Filling Out

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ChristaCheatham

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Aug 8, 2011
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I have a shorthorn steer that I'm showing. Our fair is in late july/early august. I've noticed that his left side is full, extended, and looks great. But his right side is sunk in and doesn't fill out at all.Therefore, he looks a little lopsided.... and the right side is the show side? I'm feeding him a little stretch/depth charge and his feed is mixed with a little more barley along with corn,molasses,cottonseed hulls,oats... etc. What can I do?
 

vc

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How is he on finish? If he is close or there, I would try a good grain hay and let him eat as much as he wants. Keep him on the feed just fill in that void with hay. The calves in the picture were just back from the fair and waiting for their last trailer ride, they are on about 8 pounds of grain and all the hay they want, they get that full look pretty fast.
 

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ChristaCheatham

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Aug 8, 2011
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Wow that calf looks great! How did he do at the fair? I would have to say that mine is close if not already there. I think he could put on more to look better, which is good since the fair is a couple months away. He weighed 1000 at the end of February and 1125 at the end of March.(that was the last time he was weighed). Thanks for the advice! I will keep putting grain in front of him along with hay!
 

CAB

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Corning,Iowa
ShowSteerGirl101 said:
I have a shorthorn steer that I'm showing. Our fair is in late july/early august. I've noticed that his left side is full, extended, and looks great. But his right side is sunk in and doesn't fill out at all.Therefore, he looks a little lopsided.... and the right side is the show side? I'm feeding him a little stretch/depth charge and his feed is mixed with a little more barley along with corn,molasses,cottonseed hulls,oats... etc. What can I do?
  Sounds like you are describing bloat to me. Make sure that it's not bloat.
 

ChristaCheatham

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Aug 8, 2011
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302
I don't think that it's bloat. He's bloated before and his left side is considerably more extended. You can see is rise above his back and it's hard for him to walk. I'll keep an eye on it to make sure. It's starting to fill out a little with large amounts of hay. I will keep working on it.
 
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