april born heifer calves

case 5150

hi all i have 8 april born heifer calves born from 7th to 21st april at what age or weight should i wean these at, there eating nuts and hay but eating feck all nuts at the min and if the weather was right they be out in the big bad world, i wonder how long should these be left on milk thanks all

ootbitb

I wean them at eight weeks. Some wean after 2 bags milk consumed .

Think they need to be eating at least 2 lbs nuts then wean.

Can't wait to get the noisy *******s out.:D

Used to feed hay to calves but only give them straw now as roughage. Heard that excessive hay gives them the big belly.

1chippy

Think it was the journal last week that said they should be 100kg.

stanflt

the americans reckon that if you want to calve them down at 22-24months the need to be weaned at 42days- the need to be getting meal which has barley and maize grain in it- one piece of grain is supposed to stimulate chewing of chud. ps im no expert

bbam

We wean once they're eating 1kg meal, hay/straw and drinking water.
Once they are eating some meal and are ten weeks you could drop one milk feed which will increase meal intake. Then you can drop the second milk feed.
Never found hay to be any bother as they shouldn't be on it too long anyway.

Within a week of going out to grass I'd bring them in fresh cut grass every evening. Best to introduce any change in feeding very gradually at that age, it gives time for the stomach to adjust and we find less problems. A box of grass from the ride-on between eight.

case 5150

stanflt wrote: »

the americans reckon that if you want to calve them down at 22-24months the need to be weaned at 42days- the need to be getting meal which has barley and maize grain in it- one piece of grain is supposed to stimulate chewing of chud. ps im no expert

why they need to be weaned at 42 days for matters interest? how much milk do ye feed the calves

PatQfarmer

I can only speak for AAX hfr calves, as that is all we do.
Milk replacer from arrival (10-20 days old), 2l twice a day as recommended.
Ad lib Startacalf(Glanbia) soon after. They start to munch it at about 3-4 weeks and are generally eating around 1kg from week 5. At 42 days old(in most cases, with no set-back) reduce to 1l twice daily for 4-5 days. They then eat more Startacalf, with Calf Rearer nuts introduced in mix. Then stop milk altogether and feed meal ad-lib for 2-3 weeks.
During the entire period, they have fresh hay daily, and onto haylage from about 7 weeks old. All are in later than usual this year, due to weather, but the older ones are getting out by day. First warm spell, they'll all be out.
We slaughter ours, but would have no problem bulling them at 14-15 months.
Are the FR hfrs a lot different?

case 5150

i dont feed them crunch as the starlings attack it and find it causes scour

o d next few fine days and out ta grass

bbam

Unless a calf gets a set back one bag of milk replacer is fine.
We used to feed two until I read an online article, that year we tested it and weaned some after one bag.
There was a difference at weaning (expected). But as time passed the early weaned calves caught up and were as good.
Second bag is mostly wasted unless a calf needs building up again. It's €40 better in your pocket.

axel7

Does anyone have any tips for heating/warming the milk replacer pre-feeding, or is it even necessary? Also any tips for mixing it, heard a plaster's drill is a good job any other methods out there.

Grecco

A good whisk is the best thing to use, forget the plasters drill. Luke warm water, I just use the Hot water straight out of the tap at home.
Feed them as early as possible in the morning and at the same time every day (calves are Hungry in the morning, the sooner they are fed the better)

bbam

axel7 wrote: »

Does anyone have any tips for heating/warming the milk replacer pre-feeding, or is it even necessary? Also any tips for mixing it, heard a plaster's drill is a good job any other methods out there.

We use the skim mixer on a €12 Tesco drill. Brilliant job, much better than the whisk but you need a deep bucket to prevent spillage.
Mix it in the hot water and then add cold to the correct volume. We made a simple water heater and have a timer attached so the water is hot when you arrive and feeding is much quicker.

case 5150

i mix with a wisk i got from connaught gold for 13 euro, great bloody job it is. upside weather to be good from tomorrow, my girlies will be hitting grass by 10am tomorrow

1chippy

I set up an o copper cylindder with an emerssion in for heating. for mixing was using a drill then by pure chance picked up an old stick from the ploughing (plastic type ones) that had split a couple of times up the middle. works a treat. we have all the calves out in a small field with access back in to shed. Having problems with the crows but calves are getting sstrnger and clipping the meal faaster so its reducing the time for the crows.

farmerpaddy

we do feed them untill they are eating meal and straw well..

but when they are starting to eat a bit of meal but aren't fully able to go outside full time, we let them out and bring them in at night and if there is one or two struggling, put a calf jacket on them..

I know sounds like a lot of effort but is definately worth it.

Also when weaning a good oral dose of vitamins helps them thrive!

Grecco

1chippy wrote: »

I set up an o copper cylindder with an emerssion in for heating. for mixing was using a drill then by pure chance picked up an old stick from the ploughing (plastic type ones) that had split a couple of times up the middle. works a treat. we have all the calves out in a small field with access back in to shed. Having problems with the crows but calves are getting sstrnger and clipping the meal faaster so its reducing the time for the crows.

Feed them calf nuts instead of calf ration, the crows don't go near the nuts