I've got a question for you Honor Show Chow feeders

We picked up a steer yesterday for my son, to replace one that went lame.  This sucker is really light.  I can get him finished, because our important shows aren't until the end of February, then OYE in March.  I can make it.... I just want to press him and get him going on his feed, big time.  This steer is weighing 830, and with his frame he should be pushing 1000 at least. 

Here's my question: For you folks who feed HSC, how much of it do you normally feed? 2%?  3%?  Everybody always talks about how high hsc feed costs, but if there really is that big a difference in how much of it you give the calf, I think we'll be coming out way ahead.  Besides, the feed we're feeding is no bargain on price anyway. 

Another question: at this point, would you put the steer on the fitters edge or finishing touch?

We feed 2 percent and 1 scoop cooked corn twice a day you will like it after about 2weeks I promise

And it doesn't really matter which one you feed not much difference in the two

we have steers weighing around 1100 lb. we are feeding right at 26 lb. of finishing touch aday,and our shows are in Feb. also.

If he is alittle light come January you can feed about 6 oz.aday of opta flex that will add weight quick and add muscle tone

So hunter I see you add cooked corn does anyone else do that I mean kinda stretch it? And does adding that defeat the purpose

I finished my last calf out feeding 33lbs of fitters edge and free choice grass hay at 1345lbs. With an average daily gain of 4.2 lbs a day

Go to the Honor Show Chow site and there is all types of info regarding how much to feed your steer.  If you don't like what you  find, send them a question.  I have done that in the past and recieved quick and usable responses.  I will tell you that a calf will process only so much fat and that is that.  You have to mix your energy sources to optimize performance.  I feed appx 2% fitters edge (or slightly more if they will eat it), appx 1 to 2 lbs Power Fuel and throw in a little barley.  works pretty good.






s.w.e.d.

We fed 22 pounds Finishing Touch, 2 pounds stabilized rice bran, 2 pounds Calf-mana, 3-way hay. 2 calves, one gained 3.7 pounds ADG for 190 days, the other 2.8. This was more the animal than the feed as far as difference in ADG.


What I liked about the feed is it is consistant, each lot looks like the last. Calves eat it well.

I second the advice to add the Power Fuel. (It works really well on pigs!)

When I use HSC I feed it at 2% of the calfs body weight.  So if your steer or heifer weighs about 600 lbs. I would feed it 12 lbs of feed a day, in two seperate feedings of 6 lbs.  When I am trying to get my calf to gain weight quick I feed them half cracked corn and half HSC.  So that would be 3 lbs of  cracke corn and 3 lbs of HSC twice a day. Good Luck.

All you have to do is try it wont hurt anything, but i gurantee you will like the results and what purpose would that defeat. all you have to do is get a crockpot cook 1 scoop corn and fill with water, do this twice a day cook for 8 hours and the results will be there. cuts the feed cost down also. adds fat and weight gain.

The thing about the 2-3 percent rule is to remember that when they are growing at the peak is when they need to be getting 3 % of feed, at 600 pounds we are feeding 18 pounds. When they have slowed down and not coverting the feed to growth is the time we feed 2%, I have a hard time believing that a 1300 pound steer can convert 39 pounds of feed efficiently, at 7/1 they would be gaining 5+ pounds a day. At some point the feed is not being converted it is just being past through.

On average we tried to keep it to 25 pounds a day at the most, with supplements. Basically once they got to where they were eating 25 pounds a day that is where we kept them. Did not start messing with the beetpulp, barley,  corn or other supplements until near the last 90 days, depending on what the calf looked like it need to reach it's potential

We did feed Glu-coat this past year for 5 month, did not hurt them, calmed one down, both of our buyers said the beef was the best that they have had, one buyer has been buying from us for 8 years the other has been buying beef for the same amount of time, just the first one they got from us. Steers always grade out choice or prime. I do not know if it was the Glu-coat or the Honors that made the difference, since it was our first year feeding both.

OK first with HSH I am not sure you can over feed it... We never have been able to.. it is high enough fiber that they don't seem to scour on it.. since you say you want to try and make up the 200 lbs you think he lacks I would do some things to try to get more calories into that steer.  One would be to ad some fat to the diet.  Carbs are cheaper but you can mess up the gut plus you have to get the calf to physically eat more. some calves just won't. If he eats the bottom out of the feed trough then carbs ( grain) might work if not... Soy oil is a good way to go.  Also if you up the grain you will have to offer some hay... not great hay just hay to keep the gut healthy... People feeding awesome hay gets them in trouble more often then not because they are upping the protein and don't realize it.