Early or mid-season cut clover hay, early cut oaten hay and lucerne hay are suitable, but hay of lower quality is of little use. If good quality hay is not available, cereal grains or pellets may have to be fed. Feeding should begin immediately after calving because cattle may take a while to adjust to the ration.
What do you feed replacement heifers?
Tall fescue hay and 0.5–1 percent animal body weight per day of 50 percent soyhulls and 50 percent corn gluten feed fed daily To achieve these development goals, replacement heifers should be fed separately from the cow herd. Replacement females have a different nutritional requirement than mature cows.
What do you feed cows after calving?
Early or mid-season cut clover hay, early cut oaten hay and lucerne hay are suitable, but hay of lower quality is of little use. If good quality hay is not available, cereal grains or pellets may have to be fed. Feeding should begin immediately after calving because cattle may take a while to adjust to the ration .
How to take care of first-calf heifers?
1. Graze first-calf heifers and mature cows separately. Graze first-calf heifers either with three-year olds or virgin replacement heifers. 2. Always give heifers the best-quality pasture available. 3. Supplement first-calf heifers with grains (energy) like corn, corn silage, or barley before they lose body condition.
What do you feed young cows in Victoria?
In most districts of Victoria, however, young cows calving in autumn usually require a high-quality supplement after calving. Early or mid-season cut clover hay, early cut oaten hay and lucerne hay are suitable, but hay of lower quality is of little use. If good quality hay is not available, cereal grains or pellets may have to be fed.
What do you feed a first heifer calf?
Supplement first-calf heifers with grains (energy) like corn, corn silage, or barley before they lose body condition. “Thin heifers don't breed back quickly, if at all,” says Bjurstrom. “If she rebreeds late, it will take several lactations to get her back on track with the rest of the herd.
What do you feed pregnant heifers?
Hay, a staple of the cattle diet, is often fed to pregnant cows even if they have access to pasture. The average cow will eat between 20 and 30 pounds per day of good-quality hay such as alfalfa.
What do you feed a heifer calf?
Feed high-quality grass or hay, Accuration® Liquid Supplement or Accuration® Hi-Fat Block, and Wind and Rain® Storm® Cattle Mineral. Set replacement heifers up to take the place of existing females and be better than your current cow herd.
How much should I feed my first-calf heifer?
A first-calf heifer at peak lactation is going to require at least 58 percent total digestible nutrients (TDN) and 9.3 percent crude protein (CP) in her diet just to maintain what she has. If she needs to gain some weight before breeding, she will probably need at least a 65 percent TDN and 12.1 percent CP diet.
What do you feed a cow after giving birth?
Early or mid-season cut clover hay, early cut oaten hay and lucerne hay are suitable, but hay of lower quality is of little use. If good quality hay is not available, cereal grains or pellets may have to be fed. Feeding should begin immediately after calving because cattle may take a while to adjust to the ration .
How much should a pregnant heifer eat?
During the last two trimesters of pregnancy, mature cows generally consume 2 to 2.5% of their body weight on a dry-matter basis. For a 1,200 lb cow, this equates to 24 to 30 lb of hay per day on a dry-matter basis, or approximately 27 to 33 lb per day on an as-fed basis.
How much grain should I feed my bred heifer?
Total intake of hay and distillers would be about 24 lb/hd/da as-fed. After calving using the same hay you would need feed 4.2 lb/hd/da (3.7 lb/hd/da dry matter and distillers 88% dry matter). Intake after calving would be 25 to 26 lb/hd/da as-fed. The lactating diet will be about 12% CP and 62% TDN.
How much grain should I feed my heifer?
This would mean that heifers should gain an average of 1.25 to 1.75 lb. per day from weaning to first breeding or 250 to 350 lbs....Table 4.Ration 18.5 lb. good quality legume hay (18% CP)Ration 24.5 lb. grain cornRation 38.5 lb grass hay (9.7% CP)4.5 lb. grain corn.5 lb. 40% supplement7 more rows•Feb 12, 2021
How much grain should I feed my heifer a day?
Regardless of feeding strategy, heifers should be fed energy to allow 1.75 to 2.00 pounds of average daily gain or approximately 130 kcal of metabolizable energy per pound of metabolic body weight (BW0.75).
When should I deworm my calves?
Kids and calves can be de-wormed from the second month immediately they start feeding on pastures/grass/fodder.
When should a heifer be weaned?
between 7 and 8 monthsCollect weights of replacement heifers at weaning. At weaning, heifers should be between 7 and 8 months of age and generally weigh 500 pounds or greater.
How soon after calving will a cow Rebreed?
85 daysCows must be rebred within 85 days of calving to have one calf per year. Most cattle operations have room for improvement; more than half of cattle operations do not have a defined breeding season. Of operations that have a defined breeding season, more than 60 percent had a breeding season longer than 84 days.
What nutrients do pregnant cows need?
As mature cows move from mid to late gestation, they need a 20 percent increase in crude protein intake and 16 percent increase in total digestible nutrient intake to keep up with increasing fetal growth. This need for additional nutrients is magnified once a cow calves and must produce milk for a calf.
What to feed cows before calving?
Hay should be tested for protein, and cows and heifers should be supplemented accordingly. By-product feeds or straw may be cost-effective in some situations. Some by-product feeds - corn distillers solubles, feather meal, for instance - are high in protein and by-pass protein.
How much grain should I feed my bred heifer?
Total intake of hay and distillers would be about 24 lb/hd/da as-fed. After calving using the same hay you would need feed 4.2 lb/hd/da (3.7 lb/hd/da dry matter and distillers 88% dry matter). Intake after calving would be 25 to 26 lb/hd/da as-fed. The lactating diet will be about 12% CP and 62% TDN.
What minerals do pregnant cows need?
Minerals for Beef CowsMineralfor Lactating Cowsfor Pregnant CowsCalcium (%)0.450.30Phosphorus (%)0.200.20Potassium (%)0.700.60Magnesium (%)0.200.124 more rows•Jul 2, 2012
How long should heifers be kept in a calving barn?
The labour required for supervision can be kept to a minimum if the heifers are joined to calve over a short period (6 to 8 weeks).
Why do cows need nutrients?
They require nutrients not only for milk production, but also for their own body growth and development.
What is the condition score for cows to calve?
However, adequate fertility will be obtained if cows are calved in condition score 3, to join at condition score 2.5. It is therefore important to ensure that cows calve in good enough condition to allow for weight loss and yet still ensure adequate condition for joining.
What does it mean when a heifer is breech?
a heifer is found to have difficulty calving. the birth appears to be breech. the heifer's condition has become weak. A vet may be required to correct a difficult calving and to prescribe and administer any veterinary drugs required to assist with calf and heifer survival during and after calving.
How long does it take for a calf to be born?
The calf should normally be born within two hours of the appearance of the water bag. If the calf is not born within three hours of the appearance of the water bag, the heifer should be examined. If there is any doubt about the time of the appearance of the water bag, an examination should be carried out immediately.
Do cows produce milk?
Nevertheless. young cows can produce good calves if they are well fed after calving. Feed intake before calving has a relatively small influence on milk yield, but after calving the effect is enormous. Once they start to produce milk, cows of any age need at least twice as much food energy as they did before calving.
Can cows desert their calves?
After a difficult birth, young cows in particular often desert their calves. It is wise to keep the cow and calf confined in a small area after assistance has been given. They can then be watched and should not be allowed back with the main herd until the cow has accepted the calf and will allow it to suck.
What is the key nutrient for a cow?
Except for small additions of protein for heavy-milking cows and young cows still growing, the key nutrient is energy . Most beef cows will be able to meet lactation needs with reasonable intake of grass, hay, and stored forages of good quality that will usually supply 1-1.2 Mcal/lb of metabolizable energy. Table 1.
How long does it take for a cow to gain weight after calving?
(2003) for cows fed to gain either 1 lb/day or 2 lbs./day for 71 days after calving.
Why is beef cow milk wasted?
Studies have shown there is a point of diminishing returns and additional milk production in beef cows is probably wasted because calves will not be able to efficiently utilize large quantities of milk. When we compare this result to the typical dairy cow that may produce 6-10 gallons of milk daily, the divergent nutritional needs are apparent. ...
What is beef cattle?
Beef cattle are the scavengers of the livestock business. They can turn high fiber forages and food by-product residuals into protein food at a very effective rate. For the cow herd there is seldom a period during the year when the cow cannot meet her nutritional needs with reasonable quality grass, hay, or stored forages. The exception for these nutritional needs is for the 60 days prior to calving and immediately after calving.
How much milk does a cow produce during lactation?
Lactation. There is considerable variation from genetics and breed type, but the average beef cow produces about 1 1/2 gallons of milk per day during a lactation. Approximately 60-75% of the total milk produced will be in the first 60 days after calving.
Can pre-calving feed affect nursing behavior?
Restricted pre-calving feed intake may also influence calf nursing behavior. Lardy and Stolenow (2001) have reported on Australian data which showed calves born to dams on a low plane of nutrition took significantly longer to nurse than calves born to dams on a maintenance or high plane of nutrition.
When is the best time to calve forage?
Usually spring and early summer provide the best forage situation. However, fall-calving can be used successfully if high-quality, cool-season pastures (rye, oats, wheat, etc.) are available for grazing. Always set yourself up to get the most out of your greatest resource, that being your forage base.
What is the best body condition score for a first calf heifer?
It is best to have your first-calf heifers in a body condition score of 6 at calving. At least, have them in a body condition score of 5 at calving and moving on an upward plane of nutrition as you move into the breeding season. Why is body condition so important to monitor at calving and through the breeding season?
Why do calves yo-yo on creep feed?
With creep feed, calves hit the feed bunk hard up front and then don’t come back the next day…their intake is “yo-yoing”. Because there is insufficient roughage in the creep ration, the calves experience acidosis and don’t feel like eating again until their rumen pH increases.
How much should a heifer weigh?
The heifers should weigh 65-70 percent of mature body weight when you begin your artificial insemination program. Specifically, British cattle should weigh at least 65 percent of mature body weight, and Brahman cross cattle should weigh at least 70 percent of mature body weight.
Do heifers pick up nutritional slack?
While the dam (mother) of the heifer calf picks up much of the nutritional “slack” before weaning, nutritional management from the time of weaning through first breed up is entirely dependent on the producer’s competence as a manager.
Do heifers need forage?
Sometimes, even when forage conditions are their best, nutrient requirements of heifers may not be met with that forage base. In these cases, supplemental nutrition is critical to a timely, successful breed back. However, the supplementation strategy you use should optimize your forage use.
Do creep rations have roughage?
Traditional creep rations don’t have the roughage level starting rations have. Traditional creep rations are designed to be supplements to milk and grass if consumed at an optimal level (1% of BW). The grass in the calf’s diet provides the much needed roughage for adequate rumen health and optimal performance.
How old do heifers have to be to be a calf?
Develop heifers to achieve 65 percent of their mature body weight at first breeding and to reach puberty by 12 to 14 months of age. Breed heifers with the goal of them having their first calf at the age of 2. Monitor body condition scores (BCS) as heifers are developed. Heifers need to be maintained at a BCS of 5 to 6.
What are the milestones that heifers must complete before entering the herd?
Heifers must complete several milestones before entry into the herd: selection at weaning, development from weaning to breeding, establishment and maintenance of a pregnancy, success during the first calving season, and establishment of successful rebreeding.
How much weight do heifers need to grow?
This phase occurs from the time of weaning until breeding. In general, a growth rate of 1.0 to 1.5 pounds per day from weaning to breeding is needed for growing heifers to reach 65 percent of mature body weight.
What is feedstuffs based on?
Feedstuffs should be purchased based on quality and a cost-per-pound-of-nutrient basis . The following are examples of supplementation strategies for beef replacement heifers using conserved forage and feed resources commonly found in the Southeast.
How old do heifers need to be to be weaned?
At weaning, heifers should be between 7 and 8 months of age and generally weigh 500 pounds or greater.
What is the BCS score for a heifer?
Heifers need to be maintained at a BCS of 5 to 6. Body condition scores reflect the relative body fat and energy stores of a beef animal. A score from 1 to 9 is assigned to an animal, with 1 representing emaciated (extremely thin) and 9 representing obese.
How much does a heifer weigh at weaning?
At weaning, heifers should be between 7 and 8 months of age and generally weigh 500 pounds or greater. Determine the frame score of replacement females (table 1). Estimate anticipated body weight as a mature cow. Frame scores are a measurement that can be used to monitor body size and to predict mature weight.
An example of a good feeding plan based on common sense and economy
Females still need high level of proper nutrition after calving. Photo: File
Constant feed requirements
Although this operation’s feeding program is unique to their own situation, their cow herd’s dietary requirements are identical to most other farms. That’s because most calved-out beef cows require about 60-62 per cent TDN (total digestible nutrients) and about 11-12 per cent crude protein daily by the time they are milking at their highest levels.
About the author
Peter Vitti is an independent livestock nutritionist and consultant based in Winnipeg. To reach him call 204-254-7497 or by email at [email protected].
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How much does a heifer weigh at breeding?
And heifer weight at breeding? The Fort Keogh research is finding that heifers from the non-restricted group can enter the breeding season at 57% of mature weight, or around 700 pounds. The heifers from restricted dams enter breeding season at 54% of mature eight, or around 650 pounds.
Do cows manage less produce offspring?
As they followed the heifer calves into adulthood, becoming part of the cowherd, they found another take-home: “So the short of the story is cows managed with less produce offspring that are probably what you might call more drought resistant or function more favorably with less,” Roberts says.
What to feed a first calf heifer?
Always give heifers the best-quality pasture available. 3. Supplement first-calf heifers with grains (energy) like corn, corn silage, or barley before they lose body condition. “Thin heifers don't breed back quickly, if at all,” says Bjurstrom.
Can heifers be bred past calving season?
With a little extra TLC, your bred heifers will make it past the first calving season and better weather the major stressors that come with birthing their first calf and rebreeding on a timely basis. Keep these considerations in mind so bred heifers stay in the herd for years to come.
Why do cows feed later in the day?
Research indicates that feeding cows later in the day and evening will increase the number of calves born during daylight hours, when it is typically easier to keep a close eye on them.
When should I start a Konefal calving?
Here are some points to remember if Konefal calving will be implemented: Research has indicated that for this method to be most effective, it should be started one month prior to calving, but shorter duration before the start of calving will still have some effect.
How often do you feed Konefal?
Konefal’s method included a twice a day feeding, with first feeding between 11:00 a.m. and noon and second feeding between 9:30-10:00 p.m. Similar research at Iowa State University using the Konefal feeding system, but only feeding one time per day at 4 p.m., starting 2 weeks prior to the expected start of calving, ...
What percentage of calves are born outside the window?
In addition, calves born between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. (75% of the 24 hour day) was 91%. Therefore, only 9% of calves were born outside the window when traditional calf checks are performed.
How long should I feed my dog in Iowa?
Iowa State advises staying as close to the same feeding schedule and feed amount as possible each day. Deviating more than 15 minutes or providing too much feed will yield less desirable results. Maintain regular night checks.
Does hay work in drylots?
It works best in a drylot situation where all feed is provided. Desired effect in a grazing situation may not be seen unless supplemental hay or timing of grazing can be regulated. Weather can play a role in effectiveness. Before or during storms, cattle may not come to the bunk to eat and may be more likely to calve at night.
Do cattle calve at night?
Before or during storms, cattle may not come to the bunk to eat and may be more likely to calve at night. Additional research indicates that a first calf heifer that calves during the day will tend to calve during the day the remainder of her productive years.
