Secrets to feeding a show steer

We would like to do well with our steer, so what can we do to increase our chances?  Any and all suggestions welcomed.

To steal Zach's quote from an earlier topic:

You're going to need a lot of money. 

When we started we found someone who had experience who raised nice show cattle. We asked what he fed. He had developed his own mixture that he has made at our co-op. He was nice enough to let us use the mixture. We've fine tuned it a little bit but we've done well with it.
We've also found that topping the grain with a scoop of calf manna really adds to their conditioning.
It's true you do have to spend a lot of money on feed to have extremely competitive show cattle. You'll get to the point you can walk into a barn and see who feeds well and who doesn't. Especially true at county shows.

Bump.........waiting to hear some well kept secrets............

I only show as a form of advertising and marketing but I think feeding is key.  Start early, give yourself time and don't get too extreme. I have seen people that have very average cattle but know how to feed them and make them look great and they do well, where someone with better cattle that doesn't have the right feeding program not do well. I think finding the right feed is the best single thing you can do, there are many other things but to me its first and foremost.

I think if you are feeding a complete ration from one of the good feed companies, that you are probably 1/2 way there as far as feeding is concerned.  You can add to it to help the cattle.  For instance, if you need more body and guts, you can add some beet pulp.  You can also feed one of the topdresses to help with hair and condition. 
I think how you feed has more to do with it than what you feed.  Good feeders do some things that I think are extremely important.  I always tell my students that the key to a good feeding program is consistency.  Feed at the same times every day--7:00 am and 5-6:00pm.  Feed a consistant amount every feeding.  Do the same thing every day.  Cattle are creatures of habit and changing the routine can cause problems. 
I think roughage is very important.  We run the cattle free choice to round bales of average quality grass hay daily.  We feed about 2-21/4% if their body weight of a high quality ration daily.  Keep water troughs clean and full. 
When you go to shows, feed in your road feed pans at home for a few days.  Water in your water buckets for a few days prior to the show.  Don't change your routine at the show!  Feed and water at the same time you usually do.  Tie out about the same time you turn out at home.

Hope this helps.  We have been doing it for a long time and these are just some things that anyone can do and it really makes a difference in the way they eat and fill up when you get away from home.

Great advice! Last year was our first year of showing steers. We learned a lot! What a great idea to switch to buckets and pans a couple days before the show! Our judge commented on day two our steer drank water on day two and it was obvious. He would have placed him top had he been full on day one. Good lesson here. Also, we fed pure alfalfa hay for the first 6 months is that okay? Our steers never LOVED their grain and always  wanted more hay so we came in 150 lbs too light this year. Really want to fix that problem too! Any help is so appreciated! We mainly fed stock & stable, plus corn, plus pro bios.

Another question!! Our steers flipped their large rubber tubs often spilling their grain. This year we will have 3 steers one for each kid, what trough/grain feeding  system do you suggest to prevent spilling/waste. Thank you!

The best tip we got with regard to feeding hay is to feed it at noon.(about 2 flakes per head)  We also used native prairie hay.  Our neighbor had a 10 acre patch of native prairie grass and he would put up small square bales for us.

lanim said:

Another question!! Our steers flipped their large rubber tubs often spilling their grain. This year we will have 3 steers one for each kid, what trough/grain feeding  system do you suggest to prevent spilling/waste. Thank you!

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Not light weight or inexpensive but we got a couple of these last year. Will buy a couple more. https://www.sbcustominnovation.com/hang-on-steel-feeder/

Feeding is by far the most important and hardest thing to do I believe. The way cattle are fed has changed a bunch over the years. It’s not about efficient fresh cattle anymore. It’s about getting them to a certain look, at least in the steer deal. I have found that a big brand bagged feed just doesn’t have the juice needed for what I’m trying to do. I can sp end way less on something my local mill can mix and I can add the extras or change it as the calves need but the bagged stuff cost a bunch n adding extras cost a bunch. Get a good idea from someone that knows and find a local mill that can mix it...neither are easy to do but try. Just my opinion, I don’t claim to know anywhere near what most do

Some simple things, first off I agree feed them the same time every day, routine is key for cattle, the better you stick to a routine the more relaxed they will be, if you deviate from your routine some calves will stress. Do not change feed if you can help it, get them on a good ration and keep them on it, you can make subtle changes but make them over a few days. Watch them, if they go off feed, get loose, show signs of bloat, address these issue immediately, first is something new or different, is it a new batch of feed, new hay, is the weather different, are they running a fever, (have a livestock thermometer on hand and use it), figuring out what is going on and what the cause is allows you to make the needed changes or adjustments with out setting them calf back. If you take the wait and see approach they might be fine or they may go down hill and you may end up setting them back a few days or weeks.
We fed Stabilized Rice Bran, for the steers on track we fed it the last 90, for calves that were behind we fed it to them the whole time, loaded with energy and puts a great layer of smooth finish on them.
For the person feeding alfalfa, for fat steers on grain it is not a good choice, way to much protein, your feed should be enough, grass type hay is best. We fed grain twice a day and hay at night, we had a large kick out pen they ran in at night and that is where they got their hay. If you have a large pen to turn them out in, you should, they will get more exercise and can get out and move, this is key once you start tying them during the day, they really need to get out and use their muscles.
Be consistent, patient, diligent, and you should be fine.

VC’s advice is words to live by for feeding show steers, and I’m also with JacobB on the custom mix.  We always had several on feed, and I always feel like I could do more with less $ than the sacked show feeds.

My two cents here is a cheap answer to your calves turning over their feed pans. Find some old tires that you can set your pans inside - we always use the flexible black rubber feed pans and they will set inside a 15 or 16” tire.  You may need a little larger one for the hard plastic pans, I’m not sure.