Feeding Hay to showsteers

[kobo_ranch]

Wanted to get some of your thoughts on feeding hay close to show time.  (month out and closer to)
If your calves are finished (or almost there?)  How much hay do you offer...also what hays do you prefer.
Do you ever feed alfalfa?  Just kinda wondered.

 

[thebulllady]

We always feed free choice hay to the show heifers.. it helps to keep their gut working when they're on all that grain, and helps to fill them up.  I've never fed alfalfa... they don't need it if they're on high powered feed.  Try to get a grassy mix, like timothy, or better yet, hay grazer.  My heifers LOVE hay grazer hay, and I've never had trouble with a "hay gut".

 

[CMB]

We also feed free choice to the heifers. I like coarse hay, like 1st cutting. All grass hay. Never had a problem with it. We have fed steers both ways, free choice and hand fed. Just depends on the steer for me I guess and how well they eat there grain and where they are at in their target weight.

 

[rtmcc]

we always have heifers on free choice hay.  Usually pretty good alfalfa.  It builds rib and depth a lot cheeper than all the feed additive products.  I do use some Full Tank or Full and Fresh also.
  On steers or market heifers, it depends how we are doing for for weight and cover for our target date.  I sure like to have them on free choice hay if I can.  Cattle are meant to convert forage and stay the healthiest when doing so.  And you can't make them too deep or soggy for me, steers included. If they only have access to hay when they are outside at night and have been fed before they are turned out they don't seem to over consume anyway.

 

[Bulldaddy]

We have always feed free choice grass hay (coastal bermuda) to both heifers and steers.  I think it helps keep the rumen healthy (less problems with  acidosis) when you are pushing them to finish.

 

[EWSC]

we our show heifers free choice of grass hay, and the show steers only get hay at night when they are turned out, it is grass hay also.  we don't give our show cattle any thing but grass hay