Anyone own cattle? Would love some insight

[donrae]

do you have a way to cross fence some of that pasture? I agree it looks overgrazed. Just because there are long spots doesn't mean it's good graze. Most of that is ground level short. Cross fencing will allow you to rotate areas, giving a rest and allowing recovery.

I don't know enough about calf twins to know if that simply causes unthrifty animals...anyone else?

 

[cassie]

I was thinking of adding alfalfa to their diet. Either pellets or cubes. (Cheaper then bakes and easier to feed, they're pastured with two horses) Which has a higher fat? Cracked corn or alfalfa? Or should I do both? I feel like I've tried everything and they just won't gain weight. Ugh.

Corn is relatively low in protein, about 9%, but it is very high in energy. Alfalfa is high in protein and general nutrition. You need to feed both. Also, if you haven't already done so, have a fecal test run to see if the wormer you are using is doing its job. You also might try feeding a vitamin supplement. We had good luck with one that I believe was called Sho Glo or something. If memory serves it was put out be Manna Pro and you wouldn't believe the difference it made in just a few weeks. It doesn't take much and you add it to the grain.

 

[Cowgirls Boots]

Thanks so much! Today I went out and bought cracked corn to slowly introduce Into their diet. I will pick up alfalfa pellets as well to add. I'm hoping this helps. I feel so bad, they have proven to be tough and I feel like a bad mommy but I've tried almost everything. Maybe because they're twins is why it is harder? I'm not sure if that's even a thing but maybe?

 

[CluckerLover]

We never had twins but I have heard that they would be sterile. I hope that I was some help but I am by no means a professional. Please let me know if it helps.

 

[enola]

Being a twin calf will not affect weight gain. They need more forage, either good grass or free choice of a good quality grass hay.

Are you feeding them separate from your horses?

 

[enola]

This time of year their hair coats should be sleek and smooth. Their coats are rough. This could be caused by two factors: a diet with not nearly enough protein or a heavy load of worms.

 

[enola]

What have yu been using to worm them with?

 

[Percheron chick]

When were they weaned off the bottle? At 3 months, they are just about the right age to be able to handle a straight hay and grain diet. They should of been on a predominant milk diet for the first 6 weeks and the last 6 weeks been added more and more feed stuff while cutting back on the milk. Before that age, they do not have a developed rumen to break down and utilize long stem fiber. My guess is they were taken off of milk too early and have been basically starving themselves while they wait for their digestive tract to develop enough to process what they are eating.

Stop with the deworming. That is not your problem. Lack of calories plan and simple is the problem. I would restrict them to a small pen and shelter. A large pasture might look like the right diet but they are hiking around buring what precious calories they are ingesting walking not growing. Get them on a diet that is 50/50 grass alfalfa. Get them on a calf starter. Cracked corn has decent calories but it's a low protein and unbalanced feed that isn't going to help right now. Give them just a pound to start. Let them clean it up. Give them another pound for lunch. Another for dinner. They need to double their weight then start letting them out to graze. Build a creep feeding pen that they can get into but the horses can not. Keep some alfalfa for them to eat at will.

I would pick up a tube of calf saver too. It's a vitamin, mineral and probiotic paste that often stimulates the appetite.

 

[enola]

You are right, calves cannot graze after horses. Their mouth is not designed to graze extremely short grass. What they are basically doing is licking the ground hoping to find blades of grass.

 

[Cowgirls Boots]

I've tried the hay, they won't eat it. They leave it and go to graze. They were weaned at 2 months old just as the oldest calf. And weren't taken off milk until they were eating and drinking enough.