Heifer feeding trouble

[CPL]

We have a 9 month old heifer and we are feeding about 6 lbs of Kent First Rate Show Feed (Its suppose to be the grower). She acts like she doesn't like it. We put in about 75% oats now and she'll eat about a 1/4 to a 1/2. She is on free choice hay. Should we restrict her hay intake? Anything else? Anyone else fed Kent and get the same results? I am almost positive that its the feed because she'll eat oats and hay fairly well. Thanks. :-\

 

[mechanic]

I wander if she is lonley if she is the only one in the pen being fed. Have you tried some appetite express. it worked for us when our show calves quite eating.

 

[Show Dad]

CPL - Many possibilities when an animal is not eating right. But I do have a question. Is her feed overall feed intake down or is she just preferring the hay?

If her eating is off overall I would check her temp. But if its a preference thing then yes I would restrict her hay. Or you could add some molasses too sweeten it up and then slowly back it off as she gets use to it.

 

[Jill]

The Kent feed you reference is a complete feed, you shouldn't be adding any oats to it.  6 lbs of feed a day isn't enough for even maintenance on a 9 month old heifer, I would suggest that you try a different feed.  At that age she should weigh somewhere in the 700-800 pound range and should be eating 3-4 times what your giving her.  They do eat better in pairs and if you have another one you could put with her that wouldn't hurt, in my opinion I would not restrict her hay.

 

[CPL]

The Kent feed you reference is a complete feed, you shouldn't be adding any oats to it.  6 lbs of feed a day isn't enough for even maintenance on a 9 month old heifer, I would suggest that you try a different feed.  At that age she should weigh somewhere in the 700-800 pound range and should be eating 3-4 times what your giving her.  They do eat better in pairs and if you have another one you could put with her that wouldn't hurt, in my opinion I would not restrict her hay.

Thanks you three. I backed up the hay last night and today she's cleaned up it all really well. Jill, the reason we added oats was because she wouldn't even touch it without plain oats in it. Also, I can't justify feeding her 24 lbs of feed. I want a cow first, just am playing a little bit with her being a show heifer. Not in to raising butterballs. Again thanks!

 

[Jill]

The only thing we feed is show heifers and I can't advise you if you aren't pushing them, but I would check with a nutritionist, I don't think that 6lbs of feed a day is even enough to meet her nutritional needs at her age she is still trying to grow.

 

[showsteerdlux]

I agree with Jill on the calf not getting enough to meet what she needs to grow correctly. Even replacement heifers for regular commercial farms get in the range of  2.5-3% of body weight. Fora nine month old heifer depending on frame she should weigh at least seven fifty. Just to give you an idea we got a commercial heifer last winter to just have as a replacement. We decided to show her and we did not make a butterball out of her. She got 20 pounds a day when she was in the seven weight range. This was to just help her develop. She calved last week and is a milk wagon and this is with feeding her the twenty  pounds a day as a nine month old. Just try  adding some more and you might be surprised and pleased with the outcome.