daily gain question

[scout]

This question maybe stupid i haven't been able to get a answer for years. I know avg gain for feedlot cattle is 3 to 4 pounds a day but on smaller calves say 300 to 400 400 to 500 and 500 to 600 pounders what should there daily gain be. the reason i ask is we weaned are fall born calves today earlier than usaual because the cows are thinned down and calves are smallest in years. With all the rain we had this year hay is poor quality and grass wasn't very good quality. The majority of the calves were born in september i d guess there weights around 300 to 400 pounds. After they finish there creep feed I ll start them out on 5 pounds of cracked corn with protien mixed in and work them up to 10 pounds a day to keep them green with free choice hay . Any idea what they should gain a day planning on weaning them 60 days then selling them. If it matters they have been worked and implanted and are simm angus hereford cross

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

To keep them green to go to grass I don't think you would want much more then 1.5lbs/day.

I keep my calves pretty green through the winter. Seems to work for me.

 

[Denny]

We had 500 weight calves on 4#s of corn 1/2#soybean meal 1/2# mineral 19#s of distillars syrup and free choice hay they gained a little over 3#s a day.

 

[Big Swede]

Not sure what your definition of green is, but 10# of corn is too much.

 

[scout]

Not sure what your definition of green is, but 10# of corn is too much.

thats not set in stone i hand feed them kind of use my own judgement when to stop the calves i sold this fall i weaned for 45 days and they average 608 and i had stoped them about 8 #. does that sound about right.

 

[Dakota Plainsman]

This question maybe stupid i haven't been able to get a answer for years. I know avg gain for feedlot cattle is 3 to 4 pounds a day but on smaller calves say 300 to 400 400 to 500 and 500 to 600 pounders what should there daily gain be. the reason i ask is we weaned are fall born calves today earlier than usaual because the cows are thinned down and calves are smallest in years. With all the rain we had this year hay is poor quality and grass wasn't very good quality. The majority of the calves were born in september i d guess there weights around 300 to 400 pounds. After they finish there creep feed I ll start them out on 5 pounds of cracked corn with protien mixed in and work them up to 10 pounds a day to keep them green with free choice hay . Any idea what they should gain a day planning on weaning them 60 days then selling them. If it matters they have been worked and implanted and are simm angus hereford cross

The old rule of thumb in my country was calves should eat 3% of their
body weight per day with 1% of that being grain. 500 pound calf, 5
pounds grain. Should gain close to 1 3/4 lbs/day if the rations is balanced.
Simm x can stand more grain than that. On angus/herford cross, gaining
much over 2 1/4 lbs, might get fleshy. With feeding that much gain, I would sure watch for fleshing.

 

[scout]

This question maybe stupid i haven't been able to get a answer for years. I know avg gain for feedlot cattle is 3 to 4 pounds a day but on smaller calves say 300 to 400 400 to 500 and 500 to 600 pounders what should there daily gain be. the reason i ask is we weaned are fall born calves today earlier than usaual because the cows are thinned down and calves are smallest in years. With all the rain we had this year hay is poor quality and grass wasn't very good quality. The majority of the calves were born in september i d guess there weights around 300 to 400 pounds. After they finish there creep feed I ll start them out on 5 pounds of cracked corn with protien mixed in and work them up to 10 pounds a day to keep them green with free choice hay . Any idea what they should gain a day planning on weaning them 60 days then selling them. If it matters they have been worked and implanted and are simm angus hereford cross

so I guess i ll start them at 3 pounds a day work them up to 5 and back them up if they start fleshing. so should i roughly figure on 1.5 pounds of gain per day?

The old rule of thumb in my country was calves should eat 3% of their
body weight per day with 1% of that being grain. 500 pound calf, 5
pounds grain. Should gain close to 1 3/4 lbs/day if the rations is balanced.
Simm x can stand more grain than that. On angus/herford cross, gaining
much over 2 1/4 lbs, might get fleshy. With feeding that much gain, I would sure watch for fleshing.

 

[Dakota Plainsman]

This question maybe stupid i haven't been able to get a answer for years. I know avg gain for feedlot cattle is 3 to 4 pounds a day but on smaller calves say 300 to 400 400 to 500 and 500 to 600 pounders what should there daily gain be. the reason i ask is we weaned are fall born calves today earlier than usaual because the cows are thinned down and calves are smallest in years. With all the rain we had this year hay is poor quality and grass wasn't very good quality. The majority of the calves were born in september i d guess there weights around 300 to 400 pounds. After they finish there creep feed I ll start them out on 5 pounds of cracked corn with protien mixed in and work them up to 10 pounds a day to keep them green with free choice hay . Any idea what they should gain a day planning on weaning them 60 days then selling them. If it matters they have been worked and implanted and are simm angus hereford cross

so I guess i ll start them at 3 pounds a day work them up to 5 and back them up if they start fleshing. so should i roughly figure on 1.5 pounds of gain per day?
I always start my calves at 4 lbs of ground corn and go up from there.
I'm feeding through a mixer wagon. Ground hay, grain, NO silage, and
add 20% water. Will add protien too if the hay is not enough. On simm
x calves, I would think you could push 2 lb gain and stay fairly green.

The old rule of thumb in my country was calves should eat 3% of their
body weight per day with 1% of that being grain. 500 pound calf, 5
pounds grain. Should gain close to 1 3/4 lbs/day if the rations is balanced.
Simm x can stand more grain than that. On angus/herford cross, gaining
much over 2 1/4 lbs, might get fleshy. With feeding that much gain, I would sure watch for fleshing.

 

[loomixguy]

Not sure what your definition of green is, but 10# of corn is too much.

AMEN!!!

Run some rations using what you've got on hand or are willing to purchase, and make sure they know what your end goal is. Many reputable feed dealers will do this at no charge, but even if you have to pay for it...DO IT!

I'd recommend weaning them on Super Ignitor 6 with deccox from ADM...6#/head/day and free choice hay, even if you have to buy it. 28 days of that and then you can do what you want with 'em....some guys here dump them back out in the pasture and put the creep feeder back out.....just make sure the creep is fiber based, NOT starch based. If you have an ADM dealer in your area, they should have the products and knowledge to help you without breaking the bank. IMO, the Ignitor products are, bar none, the finest weaning/receiving feed made, and the pelleting process they use is far superior to anybody else's.