Protein % of feed for in calf cows.

[Rachael@BRIL]

Hi everyone.

Our cows are soon due to calve and although they're getting some hard feed we're just double checking its not to potent for them!! I've tried looking on the web but struggling to find the answer - mostly for dairy.

We're doing a home mix that works out at 21% pro. They're on ad lib haylage which isn't the best quality and haven't had as big a break from milking as we should have given them so need a bit extra at the moment.

Is 21% a bit too strong?

Many thanks
Rachael

[robin walker]

My cattle are due end March and silage and haylage sounds of similar quality to yours . I don't wish to fatten the cattle or the unborn calf , I have found that feeding carrots topped with cow nuts seem to be doing the trick , although I only feed once a day every second day . Speak to your animal feeds supplier asking for pony carrots .

[Broomcroft]

Ours calve every year in March and we normally feed nothing but haylage and licks. That's on the assumption the haylage is reasonably good quality, which it normally is. In the odd year that's it's poor, we may feed some nuts and/or molasses. If the haylage is very good, we may also feed some straw. We're usually calving to bigger bulls so try and keep the condition about average and not let the calf grow too much as Robin said.

I haven't got a clue what that adds up to in terms of protein but the cows are in very good condition.

Ours tend to struggle more after calving. Then we usually start feeding them, say a kilo of 18% cattle nuts each day, something like that. But when they go out on to good grass, then the feeding stops and they don't need any help. There's nothing like grass.