So I know what to do with the beef but she threw me for a loop when she said she wants a dairy heifer. What kind of grain does one eat and how much? What is a daily summer routine with a dairy heifer. She doesn't need to go into a cool room does she? Any help please, so I can make a informed decision about this.
Cattle related just not beef. Daughter wants to show a dairy heifer.
- Thread starter frostback
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flacowman
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try the dairy boards on cattletoday.com. No clue about raising dairy calves for show but I had to show one at state fair for champion of champions and showmanship is basically the same. Wish I could be more helpful
kfacres
Well-known member
pretty well a totallly different game. we feed our heifers about 1 bucket/ 5 head a day, or about 5 lb w/ pasture. Really not much in terms of hair, as the dairy are shown slick shorn, other than the toplines, which are fitted to a point, to show dairy charactor. do you research, it will be a different ballgame
the truth said:
I am googling it but I have dial up and it is painstakingly slow. What type of grain? Is it a high fiber mix like for beef heifers or is there a dairy grower or such? We dont have pasture in the summer but have premium grass or alfalfa hay. Just need help on what type of grain and how much they will need to help figure out cost. I know you dont grow hair, and I also know how they body clip all but the top but would like to know how much of a routine it would be to throw one in the mix with the beef.
kfacres
Well-known member
we feed our heifers a basic ration that we make ourselves. corn/ corn gluten/ mainly. we also put some cotton seed hulls, and several other biproduct feeds. Our youngest calves, and the milk cows get good alf hay, the unbred young heifers get decent hay, and the breds get the worse hay we have. Beet pulp is a great thing to have in a ration as well.
I don't think it would be too far off to have her with the beef heifers, actually.
I don't think it would be too far off to have her with the beef heifers, actually.
LostFarmer
Well-known member
With dairy heifers you are growing cows not fat cattle. You want tog build a rumen and capacity without getting them too fat. You want that big spring to the rib and deep middle. There are other things but this is what you can work on with feed. There are various calf pellets and the like that work. For us good pasture and about 1% of the body weight in a grain of some sort. A corn oats barley 3 way is a good feed. Hair is not all that important but a clip job is still a deal breaker. Dairy cattle are shown at a crawl. SLOW and you walk backwards. I have found that a good dairy showman makes an excellent beef showman in that they learn to set a calf without using a stick. It is all done off the halter.
6M Ranch
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Don't need a cool room. You will shave them down pretty tight. You will still feed at a 2% - 3% body weight, but a higher proportion of hay, and you'll feed alfalfa not grass hay. See if your county has a catch-it dairy program. Three of our kids have done it that way. A lot of the dairies in our area will let you show their heifers without purchasing them.
cornershack
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showmanship for dairy is NOT PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. you have to make sure they are moving slowly, stop with that back foot back to see udder, keep the tail down if she pees, several differences. oh yeah and you walk sideways or backwards not forward.
kfacres
Well-known member
LostFarmer said:
O ya, forgot to mention this.. you'd think that after showing and raising dairy and milking cows for my whole life... then I'd think to mention this.
