opinions on market show steer

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taylor tay

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Jun 22, 2010
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Shell Lake
So i have posted a picture of my market animal here before a little while back and i just have a few updated pictures.
Name: Cash
Breed: Shorthorn
Age: 8 Months
Born: April 24, 2010
Weight:596 lbs(December)
 

showsteerdlux

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He still looks pot gutted to me, but who knows with the pic. I will say with the weight and his age you need to push him quite a bit harder, heck we have commercial calves with no creep that will wean at 7 months as 7 weights. If he has been up as long as he has and still only weighing that, he probably needs a good deworming and the feed poured to him. If I remember correctly he was on unlimited hay. Is this the case? If so, it still needs to change, because honestly I don't see alot of change on the gut, but I do think he has gotten a little more condition . Not trying to be critical, just want you to have the best chance possible at giving it a go with what you have.
A good haircut will help him out alot and will make him look a lot fresher.
 

flacowman

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Jun 25, 2010
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I have to agree.  That weight is far too small for his age and he shows it.  With that gut and frame you can put a lot on him fast if you'll just pour the feed to him.  I don't know what you're feeding but I would suggest working towards doubling the amount.  I think feed will make the most difference with him.
 

katie_k

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Shell Lake WI
i work with beefmaster with my steer at the same place.  he is a really nice looking steer in person.  he has always had a gut but he has been dewormed and everything.  the pictures just dont do him justice.  he just needs to mature a little more.  the rest of this registered shorthorn herd is always green for quite awhile then they just seem to take off and turn out amazing.
 

showsteerdlux

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The gut will have to be managed out of him, or he will have it for awhile. Whether they end up amazing or not, performance wise he is lacking a great bit at this point in time and needs to be fed a lot heavier or a lot better one of the two and probably a combination of both, period. For your sake, I hope he takes off, but you need to realize, cattle can only take off with the correct management and feeding, with the 2nd being something the steer is in great need of.
 

MCC

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I agree with showsteernc and flacowman you need to pour the feed to that calf or he won't make weight. We sell prospects in October that weigh 700 and up.Get him on a good finisher ration and feed him all you can get down him. You may want to implant him. Cut the hay and feed more corn. Give him just enough hay to scratch his belly.
 

Bradenh

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agreed with the previous posters. he is looking a little bit better than the pictures from before but still a little behind from where he needs to be. we - like they said before ship calves at 8 months old that weigh 780. implanting would be a smart idea to stouten him up
 

PaFFA Proud

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Hes gettin there....as for the belly..i think its the hay. What type is he getting? He needs to be pushed on the feed...Im feeding the Purina Honor Show Chow and am loving it. It gives a show steer the nutrients they need and fill. You should try it out...its not too pricey either, helps the beginner showman outright...no guessing games, no mixing..just scoop, weigh and feed! Hes got good conformation and style. Keep at it!
 

Bradenh

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we have our fortworth calf on honor. the one in my topic. he is also on supplements not just feed but we like the honor as a base feed
 

showsteerdlux

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He sure as heck doesn't need the alfalfa mixed hay, and also you really need to get him on a complete feed not just the corn and oats. You can't develop cattle on a diet like that plain and simple. Now I understand why he weighs what he does, he ain't being fed right to say the least. Your best option would be to find a complete feed as paffproud had mentioned even if it is not a show feed. Something that is around 12% protein give or take a %, 3% fat minimum, and around 8-10% fiber max. You can find a cheap complete feed almost anywhere that won't break the bank, but it is of utmost importance to go ahead and do it, or you aren't going to have much luck trying to feed him out with the program he is on now. But most importantly, get rid of that alfalfa.
 

taylor tay

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I am not able to change what he is fed, i keep him at a farmers house and he owns the animals and he knows what he is doing, on this diet he has hand good animals.  he is a shorthorn so he will be a little slow maturing but once we start feeding on schedule he will get some weight on him
 

showsteerdlux

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beefmaster said:
I am not able to change what he is fed, i keep him at a farmers house and he owns the animals and he knows what he is doing, on this diet he has hand good animals.  he is a shorthorn so he will be a little slow maturing but once we start feeding on schedule he will get some weight on him
I've got horns on feed right now, both steers and heifers so I've had a little experience. Some shorthorns take a little while to come into themselves, but sorry that steer is past the point of taking a little while to mature. If you post something on here asking what people think, then you need to realize that people who have done this before will say what can be improved, and it seems to be the consensus that the feeding management of this calf will have to change. Take it FWIW, but from experience you have to do what you have to do to get a steer where he needs to be. Best of luck, but until something changes, I can't see the steer  changing much honestly.
 

taylor tay

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So what type of feeding program does he need to be on? I am not sure if i can change it. i will try.  if i dont change his feeding program what will he look like? what if i do?? thanks. Also i know the farmer knows what he is doing since he wins carcass every year and also this steer is only a county fair steer
 

Ms Ray

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california
There are a bunch of different show feeds, any of the would be better than just oats and corn.  Our fair is in late Sept. and the steers we are getting already will be weighing 600 lbs.  remember he should be getting feed about 3? of his body weight
 

CAB

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I can't remember if you said that your calf was a bottle calf or not. If he was, it explains his stomach and his being behind concerning his weight to his age. You can feed what you are feeding and have good results, but you may want to stop in at your feed dealer and have it balanced for minerals & vitamins. In other words you may need to feed a protein, vitamin, mineral supplement. Cattle have been fed this way for centuries. There are many supplements available to balance your ration. He does need to eat all that he possibly can though, containing as much energy as possible.
 

PaFFA Proud

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I know with my dairy beef calves were not going to make weight with the mill feed we were feeding. So about a month and a half I ordered the Honor SHow Chow 4-T flyer to feed to them. Its a feed that u can mix in with ur exhisting feed to get the fat on them. Try that if u cant switch the feed totally...its kinda like feeding a supplement...just mix it in before you give it to him
 

MCC

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beefmaster said:
I am not able to change what he is fed, i keep him at a farmers house and he owns the animals and he knows what he is doing, on this diet he has hand good animals.  he is a shorthorn so he will be a little slow maturing but once we start feeding on schedule he will get some weight on him
I guess I don't understand. Does this farmer own your steer and provide the feed or do you own the steer and buy the feed from the farmer? I'm not trying to be rude but if this farmer is just using you to show his cattle I'd find a different steer jock. You seem like you are wanting to learn and willing to work but if you can't use the advice you have been given on here there is no sense in people trying to help you. Carcass contests are a different ball game than showing steers. I'm not saying a champion steer can't win a carcass contest but you go about feeding different. Good luck but I don't know if we can help.
 
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