help fixing a Non aggressive eater (steer)

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CMANGUS

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
74
Location
Murdock, KS
I have a Angus show steer that is not aggressive when it comes to eating.  We have tried several things.  a couple different kinds of feed.  We are Top Dressing with Sure Champ.  He still doesn't eat well.  Opinions welcome not sure how I am going to get him to gain like he needs to.

He currently gets a 13% ration that is mixed from my local feed mill & it is a Purina based feed
 

faycopa

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
73
have the same problem as well, steer around 1225 but not eating well
In my case I think he's just burned out  /done
Have tried everything .... Some are just not big eaters I believe
 

Honkomp

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Messages
74
Location
Winterset, Iowa
The steer we got for my son this year started out slowly.  I think it is because we got him straight out of the pasture and he wasn't creep fed.  Not being creep fed he didn't learn to compete for feed with other cattle.  I have a Lowline heifer that we raised and she had to compete for feed with cows as I drop a little grain out at the end of summer to help with the final days of nursing.  The calves get right in there and grab what they can get a hold of. 

When we got the steer home we tied him up to begin halter training him and he would not eat.  I figured it was because of no creep and he would eat when he got hungry.  He didn't.  after we got him used to being handled we started feeding him with the heifer.  She is small but mighty; she ate most if what feed we put out for them. Long story short, didn't help much.

The steer finally started eating what I thought he should when it turned cold.  We have to tie each up because the Lowline will eat her feed and then go take his away. 

What helped the most we learned reading Steer Planet.  A post said to weigh each feeding, allow them 25 minutes to eat, and take away what they don't eat at each feeding.  When you figure out what they will eat at each feeding add half a pound to that until they clean up all of that then add an other half pound to each feeding.  We have done this and taken the steer up to 1% of his body weight each time we feed.  He has started to look like he is eating right also. 

I don't know if the steps we took taught him to eat or he just grew into it.  Either way hope this helps.
 

Gargan

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
3,060
Location
West Virginia
Are you feeding him alone or does he have an eating buddy? Some times competition for food can help.
 

CMANGUS

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
74
Location
Murdock, KS
he gets bunk fed in the morning & gets fed seperate at night, but all the show calves are tied side by side and just eat out of their own pans at night.
He weighs 730 & figured should be eating approx 15-20lbs/day.  His night time feeding he gets about 10lbs of feed and usually leaves some.  The feed is 1/2 precon complete and 1/2 showfeed top dressed with sure champ
 
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