wean ration

[braunvieh]

I was just curious to know what you all use for your first ration to give calves at weaning. We offer cane hay and oat hay and the grain is a mixture of cracked corn, oats, soybean meal, a pellet (with rumensin) and molassess to cut the dust. They seem to love  but am not sure it is the best for a starting ration. It is however, quite reasonable in price. Our calves are not creeped so they will start this right off the cow.

 

[kanshow]

We usually use prairie hay and a corn mixture with a bovatec pellet.    Seems like the rumensin sometimes puts them off feed. 

We have tried some different things over the years and another method we like really well for the commercial cattle is to bring the pairs into the feedlot & put silage out.  The cows go to the bunk right away & the calves follow.  It takes a couple days and then we sort the cows off & the calves are already started on silage & bunk broke. 

 

[simtal]

I was just curious to know what you all use for your first ration to give calves at weaning. We offer cane hay and oat hay and the grain is a mixture of cracked corn, oats, soybean meal, a pellet (with rumensin) and molassess to cut the dust. They seem to love  but am not sure it is the best for a starting ration. It is however, quite reasonable in price. Our calves are not creeped so they will start this right off the cow.

You could increase the molassess to it sweeter, calves will probably like it better. 

 

[Sparty-On]

As far as a weaning/transition ration, there is nothing better than the Purina PreConditioning Receiving Chow.  It is a complete pellet with roughage built right in.  There is not a feed out there they will eat better.