optefex
- Thread starter ssr
- Start date
Help Support Steer Planet:
Bradenh
Well-known member
1. I'm not sure that it's labeled for cattle. And generally when the time comes to worry about muscle supplements, it's the same time to worry about labeling/withdrawals ect... If it is labeled then disregard what I just said. But double check that
Second it is a pig supplement, which tells me it's designed to maximize muscle on a 250 lb animal. The steer is 5 times that size so I think your going to want something alittle more concentrated with that active ingredient to get more results,
Second it is a pig supplement, which tells me it's designed to maximize muscle on a 250 lb animal. The steer is 5 times that size so I think your going to want something alittle more concentrated with that active ingredient to get more results,
optiflex (sold commonly as zilmax by Merck) is a feed additive that is fed for, generally, the last 20 days in a feedlot. It will increase carcass weights, harvest weights, and provide some bloom. But, I think there is a tissue residue samples and some of the packers are discounting or refusing carcasses fed zilmax. The way it was explained to me is that it causes water retention, particularly in the muscle tissue, which is just water weight that the packers are buying. It will likely do what you want for the added bloom, but I would measure that against where you are sending the calf for harvest.
maineangus
Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2011
- Messages
- 12
I have used sunglow explosion before and thought it worked well. From my experience you have to make sure the calf has plenty of fat because the optaflexx will burn some of the fat. Also I believe that zilmax and optaflexx are two different products. I believe that optiflexx is still ok to use but I think Zilmax has been taken off the market.
Chap
Well-known member
optiflix and zilmaxx are different products. i have used Optiflex last 42 days of finishing. make sure your animal is really sound and fat before you start. It will add volume of muscle, especially in the top and hip, but will also put some shoulder on them. if you feed past the 42 days it can start to effect movement in sound animals and i would not recommend using it at all in cattle that are too straight to begin with. They will also gain weight at a faster rate, so take that into account as well
Chap said:
Are you talking about the ractopamine (the show pig drug) product or zilpaterol hydrochloride (the asthma drug)? I ask because last year (2012) our calves at Tri County were fed "optaflexx" which I assume was the ziplaterol hydrochloride. In fact, they specifically said they would not feed ractopamine to the cattle because of concerns about exportation, tenderness of the product, etc. I agree about ractopamine, but I think that zilpaterol hydrochloride has some utility.
Bradenh
Well-known member
ssr said:
Your correct. I was thinking about the "explode" for pigs
The other posters pretty much nailed it we have never used zilmaxx because its so hard to find but we use the ractopamine and as long as he's fat and sound it does it's job. Will also make their attitude alittle more testy. If you aren't sure he's fat or sound enough.. Then he's not and don't use it
Show stopper 95 said:
http://fyi.uwex.edu/wbic/files/2010/11/Beta-Agonists-Factsheet.pdf
A pretty good whitepaper on the subject of beta agonists in cattle.
