Grain for pregnant cows?

[box6rranch]

I've read a lot of topics about large weight calves. I'm wondering what everyone's opinion is about feeding grain to pregnant cows? We use to bring pregnant cows up and feed grain about two to three weeks before delivery. We were having definite problems with birth weights. We totally stopped doing it. They get nothing but hay, some alfalfa if it's cold and minerals now. We haven't had any problems with large birth weights.
There seems to be a lot of monster sized calves. Just wondering if grain to the mom could be affecting their size.

 

[ELBEE]

My experience has been; a sharp drop in temperature, or\and an increase in energy supplementation at, or around the 6th month can and will greatly affect birth weight. I don't believe high energy supplementation in the first trimester will be a factor. As far as late gestation goes, I don't know! I guess my advice would be, coast'em in to calving then hit'em hard after. 

 

[qbcattle]

whether or not u should feed ur cows in that last trimester really depends on their body condition. U want ur cows to be around a body condition score of at least a six or else it will be hard for them to breed back. as far as milk goes...it does help milk production however that is more genetic than anything.

 

[Davis Shorthorns]

we stoped feeding our pregnant cows grain this year, only a protein lick (16%) and hay.  With free choice min.  our first calf was 82 lbs and he was up and nursing while he was still wet with all the vigor that you could handle.  The cow is still producing enough milk for him to take all he needs and then some.  He was also 4 days late.  I wont go back to feeding cattle in the last trimester unless they NEED it. 

 

[clubcalve]

All our cows get is hay and mineral and mabey a little shell corn on minus 20 degree days and our calves usually weigh around 60 to 80 pounds along with the few alias and heatwave calves :

 

[simtal]

I've read a lot of topics about large weight calves. I'm wondering what everyone's opinion is about feeding grain to pregnant cows? We use to bring pregnant cows up and feed grain about two to three weeks before delivery. We were having definite problems with birth weights. We totally stopped doing it. They get nothing but hay, some alfalfa if it's cold and minerals now. We haven't had any problems with large birth weights.
There seems to be a lot of monster sized calves. Just wondering if grain to the mom could be affecting their size.

The effect of the grain making the calf bigger is not as great as a concern as the grain making the mother fatter, and thus reducing the size of the  birth canal.

 

[box6rranch]

I've read a lot of topics about large weight calves. I'm wondering what everyone's opinion is about feeding grain to pregnant cows? We use to bring pregnant cows up and feed grain about two to three weeks before delivery. We were having definite problems with birth weights. We totally stopped doing it. They get nothing but hay, some alfalfa if it's cold and minerals now. We haven't had any problems with large birth weights.
There seems to be a lot of monster sized calves. Just wondering if grain to the mom could be affecting their size.

The effect of the grain making the calf bigger is not as great as a concern as the grain making the mother fatter, and thus reducing the size of the  birth canal.

I see your point with a fatter cow and making the delivery more difficult. But to increase the size of the calf with grain and then to worry about a smaller birth canal on top of it? Doesn't sound like a win-win situation. Luckily we've had a pretty mild winter so the cows are all pretty healthy weight wise and we've been between 65-80 pds. so far. I'd have to have a pretty skinny cow to justify graining before birth. Lost two calves last year and zero so far this year. But I have to keep a close eye on my husband, he likes to sneak them grain 

 

[red]

no grain, just grass hay & mineral. Still get big calves anyway.

Red

 

[CAB]

  May have to ck with your beef cow nutritionist, but I think that you would be better off feeding your cows grass hay on cold days rather than giving them corn if they have not been getting corn. The reason being that they don't have the "bugs" that it takes to utilize to grain. Grass hay will produce more heat than a higher quality hay. We are usually short of hay here, so we feed cows 4lbs/hd/day & heifers coming with their 1st calf get 6lbs/hd/day.

 

[yousesteers]

My cows had no grain this winter still on pasture for the most part just ignore the hay most calves were in the 70 lb range pulled the last one the other day came breech and weighed 120 to 125 by the vets scales same bull as the rest of them same program so I dont know if there is an answer