Recommended dosing a feeding regime for continental calves

Damo8100

Bought a few continental calves for the first time there 2 days ago. Just wondering what are your guys opinions on what they should be dosed for, fed etc.

Currently they are on about 4 litres of milk replacer per day, and greenvale course calf muesli ad-lib. Hay, straw and water is also available. They haven't been dosed for anything since entering the farm, and should be out on grass after a month or so. All are about 3 weeks of age.

youngchap

well damo,

everything your doing is 100% as I can see...

Just watch they are eating the meal and then step it up to the next meal.. Ask your local what meal has is the best for frame growth and protein when letting out on grass, we use Gain Wean 'n' build when they are big enough to get out on grass. I'd reccommend it all the way through even in winter.

Also you should invest in a bottle of Tetroxy LA , a few needles and even if you want Bovipast RSP..

Tetroxy LA is for if any of the calves are experiencing pneumonia symptoms.. but its long lasting too so easy on the pocket and lasts long.

Bovipast RSP is dear, like €50-80 , depends where you live/where you buy. (But Bovipast will vaccinate for IBR and will help the calves along and they won't get pneumonia)

I'm no expert , just a average joe, so I'd look up some of the things I'm telling you about in more detail

bbam

Do you have any details on the Gain n Build meal?
Have never heard of it. We usually get them onto 16% beef as soon as we can.

Damo8100

Thought so, just wanted to see how others done it. The plan is for a high protein meal while on fresh grass as soon as it begins to dry up abit. Weathers still desperately unpredictable.

I have a bottle of alamycin for colds and pneumonia cases, but of course I will look into it :P

What amounts of milk should they be on? Currently at about 5litres a day @3weeks-1month old.

bbam

Don't worry about how much milk. Follow what's in the bag for best results.
Start weaning when they are eating a KG of meal a day along with hay/straw and drinking fresh water.
You may need to dial back one feed to see if they're drinking enough fresh water but not until theyre eating the KG of meal first.

Richk2012

Damo8100 wrote: »

Bought a few continental calves for the first time there 2 days ago. Just wondering what are your guys opinions on what they should be dosed for, fed etc.

Currently they are on about 4 litres of milk replacer per day, and greenvale course calf muesli ad-lib. Hay, straw and water is also available. They haven't been dosed for anything since entering the farm, and should be out on grass after a month or so. All are about 3 weeks of age.

I dont think you could have bought your first continental calves at a more expensive time Damo .:D Are they heifers you hope to keep as cows ???
Just seen one of the lads saying they get them onto 16% beef asap , I try and put them on a higher protien meal 18-20% , until they are around 4/5 months . (just my way of doing things , could be far from right :rolleyes: )

I also recently heard of lads limiting if not removing hay from young calves diets , to stop them becoming 'Pot-Bellied' and also to get them on meal quicker . They replace the roughage in the diet with straw .

Id certainly vaccinate them for clostridial diseases such as Black Leg , Pulpy Kidney etc . Theres a few all in one vaccines to cover a broad enough spectrum of them , rather than seperate vaccines for each .

PatQfarmer

bbam wrote: »

Do you have any details on the Gain n Build meal?
Have never heard of it. We usually get them onto 16% beef as soon as we can.

Glanbia supply it. Wean'n' Build. Think it's 16% protein. We use it as an intermediate nut between Calf Crunch/Rearer Nuts and Beef nuts.
I find the Gain(Glanbia) nuts to be good. Quality is very good, little dust. Cattle like them:D

PatQfarmer

Damo8100 wrote: »

Bought a few continental calves for the first time there 2 days ago. Just wondering what are your guys opinions on what they should be dosed for, fed etc.

Currently they are on about 4 litres of milk replacer per day, and greenvale course calf muesli ad-lib. Hay, straw and water is also available. They haven't been dosed for anything since entering the farm, and should be out on grass after a month or so. All are about 3 weeks of age.

The best investment you will make is Vaccination. IBR and Blackleg are a must. Cheap too, each about €5/head for full course. Do it as soon as you can.
Best of luck:)

Rovi

Damo8100 wrote: »

I have a bottle of alamycin for colds and pneumonia cases...

Did your vet make out a separate prescription for each animal, or did they do a 'general' one as provided for in legislation?:

How should animals be identified on a prescription?

This depends on the particular situation e.g. if a vet is prescribing for a specific disease episode in 1 or 2 animals, he/she should identify it/them by the tag number. However, if the prescription is for a group of animals, then they should be identified by reference to that group, e.g. 'animals in pen X' or 'all animals under x age'. In other words, as a general principle, where it is practically possible and appropriate to identify the individual animals for which the prescription is intended, this should be done but, where this is not practicable, it is sufficient to identify the specific group.

Tipp Man

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Glanbia supply it. Wean'n' Build. Think it's 16% protein. We use it as an intermediate nut between Calf Crunch/Rearer Nuts and Beef nuts.
I find the Gain(Glanbia) nuts to be good. Quality is very good, little dust. Cattle like them:D

Have to say on the rare occassions that we have given our stock anything other than Gain they have been very slow to make the switch and in some cases point blank refused to change

bbam

Tipp Man wrote: »

Have to say on the rare occassions that we have given our stock anything other than Gain they have been very slow to make the switch and in some cases point blank refused to change

Wow.
We change them straight onto regular beef nuts as soon as they are all eating crunch. A few days of 50;50 mixing and then no bother. Just wondering if I was missing anything by doing this, is there anything in the gain particularly worth using.

PatQfarmer

bbam wrote: »

Wow.
We change them straight onto regular beef nuts as soon as they are all eating crunch. A few days of 50;50 mixing and then no bother. Just wondering if I was missing anything by doing this, is there anything in the gain particularly worth using.

Depends on your system, I suppose.
We do Bucket-reared calves, wean at 6-ish weeks, if eating kilo of crunch. Build up crunch to 1.5kgs over next 2 weeks, then introduce Wean n Build in a mix over a few days. They are on normal beef nut from about 10 weeks, depending on condition.