Getting steers fat

[mainecattlemother]

We have two steers that are very nice but we need some pointers on how to get them big. The one I have pictured in our Shorthorn steer. We also have a Simmental. The Shorthorn is very big framed. Any suggestion on how to get fat and drop the gut.

 

[Steer4Caddy]

Power fuel from Purina.  Very palatable and works great.

 

[rrblack78]

Cooked corn

 

[vc]

I would get them on stabilized rice bran  (work them up to 2 pounds a day) for fat. If they are good eaters I would add a good grain hay to their diet. We have had success feeding a 3 way hay the last 2 months prior to fair, really helps give them some volume.

 

[mainecattlemother]

We may be dumb but what is a 3 way hay. We had a bad year for drought and it is very hard to find a good hay.

 

[vc]

Around here it is wheat, barley and oats. It varies from one region to an other.

 

[mainecattlemother]

Thanks for the info. There is not a lot barley around our area but oats/alfalfa mix pretty common and that's what were feeding along with the grand 4T Fyer and they just don't seem to be dropping gut and getting fat. The Shorthorn weighs 1030 as of last Friday and our state fair is end of August but he is so big framed we need 1400 on him. Our Simmi is 935 which is probably okay because we do not want him more than 1300 but he is very piecy and definitely needs to drop the gut.

 

[RyanChandler]

How many lbs of feed is he getting a day?  Id make him eat 3% of his bodyweight (half whole corn / half textured finisher) before I ever gave him even 1 bite of hay-

a 1000 lb calf:  30lbs/ day    That's 15lbs 2X daily.    7 1/2lbs textered finisher and & 1/2lbs corn per feeding.

or you can keep feeding hay like some suggest which will drop the energy level of his total ration to low 60% and he'll keep on like he is. 

 

[vc]

Xbar: 7 1/2 plus a 1/2 is 8, not 15.

I told them what worked for us and continues to work for us. I know you are the expert, 

The art of feeding is not in numbers, it is adjusting for each animal and what they need.  If I'm getting 4 pounds a day out of an animal why would I increase the grain, when all I need is some guts, I'm going to add something to expand the gut. As long as their grain intake does not go down he is consuming the same amount of calories. Their question was for fat and guts, not weight.

 

[RyanChandler]

Xbar: 7 1/2 plus a 1/2 is 8, not 15.

I told them what worked for us and continues to work for us. I know you are the expert, 

The art of feeding is not in numbers, it is adjusting for each animal and what they need.  If I'm getting 4 pounds a day out of an animal why would I increase the grain, when all I need is some guts, I'm going to add something to expand the gut. As long as their grain intake does not go down he is consuming the same amount of calories. Their question was for fat and guts, not weight.

- my bad, I left out the other "7".  7 1/2lbs of each each feeding.

I've fed out 80-100 calves. I don't know that that makes me an expert but I feel fairly comfortable w/ the results I've gotten and thus, the advice I give. 

"grain" doesn't have a universal feedstuff value.  You make the comment, "as long as their grain intake does not go down, he is consuming the same amount of calories. "  The most important factor you leave out is what is the feed composition that makes up the "grain?"  Is that 10lbs of corn or 10lbs of a 10% sweet feed?  HUGE difference. 

Take three rations for example: 5lbs of corn and 15lbs finisher, 10lbs corn and 10 lbs finisher, 15lbs corn and 5lbs of finisher.  All 20 lbs, all the same "grain intake",  all VERY different results. 


"the question was for fat and guts, not weight" --  again -- I'm not sure about your understanding here, but there is only 1 way to increase weight, whether you're referring to fat or muscle and that is by having a caloric surplus. 

 

[vc]

I reread your post, your fair is in August, 5 months from now, most calves will start getting fat and their guts will expand once they slow down from growing, I would add the stabilized rice brand to their diet and just keep them on full feed (finisher) for now.


Xbar: whatever

 

[Tallcool1]

I know that it is difficult when you ask a question like this on a message board that spans the entire country and beyond.

It really isn't rocket science although it can certainly seem that way when you are handling one that won't eat or perform the way you want him to.

In essence, it REALLY is about calorie intake.  You are in Minnesota, so corn is the easiest source of calories that you have readily available to you.  The 3% rule (in my opinion) is a good one. 

If I were you, I would search Steerplanet for the AAOK Feed Ration.  From there, I would send a PM to AAOK, tell him which of the ingredients you can NOT get, and then have him help you with it.  This ration is pretty widely used, and seems to work really well. 

I don't disagree with the advice you are getting in this post.  I just feel that it is important that you are careful adding in a little of this here and there.  Next thing you know, you may have a ration that is so far out of balance that it will be nearly impossible to get any results or get the steers to eat it. 

I also agree that some of the middle expansion comes with time and weight.  In my experience, a shallow middled steer has bigger problems than his appearance.  Typically they don't gain very well for us.  Stretching out their belly with beet pulp or [insert roughage here], will only change their appearance.  It won't necessarily make them perform like a naturally deep bellied steer.

So, back to answering your question which is how to get him fat and get some belly on him......feed the ever living life out of him!  Push that dude as hard as he will let you!

That is my input, and I am by no means an expert.  When it comes to rations, I don't mess with them.  I leave it to the experts.

 

[PDJ]

Just thinking out loud here, but If I calculated it right, you have 160 days to put on 370 pounds.  That only works out to 2.31 pounds adg.  Seems like you should have no problem getting him there.