Compensate for a lower protein level

WEANLING performance over the winter on many farms is well below where it should be.

Gains as low as 0.2 to 0.3 kg of liveweight per day are regularly recorded, when the target is 0.6kg. Over a 120 -day winter, this can mean yearlings going to grass 50kg lighter than they should be.

Weanlings need both energy and protein to achieve the 0.6kg/day target. Proteins in many of the silages analysed this year are low and need to be compensated for in weanling diets. A high energy ration (UFL 0.94 plus) with a crude protein of 16 to 18% will be needed. Front-load the meal feeding, feeding more at the beginning and less at the end of the winter.