So, I'm fairly new to raising cattle. We got a calf from a friend.
The calf is a guernsey/jersey cross, and is roughly 5 months old. It seems healthy enough - eating grass, grain, drinking water, running, walking. No limp, no scours.
We were hoping to be able to butcher it in the fall, at around 8 months. I know that's early, but we don't really have the facilities or freezer space to butcher something larger, and I'm not interested in paying someone else to do it.
As far as I can tell, it's OK...but it looks scrawney Being ignorant, I really don't know what's reasonable to expect. I *think* it should have plenty of grass to eat...though he seems fairly choosey. I'm expanding his pasture bit by bit. I've been feeding roughly 6 lbs of grain daily, in two feedings. I've not been feeding all that much hay, assuming he has plenty of grass forage.
I don't know how much he weighs, and all guidance re: feeding grain seems to be weight based. I feel as if I'm just purely guessing on that. I don't have a scale, and am sure he wouldn't let me measure his girth or anything like that.
Any advice? Am I am doing OK? Doing something stupid? Does he look fine for his age?
Attached some pictures.
The calf is a guernsey/jersey cross, and is roughly 5 months old. It seems healthy enough - eating grass, grain, drinking water, running, walking. No limp, no scours.
We were hoping to be able to butcher it in the fall, at around 8 months. I know that's early, but we don't really have the facilities or freezer space to butcher something larger, and I'm not interested in paying someone else to do it.
As far as I can tell, it's OK...but it looks scrawney Being ignorant, I really don't know what's reasonable to expect. I *think* it should have plenty of grass to eat...though he seems fairly choosey. I'm expanding his pasture bit by bit. I've been feeding roughly 6 lbs of grain daily, in two feedings. I've not been feeding all that much hay, assuming he has plenty of grass forage.
I don't know how much he weighs, and all guidance re: feeding grain seems to be weight based. I feel as if I'm just purely guessing on that. I don't have a scale, and am sure he wouldn't let me measure his girth or anything like that.
Any advice? Am I am doing OK? Doing something stupid? Does he look fine for his age?
Attached some pictures.