Feedlot pen size

[GM88]

Im not talking big feedlot, just small back grounding lot with limited area. I have been wintering my calves in the open and feed them on the ground. Not to impressed with the gain need to put a few more pounds on going to grass. I have limited area because of water run ways close to home so was wondering square foot per calf for pen size and some ideas for fence line feeders. How many feet of fence line feeder is required per calf . Thanks

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Not to change the subject on you but did you make it to Mankota to the dog trials?


A lot depends on how you feed regards to feet/ calf. Are you limit feeding or filling the bunk with silage?

 

[GM88]

Bunk feed chopped hay , with limited feed. No didn't make it any where this year. Seems my summers go by faster and faster

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Bunk feed chopped hay , with limited feed. No didn't make it any where this year. Seems my summers go by faster and faster

You won't be sorry to be generous with the bunk space when limit feeding. They all want to eat at the same time.

 

[Mike]

Bunk feed chopped hay , with limited feed. No didn't make it any where this year. Seems my summers go by faster and faster

You won't be sorry to be generous with the bunk space when limit feeding. They all want to eat at the same time.

I agree. 18" - 24" per calf minimum?

 

[Carnes Lake]

I'm in the process of building a small feedlot here and went with 24 inches of bunk space per head of cattle. I'm welding up feed panels to go between with slots 24 inch on center. I think it should work good. Hope this helps some.

 

[4Diamond]

http://talk.newagtalk.com/

Go to the stock talk forum and browse. Seems like this gets discussed weekly.

 

[Faster horses]

While I don't have the answers to your feedlot question, one thing I can give you a word of caution on--and that is to make sure you have whatever you use on the upper feeder part (where they stick their heads through) low enough the cattle can't get out, but HIGH enough they don't make their neck sore reaching under it. I've seen cattle that backed off feed because of sore necks. Of course you could see the hair was all gone, but the owner didn't realize that was why they weren't eating as good as they had been. This is more common than one would think.

Good luck with building your new pens!

 

[George]

A couple of views that I hope will help - - - I put this in in 1973

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This is a view down the bunk - - - the floor is 6" higher where the feed goes that where they stand.

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With (2) 2" X6" and a space between they are about 14" off the bunk bottom or 20" off the floor - - - 18" up to the bottom of the first top board - - - bottom boards are closest to the cattle and the top boards are away from the cattle to allow a natural eating pose.

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Another view

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They can really clean it up and you can just sweep anything back to them that gets shoved out.

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Depending on size of cattle 18" will work well up to about 500# then 24" to about 800# then 36" for brood cows.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[nortexsook]

The feed space looks good. The tires on that equipment???? Eeerrrr, not so much......lol

 

[George]

Just an old gravity bed wagon that never moves - - - put feed in it and use 5 gallon buckets to feed with - - - if I spill any a broom cleans up after me.

I have thought of repairing the tires but if I air them up they stay about 6 months and I never have gotten around to fixing them.

 

[PPRM]

I have feeders in pasture areas that are kind of waste areas.

I really went away from confining. I actually take my calves all the way to Tyson and have good gains and grade well (95% choice or better). You may find not having feeders or the feed is really the issue?

Good Luck!

 

[GM88]

You may find not having feeders or the feed is really the issue?

Thanks everyone. I don't feel feed quantity or quality is the problem but I do feel water is. I am lacking in funds so have been watering out of the ice and works well for my cows but when I cut holes for my calves the big ones drink and the little ones leave. I started cutting twice a day and the big ones drink twice a day. That's the reason for building pens . Separate the little ones out . I have read lots of studies about how they can eat snow but after watching this for about 10 years I see it doesn't work for me. On the warm days when I can feed close to the water and they drink all day I can see improvements. Going to set up solar tire troughs and wind breaks close to water to feed. Thanks for taking the time

 

[Faster horses]

You may find not having feeders or the feed is really the issue?

Thanks everyone. I don't feel feed quantity or quality is the problem but I do feel water is. I am lacking in funds so have been watering out of the ice and works well for my cows but when I cut holes for my calves the big ones drink and the little ones leave. I started cutting twice a day and the big ones drink twice a day. That's the reason for building pens . Separate the little ones out . I have read lots of studies about how they can eat snow but after watching this for about 10 years I see it doesn't work for me. On the warm days when I can feed close to the water and they drink all day I can see improvements. Going to set up solar tire troughs and wind breaks close to water to feed. Thanks for taking the time

Good for you, I think you are on the right track. Water is the #1 nutrient
and without it, the other nutrients aren't utilized properly.

We ran a ranch in the 70's where some of the cattle had to eat snow much of the time and they didn't winter nearly as good as the cattle that had access to water. In fact, you could visibly see the cattle that didn't have a good water source by the way the hair parted in the middle of their tail. Made their tail actually look flat instead of normal; and their hair coat looked very dry and bleached out. These cattle were all on a grass/cake outfit; the only difference between groups was availability of water. So, like you, we didn't think wintering on snow worked there either. The only thing I could think of that made it work in Canada vs where we were, is that the snow up there might be wetter.

In this area, every rancher I know is developing water where water is short. It has made them money.

 

[George]

Good for you, I think you are on the right track. Water is the #1 nutrient
and without it, the other nutrients aren't utilized properly.

We ran a ranch in the 70's where some of the cattle had to eat snow much of the time and they didn't winter nearly as good as the cattle that had access to water. In fact, you could visibly see the cattle that didn't have a good water source by the way the hair parted in the middle of their tail. Made their tail actually look flat instead of normal; and their hair coat looked very dry and bleached out. These cattle were all on a grass/cake outfit; the only difference between groups was availability of water. So, like you, we didn't think wintering on snow worked there either. The only thing I could think of that made it work in Canada vs where we were, is that the snow up there might be wetter.

In this area, every rancher I know is developing water where water is short. It has made them money.[/quote]

I feel cattle can survive on snow - - - but I want my cattle to thrive!!! I make sure they have good water - - - Purdue did a study several years ago and at the time stated if you cattle are drinking water below 42F they will use more food to warm it up than what the electricity would cost to warm it for them. With the increase in power cost I don't know if this still holds true or not but then feed cost have risen as well.

I baby my cattle and they never have to travel over 100 yards to fresh water any time of the year.