Peas seem to be great in a ration, are supposed to digest more like forage--does put a shine on them.  Weaned calves also seem to do well on grain hay, esp if not put up too ripe.  Supposedly, if you're feeding grain, you want to do at least 4/10 of 1% of body weight with grain, or it ain't worth it---different bugs in the rumen.

About every time I get alfalfa/grain combo, it ain't good.  And I think they need more energy than protein, anyhow.  The first X amount of any ration is going to go to maintenance, if you're only going to grow them out a little and not put much weight on, about only way to get your feed money out is if price goes up---which it usually does, if you ain't got them contracted by mid summer.

Last couple of yrs, selling after 1 st of yr has worked well for me.  I give good precondition shots, feed grain hay and whatever clean (no weed seeds) screenings I can scrounge--has been lots of pea halves, lately.

I had some true mixed screenings---feed pea halves, oats, wheat, barley, lentils,chaff, dust, straw, that they liked pretty good.  Bought some people pea halves that they were sposed to like better, sposed to be sweeter.  Had to mix the 'mix' with it to get them to eat it.

I spend about 5$ on preconditioning, including implants and ivomec.  Start off in several acre lot and go bigger.  Doctor about a calf a yr.  Calves eat or waste a lotta hay, fed long.  Might try processing it this yr.

Seems like if I don't sell them with the 'baby fat bloom' on them, I gotta keep them at least 60 days.