|
| Delmarbe, all the beef cow needs to do is feed one calf and maintain her body condition score, not mik 50-80lbs. of milk. They should come to their milk. A cow needs 45-60 days( milk cows) dry if in good shape, but some beef cows come home in the fall poor shape they need longer some times 3-5 months. Depending on your ranges, etc. So I would think 2-3% of body weight of hay, with a little grazing if available would work. I would most likely put out a supplement block like 20% protein (sweetlix, etc.) for the calf and cow. They should do just fine till grass comes. The cow will eat the block for short time, but as feed quailty increases, she should cut down on protein block. I use the 20% tubs more for a monitor for my cattle, and it doesn't hurt for those baby calves. I like to use 20% tubs on Hol. calves I wean off milk, I never have a sick calf if they are eating it when I wean them off milk. But right now Hol. steers aren't worth feeding it too!
The worst case is in a month or two when beef herds start calving, if these old cows aren't picking up I would haul them to the sale, meat them, save calf for a graft calf, or sell him at the sale for a graft calf. Usally in Feb.-Mar. here those calves bring $150-250 for a beef breed. But this year prices of feed, I don't know what they are worth, I guess we will see the market tested in the next little while.
CaseIH farmer, it should work out just fine. But hey if it doesn't don't listen to me next time. LOL
Edited by Russ In Idaho 1/24/2008 04:04
| |
|
Old Cow Milking
