programs are gaining popularity in an effort to raise heifers at a faster rate so they are ready for breeding at an earlier age. Accelerated calf feeding programs require uniquely different milk replacers and calf starter feeds increasing the total cost of raising calves. If rate of gain and fed efficiency are at recommended levels the cost of gain will not increase while improving overall calf health and the immunological system. Dairy managers must be aware that accelerated programs require top quality calf management and are not for everyone.
How are bull calves affected by the care they receive?
However, the future profitability of bull calves is greatly impacted by the care they receive during the first hours and days of life. Calves that do not receive adequate immunoglobulin transfer within the first few hours of life are at greater risk of diseases such as scours and pneumonia and exhibit mortality rates twice those of calves receiving adequate immunoglobulin transfer. Management recommendations for steer calves need to be the same as the heifers if they are to be healthy and vigorous.
How much of dairy sales are bull calfs?
Dairy steer or bull calf sales only account for about 1-2 percent of gross sales from typical dairy farm operations. Given current beef and milk prices, if dairy steers are fed to finish on the farm, they would account for about 15 percent of dairy farm revenues.
Do calves have rumen?
Unfortunately young calves do not have a fully developed rumen and do not utilize roughages nearly as efficiently as concentrate feeds as an energy source. Calves from 300-500 pounds are utilizing forages more efficiently than during the birth to 300 pound range.
Is calf feeding profitable?
Utilizing this analysis indicates that calf feeding programs can be reasonably profitable if sickness and death loss are low. However, if mortality is high due to inadequate immunoglobulin transfer on a high percentage of calves, high morbidity rates and decreased animal performance result in financial losses.
When should I supplement my steer?
The second time I recommend supplementing grain is during the finishing period. I usually define finishing as about 90 days before slaughter, but the amount of time is really determined by the farmer.
Why is it important to raise beef steers?
Having correct information will help you decide what breed is best for your property and how old you want the steer to be at purchase and slaughter. It is also vital to understand the nutrition behind raising grassfed beef, so you can keep your feeder steers healthy and productive.
Why do cattle finish faster?
This is one of the reasons why grain-fed cattle finish more quickly than grassfed cattle. Since we are raising our cattle mostly on pasture grass, which is a largely unenergetic feed, supplying steers with a grain supplement will increase their energy efficiency and slightly speed up the finishing process.
How long does it take for a steer to grow?
If you’re interested in growing and finishing your steers, you can purchase calves that are just weaned or even bottle calves. These calves will take about two years to grow and finish, depending on breed and what slaughter weights you are interested in producing. These calves will also be less expensive but will require more health care maintenance and attention, especially at the beginning.
How long does it take to raise a steer?
The easiest and fastest way to raise a steer is to buy a steer that just needs finished. These are steers that can need anywhere from two to six months until ready for slaughter. These steers will be larger and therefore more expensive. Usually you have these steers for such a short period of time that no health care is necessary, however, their feed efficiency will be influenced by what they ate as a calf, and that could potentially increase the time to finishing.
Why are Texas Longhorn cattle so rangy?
Texas Longhorn cattle, or herds with Longhorn genetics in the mix, are rangy and valued for their reproductive abilities and overall hardiness in beef operations.
What are the traits of beef?
This includes traits like high rate of gain, good marbling, good feed efficiency, compact body structure, calving ease, etc.
