Kenya is a well-known breeding ground for numerous cattle breeds. The Heifer is one of the numerous cattle breeds found in Kenya. We will discuss what heifers eat, how much you should feed a heifer, and how to get heifers to gain weight in this blog post.
Heifers should be fed diets higher in carbohydrates and suitable protein. The availability of water and other nutritional necessities like sufficient mineral levels should be in abundance.
Feeding Dairy Heifers from Weaning to Calving
During Weaning
Feeding dairy heifers before calving, also known as weaning, requires different diets and nutrients. For instance, dairy cows are mostly fed protein feed during weaning, whereas they are primarily fed energy-giving foods during calving.
Depending on the age at which the calves are weaned and the breed of the cow, the weaning procedure may last 7 to 14 days.
A high-protein meal is advised during weaning. If hay was fed to the Heifer during weaning, its protein content should be checked first. In some circumstances, using straw or by-product feeds may be more affordable. Some by-product diets, like feather meal and corn distiller solubles, are high in protein.
During Calving
What do heifer cows eat, especially during calving, mainly hay, silage, grain, and by-products of food processing, including cottonseed meal, citrus pulp, tomato pulp, potato peels, sugar beet pulp, almond hulls, cereal by-products, soy hulls, or canola seed hulls after weaning.
How to Increase a Heifer’s Weight
Most farmers frequently ask themselves, “How can I make my heifer gain weight?”
Heifers’ growth and development are directly impacted by the comprehensive nutrition of concentrated feed, which also impacts the animal’s weight. Among the concentrate feeds are:
1. Energy Feeds
Energy feeds like corn, sorghum, and barley in the range of 60 to 70 percent are crucial in the development of animal weight.
2. Proteins
Between 20 and 25 percent of your animal’s feed should contain protein, such as beans, cotton seed, peanuts, etc. Proteins stimulate the release of growth hormones, accelerating growth.
3. Minerals and Vitamins
Use of minerals such as bone powder, salt, baking soda, trace elements (constant), and vitamin additions, usually concentrated between 3 and 5 percent, as vitamins and trace elements are also essential for growing heifers and weight gain.
4. Add Feed Additives
Farmers can proportionally add feed additives to the concentrate feed to speed up fattening and the growth and weight gain of heifers. The trial demonstrates a more than 15% increase in heifer cattle growth and weight speed.
The Steaming Up of a Dairy Cow in Kenya
A pregnant animal, such as a dairy cow, gets “steamed up” when given a high level of nutrients 6 to 8 weeks before calving or giving birth. The meal should include some high-quality forage and a good-quality concentrate.
The production of other lactation cells is encouraged by steaming (oxytocin).
Steaming up a dairy cow in Kenya can be achieved using any of the three listed methods below:
1. Providing a variety of forages for your dairy cow, such as Lucerne hay, sweet potato vines, and Kikuyu grass.
2.Feed animals at least 3 kg of dairy food each day.
3. Start feeding your cow dry cow supplements containing minerals, such as Maclick Super Salt. The best salt for dairy cows in Kenya is Maclick super salt.
How to Get a Cow in Heat Naturally
The most common natural method to induce heat in cows is to inject prostaglandins into the corpus luteum (CL) (PG). Most cows will go into heat within two to four days of the injection. After the beef has been heated through, serving follows.
How Old Can a Heifer Be Served
The ideal time to serve a heifer is between 13 and 15 months, allowing her to give birth between 22 and 24 months. Depending on the breed, she should have reached a body weight of between 230 and 300 kg. You can use normal semen from a reputable source or sexed semen for heifers.
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