Creep feeding weanlings – does it pay?

On farms selling weanlings, it’s coming close to the time of year where creep feeding can start. If cows have adequate milk and you have a good supply of quality grass, you may get good calf liveweight gains, but on many farms early calved cows’ milk yields will be low and grass quality is questionable from July on.

You can expect a conversion rate of 6kg of meal to 1kg of concentrates if 2kg are fed across the board to bulls and heifers. Bulls will have a better conversion ratio.

If we take current weanling rations at €270/t, that means it costs €1.62 to put on 1kg of liveweight. Weanlings are currently making €2.40 to €2.90 depending on quality so it’s a positive return.

Weanlings for sale will benefit most from extra feeding. Aim for a simple ration with a good cereal such as barley, a source of digestible fibre such as soya hulls or beet pulp and a good protein source such as soya bean meal.

Allowing calves to creep graze into adjacent paddocks will help to boost weight gains and also help to reduce the cow-calf bond in advance of weaning.

Intakes in creep feeders can be very variable, with stronger calves hogging the trough. Feeding in a trough in an adjacent field, while more labour-intensive, is a better way of making sure all calves are eating.

Slurry

With a lot of GLAS meadows cut this week and ground conditions very good, now is the time to arrange getting the last of the slurry out.

Every year we see weather conditions change towards the autumn and farmers get caught with slurry in tanks and with fields wet, an extension to the spreading period is called for. Organise your contractor this week to get it spread.

Cutting silage or hay will remove the most P and K from fields so it makes sense to return this off-take in the form of slurry. Pig slurry is a good tip to get tanks mixing right. Spreading evenness will be better where the slurry is well mixed and there will be a better chance of slurry not remaining on the ground in summer weather conditions.

Try to agitate on a day where there is some wind. Always take any stock out of sheds before agitating and never enter a shed when agitating is taking place. Let someone in the house know you are working at slurry and never allow children around the yard area when tanks are open and slurry is being spread.

Farm walks/open days

There are a number of farm walks taking place over the next two weeks. There are two Teagasc/Irish Farmers Journal BETTER farm beef challenge walks taking place on Wesley Browne’s farm in Ballybay, Co Monaghan, on Thursday 4 July at 2pm and 5pm. The second walk takes place on Thursday 11 July on Harry Lalor’s farm in Ballacolla, Co Laois, at 2pm and 5pm. The Irish Farmers Journal Tullamore Farm beef and sheep open day also takes place on Wednesday 24 July from 11am to 6pm. All events are KT approved.