Fall cattle sale season can be a whirlwind of excitement. One moment you’re on top of the world, winning the bid on your dream calf, and the next moment, stress begins to set in as you think about the next steps of welcoming a new project. While bringing a new calf home is exciting, it comes with its own set of challenges that can be difficult to navigate. However, with the proper plan and people in your corner, getting your calf started on feed and on the right foot can be simplified in these FIVE steps.
1. Establish your goals
Getting your project started on the right foot is easier when you have a clear direction on where you are going! You likely establish show goals as you are on the search for your next project. However, as you bring your new calf home and look to establish a daily care and feed regimen, it is important to re-visit both short term and long-term goals. When do you plan to show your animal? Will you take them to early jackpots or wait until the summer? Is your end target a county fair or state fair? What is their target weight for their end point? All of these questions and factors will play a big role in assessing the ideal starter feed and any necessary supplements to keep your animal on track.
2. Lean on the experts to get started
Pairing your goals with the people and resources that can help get you there is what makes a new project in the barn fun! As you plan to make the transition home with your show calf, utilize your resources and lean on the experts to develop a plan that will keep your calf on track from day one. Two great resources you should always lean on include: the breeder/seller and your local feed representative.
Start with your breeder or the individual you purchased the calf from. Be sure to ask him or her a lot of questions in order to find out more about the temperament of your calf, how halter broke they are, the current vaccinations they have received and the feeding program they have been on. Not only will this help you build a stronger relationship with your seller, but it will help you decipher where you should begin regarding daily care and diet.
Next, reach out to your local feed rep or feed specialist for help and direction on a feed plan and strategy. Our team at The Mill is dedicated to helping you build a plan that will help you maximize your project. We encourage you to reach out and share with us information about your project including your short term and long term goals and the diet your calf was receiving prior to purchase. What type of animal do you have? It is important to know the type and kind of show calf so you know how to feed it to maintain freshness and not get over-conditioned. This information helps our team to decipher what type of starter feed will be best to get started. Every animal is different and might require a different starter feed plan. Our team members would be happy to schedule a farm visit to see your project in person to help build a plan!
3. Get your calf used to its new environment.
You’ve established goals and you have a feeding plan – now it’s time to put it in place! One small detail that is often overlooked is the physical transition of your calf. Eliminating stress during this transition is crucial to ensure a good start and protect health and appetite as your get your calf adjusted. As you unload your new calf, in order to help them adapt to the sights, sounds and smells of a new barn, a good general practice is to unload them into a smaller sized pen, and if possible, by themselves, where they can see other animals or people. A smaller pen will eliminate running and pacing, while unloading them into a space by themselves will eliminate the risk of fighting with another calf and potential injury. While you may be excited and want to jump in head first working on your calf, it’s important to give them plenty of time to acclimate to their new pen and surroundings before ever haltering or working on them. This will help the calf remain more calm and make your first experience working on them much smoother and safer. Eliminating stress and making your calf comfortable during this transition are crucial to ensure a good start and protect health and appetite as your calf gets adjusted.
4. Provide fresh water and hay upon arrival.
Whether it was a long or short ride to get to your barn, transportation is stressful on your calf and can typically cause some dehydration and shrinkage. Providing easily accessible fresh water and little bit of hay will not only allow your calf to fill back up, but it will also help them settle into their new environment as well.
5. Implementing your feeding strategy with patience.
Getting your new calf started on feed and consistently eating can be one of the more frustrating aspects of starting a new project. There’s two primary reasons a calf may be slower to take off on feed:
You’ve transitioned to a brand new feed.
It’s important to keep in mind that many breeders or sellers may have sale calves on a custom ration that cannot be replicated perfectly by a local feed mill. If this is the case, it might be a good idea to ask your seller if they would send a small amount of the sale ration home with you as you bring home your new calf. The sale feed can be utilized to help make the transition to a new starter feed smoother by feeding the sale feed, and gradually mixing the new starter feed, recommended by your feed specialist, in by small increments. This can help to avoid digestive upsets or imbalances, typically caused by a drastic change in the diet. Once your calf has started to consume the new feed consistently, increase your starter feed and decrease the amount of the sale feed until you’ve made a complete transition.
However, bringing home some of the sale ration is not always possible. In this scenario it’s a great idea to lean on your local feed representative. Share with them the details of the sale feed so they can make a proper suggestion on what starter feed would most closely match the sale ration. Introduce the new starter feed in small amounts and gradually increase as needed once your calf is eating consistently.
Depending on the type and kind of your sale calf, we recommend several different products to get your show calves started. One of the most important things is getting the calf to eat and grow. Between our own customer Mill feed and the numerous Umbarger options, there is a feed fit for every calf.
- The Mill 14% Show Calf: A highly palatable textured feed that has a moderate amount of energy to push them but not over condition them.
- Umbarger Breeder Grower: A moderate energy starter/grower feed to start calves on to get them to eat and grow.
- Umbarger Payload: A grower feed to add body dimension and fill.
- Umbarger Synurgy: A pelleted, high fiber, low fat feed additive to add body dimension and fill.
You've introduced a new feeding style.
The other factor that may impact a smooth transition on feed is a change in the way your calf consumes their feed. In most cases, sale calves are fed in a bunk, in a group style format. As you bring them home and potentially feed them individually out of a feed pan or smaller bunk area, this may take some time for your calf to get used to. If your calf does leave behind some feed after the first couple feedings at home, be sure to dispose of the extra feed and don’t leave it sitting in the bunk or pan. This will help eliminate flies and also will give your calf the chance to eat fresh feed with each new feeding, promoting appetite and a quicker start on feed.
While these factors can cause a slower start and can be frustrating, remain patient and lean on your local feed representative for help! They may have suggestions or supplements that can help get your calf going and taking off on feed as they should!
Looking forward
Getting your calf home is exciting. Take things slow. Do things right the first time, and don’t let small set backs derail the bigger picture. Lean on the experts in your circle to help you implement and act on a plan and strategy that points to your desired goal and outcome!
