Feeding Question

[Silent Steve]

This is my first year raising heifers, but my fifth raising steers. I was wondering do you feed heifers the same as steers minus increasing the fat in their ration?
or i should ask how do you feed your show heifer?

Thanks
Steven 

 

[McCauleyCattle]

Steven,

It is like feeding a steer... you want your heifer filled but not full.  You want to go a percent or two lower in fat.

Feed the hiefer 2 to 2.5 % of her body weight... If you want to compete your hiefer has full like a steer.

The heifer should feminine but thick like a steer.

Tim

 

[TottenClubCalves]

Mr. McCauley is spot on.

 

[GoWyo]

Breeding shape and show shape are two drastically different things with heifers.  Ours have never been fat enough because we are trying to get them bred about the time of the spring and early summer shows.

 

[CMB]

You want them as big as you can get them without turning into butterballs. I think it also depends on what level you are competing. At the county level size is a big deal. You can have a super fancy feminine heifer get out horsed in a hurry. Size matters.

 

[AAOK]

This is my first year raising heifers, but my fifth raising steers. I was wondering do you feed heifers the same as steers minus increasing the fat in their ration?
or i should ask how do you feed your show heifer?

Thanks
Steven 

I posted this earlier on another thread, but here is how I see it; feed Show Heifers just like you would a Show Steer.  Here's how:

I have had so many requests for my Feed Program, that the ration is attached to the whole process.  We feed this ration to baby calves as early as two months, show heifers, show steers, breeding bulls, and as our winter protein supplement for the cows.  Our biggest success is being able to wean and fit show heifers for sale or show at four months of age.
Here it is:

ASKLUND ACRES program for feeding show calves.
www.clubcalves.com/asklundhome.htm

1.  Calves should be fed twice a day, the same time each day. Optimum is 6:00am & 6:00pm.

2.  Calves should be haltered and tied next to each other.... close enough to see each other eat, but far enough apart to not be able to reach one another's feed.

3.  After 15 minutes, they should be pulled from their feed, and the feed cleaned up.
(this teaches them to eat all their food quickly. Sure comes in handy at shows)

4.  Measure feed by pounds, not scoops.  They should eat 10 - 15 pounds of feed, twice daily, depending on the size of the calf.

5.  Make hay or pasture available year round.  I recommend small area containment from morning feeding to evening feeding, rinsing, brushing and showmanship work.

6.  Turn into larger area pasture with hay or grass for the night.  Make sure there is plenty of room to exercise.

Now here is our ration, per ton

1200 lbs. cracked corn
400 lbs. cotton seed hulls
200 lbs. steam rolled oats
100 lbs. soy bean meal
100 lbs. molasses

I top dress each calf 1 oz. per feeding Moorman's #168AU medicated mineral.  A quality mineral is essential.  On the occasional need for a fat additive, I use Moorman's Natural Glo.  This is a 100% extruded rice bran developed for Race Horses.  1 pound per head per day.  It will increase muscle, hair & quality of hair coat.

That's our feed program. It has remained unchanged since 1996, and we have never had any breeding problems.
Dan Asklund
Ada, OK

 

[GoWyo]

AAOK -- What is a good substitute for the cottonseed hulls in your ration?

 

[Silent Steve]

Thanks everyone. Question has been answered.

 

[McCauleyCattle]

I think another mistake folks make is not feeding hay.... I am in Florida and I pretty much have hay out all year.

But the feed I use really demands it... Best of luck!

 

[AAOK]

AAOK -- What is a good substitute for the cottonseed hulls in your ration?

Shredded Beet Pulp

 

[GoWyo]

AAOK -- What is a good substitute for the cottonseed hulls in your ration?

Shredded Beet Pulp

Good deal - sugar beets are a common crop in this area, but cottonseed hulls have to make a long trip to get here.

 

[NWOhio]

This is my first year raising heifers, but my fifth raising steers. I was wondering do you feed heifers the same as steers minus increasing the fat in their ration?
or i should ask how do you feed your show heifer?

Thanks
Steven 

I posted this earlier on another thread, but here is how I see it; feed Show Heifers just like you would a Show Steer.  Here's how:

I have had so many requests for my Feed Program, that the ration is attached to the whole process.  We feed this ration to baby calves as early as two months, show heifers, show steers, breeding bulls, and as our winter protein supplement for the cows.  Our biggest success is being able to wean and fit show heifers for sale or show at four months of age.
Here it is:

ASKLUND ACRES program for feeding show calves.
www.clubcalves.com/asklundhome.htm

1.  Calves should be fed twice a day, the same time each day. Optimum is 6:00am & 6:00pm.

2.  Calves should be haltered and tied next to each other.... close enough to see each other eat, but far enough apart to not be able to reach one another's feed.

3.  After 15 minutes, they should be pulled from their feed, and the feed cleaned up.
(this teaches them to eat all their food quickly. Sure comes in handy at shows)

4.  Measure feed by pounds, not scoops.  They should eat 10 - 15 pounds of feed, twice daily, depending on the size of the calf.

5.  Make hay or pasture available year round.  I recommend small area containment from morning feeding to evening feeding, rinsing, brushing and showmanship work.

6.  Turn into larger area pasture with hay or grass for the night.  Make sure there is plenty of room to exercise.

Now here is our ration, per ton

1200 lbs. cracked corn
400 lbs. cotton seed hulls
200 lbs. steam rolled oats
100 lbs. soy bean meal
100 lbs. molasses

I top dress each calf 1 oz. per feeding Moorman's #168AU medicated mineral.  A quality mineral is essential.  On the occasional need for a fat additive, I use Moorman's Natural Glo.  This is a 100% extruded rice bran developed for Race Horses.  1 pound per head per day.  It will increase muscle, hair & quality of hair coat.

That's our feed program. It has remained unchanged since 1996, and we have never had any breeding problems.
Dan Asklund
Ada, OK

Curious why you don't have a protein supplement in the mixture?  What % of protein is the mixture?

 

[GoWyo]

Isn't the soybean meal a protein supplement?  Question is what is the percent protein on this ration.  Forgot all my feed balancing from college so many years ago.

 

[AAOK]

Isn't the soybean meal a protein supplement?  Question is what is the percent protein on this ration.  Forgot all my feed balancing from college so many years ago.

I honestly don't remember the Protein %.  Yes, the Soybean meal is supplement.  The ration runs  somewhere in the 10-11% range.  It is not a grower, and will get a pud fat in a hurry.  All you have to do then is back off the feed, and increase the forage intake.  This will save you a bunch of money in the long run, and we always ended up with a better calf than with a packaged feed.