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Ag Notes: Basics of economically feeding heifers

October 19, 2005|JERRY LITTLE

Economically feeding dairy heifers is a balance between keeping costs as low as possible and feeding for optimal growth and weight gain. The goal for Holstein heifers is a weight of at least 1,200 pounds after calving at 24 months or younger.

To economically accomplish this, start with forages, which form the foundation to design rations.

The quality of forages you feed heifers greatly influences feed costs. As forage quality decreases, heifers eat less and require more grain. Hay generally cost about two cents per pound. Grain mixes fed to supply nutrients not provided by the forages can cost six to 10 cents per pound.

Thus using lower-quality forages increases heifer feed costs. For example, a ration containing higher-quality hay may cost 25 cents less per day and provide nutrients to help heifers grow better. The economic impact becomes readily apparent when you multiply this savings over a group of heifers.

It also is important to use current forage analyses to balance rations.

Let's look at a 700-pound Holstein heifer that you are feeding average-quality hay and four pounds of grain. But you use all of the good forage and switch to a lower-quality hay that has more fiber provides less protein energy. Several things can happen: The heifer gains less weight daily; she calves at an older age, or she calves lighter and might not milk well afterwards. Each situation will cost you money.

Remember, it is more economical to feed young heifers that older ones.

A heifer less than one year old grows by putting down more lean tissue, muscle and bone. But as she becomes older, she lays down more fat that costs more to produce a pound of gain than lean tissue. Also, an older heifer eats more just to maintain her body weight.

Using feed additives (Rumensin or Bovatec) can improve weight gain by 0.1 to 0.15 pounds per day and prevent coccidiosis in young heifers. These additives promote growth that can get a heifer into the milking string a month earlier, quickly making are a profit-producing asset rather than a profit-eating one.

Using commodities such as corn gluten feed or soy hulls may be an alternative to a corn/soybean meal grain mix to decrease feed costs.

For more information on raising heifers, contact the Boyle County Cooperative Extension Service.

This Week's Joke

Two moms were boasting about their brilliant college students. "Every time we get a letter from our daughter," bragged one, "we have to go to the dictionary."

The other mother signed, "You're lucky. Every time we get a letter from ours, we have to go to the bank."

Jerry Little, is Boyle County extension agent for agriculture/natural resources.

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