An Update On Show Steer

[Mueller Show Cattle]

I posted about a late started steer a couple weeks ago only being 500lbs with our show being the 2nd week of July wondering if I could get a 100lbs a month out of him. Then I was feeding 12lbs a day, 6 morning and night. Well I had put him on probiotics like alot of you suggested and he is currently eating 20 lbs of grain a day, 10 morning and night with a 1 inch flake of hay day and night with no problems. It is taking him a little over an hour to eat the 10lbs day and night, so I don't take the grain from him. So he is close to 4 percent body weight a day and i'm going to rowgrow him every 2 months. I think he could eat more with leaving it in there with him. Is there shuch a thing as feeding to much grain to a steer? I am pushing to gain as much weight as I can get on him because if it is possible I would like him at 1,250 at show weight which was around 107lbs a month average when I posted a couple weeks ago. So things are going good, he is eating alot more and looks like he wants more, so the question is, should I pour it on him as much as he will eat and stay with the 1 inch flake of hay day and night with the probiotics. I heard that 4 percent is a high percent grain diet and never had to feed that much as we never had this late of a started steer. So can I go up more or stay around 4 percent and give more hay, like I said as long as I can hopefully get a 100lbs or more a month as a 100lbs a month would put him at 1200lbs show weight and my ideal show weight I like and generally wins our shows is 1,250lbs. Of course if I can get him at 1200lbs I can do the water trick and get him to drink 6 to 7 gallons of water rite before weigh in to get that extra 50lbs.

 

[flacowman]

What is his breeding?  If he has growthy genetics 107 per month is easy.  I have out 5 per day on clubby char/angus calves before but the appetite and genetica have to be there.  And that isn't too much grain as long as his manure stays a good consistency and he doesn't get sore footed.  If he gets a little loose back off a pound of feed for a couple days and increase his hay or just increase the hay until he stiffens back up.

 

[Mueller Show Cattle]

Sorry, his genetics are Walks Alone X Full Throttle steer. So I would think he has good genetics and was a huge calf at birth and is big boned and muscled.  He is from out full throttle cow that was Ai'd with Walks Alone. We started him way late becuase we were not going to show him at first but he started to look better than the steer we were going to show, each day he looks better.

 

[farmin female]

YES, you can feed a calf to much.  But, every calf is different - just like people.  Some calves will eat themselves to death and others turn their noses up after a few bites.  There are a couple of issues with pushing a calf like you are talking about.  First, you want to keep him healthy and not run into any acidosis ( I know I spelled that wrong, but you all know what I mean) problems.  Even with feeding probiotics, you can mess up the stomach and gut and you don't want to go there.  Second, any animal's body will only process a certain amount of feed and the rest will just become waste so you reach the point of diminishing return.  Third, sometimes you can push them so hard, they will just stop eating.  Nothing wrong, just had enough.  Kinda like us on Christmas.  Your best advice is to keep him healthy, feed consistently every day with good feed, and work with him to stimulate the appetite (grossly underrated).  Some people will encourage feeding a calf 3 times a day and that works also.  But if he is cleaning up his feed in an hour, it gives him the rest of the day to get hungry again so it may depend on your family's schedule.  Sounds like you are on the right track though so good luck.  Hey, don't forget to worm him regularly. 

 

[SRC]

farminfemale, you said you can shut a calf down from eating, like us on christmas... to keep from stalling a calf can you give them probiotics, will that help and they will always want to eat? thanks...sorry for sort of stealing your thread