35 days to show and Limousin steer refuses to eat

Help Support Steer Planet:

ljenkins73

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
8
Any help is greatly appreciated!

My son's Limousin steer has gradually reduced his feed intake over the last 3 weeks to where he is no longer eating much at all.  We have run the gamut of trying different things to get this guy eating and have reached the end of our rope.  He weighed 1132 yesterday morning prior to feeding, and will go in the lightweight class at Houston in March, but still needs about 100 more pounds to get him there.  He had been eating:

16.5# Producer's steer finisher
5# of heifer grower per day
Feed scoop of cooked corn
6 oz. of P1 from Priority IAC  (we began this after we tried adding cooked corn to this ration and he started going off feed)


2 weeks ago we dropped the corn and replaced it with another 2.5 # of finisher, and was still leaving feed. 

A week ago he received a Revalor G implant, but intake has continued to drop.

Yesterday we pulled him off the heifer feed (thinking he may not be fond of the molasses), split his feed into 3 feedings, and gave him only 5# of finisher last night to let him get hungry.  We also added 1# of rice bran pellets.  He did eat last night's ration, but so far today has touched nothing. 

He's also become very picky about his hay...he would usually get either tifton or bermuda coastal hay, but we've since had to go to cheap roll grass hay.  He still only eats about 1/2 a flake a day, even though we've been offering him a flake per feeding.

The one thing I haven't considered is it's been about 2 months since he's been dewormed.  Could this possibly make him go off feed this much? 

We've never raised a limi before, so we're not sure if this typical of the breed.  Also, there are no other signs of illness.

Thanks again for your input!
 

mccannfarms

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
243
Location
Falcon MO
Part of the problem could be changing his feed all of the time... I know our calves notice inconsistencies in our rations will reduce feed intake for a few days because of it.

We raise Limi's and Angus and don't notice any one breed being more picky than the other about feed or one going off of feed more than the other.

Also what is his breeding?
 

ljenkins73

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
8
I was wondering that myself.  That was why we tried to give him a week between each change once he started leaving feed.  He hasn't been the easiest feeder all the way through the project, and we'd go through this behavior about 1 week a month even without any feed changes.  We had someone tell us they would sometimes do this when they go through their stomach dumps? 

Also about 3 months ago he went off feed and we offered only hay and water for 3 days and gradually started him back up.  He seemed OK till about 3 weeks ago again.

Of course, the closer we're getting to show, the more nervous we're getting and probably the more reactive to try and "fix" him!  LOL!
 

ljenkins73

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
8
Unfortunately, I'm not sure of his breeding.  The person we got him from had bought him from a friend's ranch here in Texas.  Definitely no denying he's pure limi!!
 

mccannfarms

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
243
Location
Falcon MO
Has his manure been thin? You might try mixing in some probiotics into his feed to bump up rumen activity
 

ljenkins73

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
8
Manure consistency actually looks good.  Last night we did notice he's shedding some corn that we haven' t seen before, which made me start thinking he's having rumen trouble, despite being on the P1 program (gut bacteria additive used on dairy farms).
 

JY

Active member
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
33
Sounds like classic acidosis. A trip to your vet he can check and tell you for sure.
 

mccannfarms

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
243
Location
Falcon MO
JY I never even thought to go clinical... a vet call might be the best thing that you could do
 

rtmcc

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 11, 2008
Messages
727
Location
Peterson, MN
A manure sample to the vet quick could check for coccidiosis and parasites.  Sometimes a shot of B12 or B-Complex will help.  Vita Ferm Vita-Charge boluses, paste or drench can also be helpful.

Another thing to remember is as a steer gets to there finished maturity they tend to back off feed.  This is used as an indicator in commercial lots often.  As soon as they back off feed it's time to get them on the show list! But it doesn't sound like this calf is there yet.

Check any of those things that could affect the stomach.  A happy rumen is a happy cow!

Ron
<cowboy>
 

ljenkins73

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
8
Well, it's been almost 2 weeks and all we can do is hope for the best.  We're eating, and gaining, and so far so good!

We dewormed with Safeguard as it was time again, and also withheld grain from him for 24 hrs and then started back slow with a ground feed ration from the local co-op.  It's nutrition content is very similar to grower.  To this we are now adding probiotics, crimped barley and rice bran meal to help him finish.  We figured this may be the easiest ration on a sensitive stomach that we could put together.

We've managed to get 60 lbs on him since getting him started back on feed, so hopefully we can keep the gaining streak going all the way to Houston!

Thanks to everyone for their input!!

 
Top