Heifer problem!!!

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Blue Intentions

Active member
Joined
May 29, 2010
Messages
40
So I have a BIG problem with my shorthorn show heifer!! She is a May 2010 calf and no matter what I do I cannot get her to drop, or get fat, or even show ready!! I am working my butt off and there hasn't been any change since I got her last November!! Every judge I've shown under with her says she has awesome pieces but she is too green to look at!!! What else can I do??
Here is her daily feeding schedule:
8:00am
18lbs feed (13% protien, 4% fat)
.5 scoop of Cottenseed hulls
2 scoops of beet pulp
2 lbs purina Depth Charge
1 box VitaFerm Sure Champ pellets
8 oz Vigertone LiquaFat

Noon
9lbs feed (13% protien, 4% fat)
1 scoop Beet Pulp

8 pm
Same as morning!!

Free choice hay and water!!
I also worm and probios her every 30days!!
All our other show calves are right on track but I have no clue on this one!! Kinda discouraging!!
Thanks for your help!!
 

vc

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 24, 2007
Messages
1,811
Location
So-Cal
If your numbers are right for daily feeding, 45 pounds of grain plus supplements a day (darn near a bag a day), she should look more like a hippo than a heifer. Hard cold facts, she does not deserve to compete if she can not convert with that daily intake, nor would you want to breed that trait into other cattle. If it where me I would ship her, 45 pounds of feed and nothing to show for it, either she has a medical issue or that is the hardest doing animal in the history of show cattle.

I am sure I am probably off base, but going of the info you posted, your heifer does not poses traits I would want in my cattle.

I was going to suggest feeding her Stabilized rice bran and may be some barley I do not think it will help.

Sorry if my remarks seem harsh.

Do you feed her alone or with other cattle?
 

goodnight

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
101
This may be a time where posting a few pics would be helpful. That is a lot of feed (and supplements). I remember having a heifer out of Leachman Prompter by a Grubbs McKenzie dam (I am dating myself here) that would eat you out of house and home and looked like she wouldn't gain. I think a few pics can help people decide if this is a genetic or some other issue. Sometimes simpler is better, I might go back to a complete ration that is balanced and some sure champ with all the hay she can eat. Is she cycling yet? It might be worth having the vet sleeve her and check that reproductive tract, also.
 

JRapp

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Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
128
Location
Columbia, MO
I wonder if maybe she wasn't pushed too hard as a calf and maybe her gut got burnt out.  I agree with one of the previous posts that she is eating wayyyyy too much.  Have you noticed is she pretty much passing all the corn from in one end and out the other?  If so you might want to talk to your feed guy to try and change up the feed to where she is really utilizing that corn better.  Likely if she's passing a lot of corn, she's probably passing through a lot of other nutrients as well.

IMO unless she is just rail thin, might not really be a problem.  Them fat heifers you're showing against likely wont turn out as cows.  Yes fat cattle are easier on the eye, but a cow that wont breed back or milk ain't worth having around. 

I know the flip side of that is a cow that is hard doing and eats twice her weight in hay aint worth having around either, but atleast she'll breed back and be worth something. 
 

SSIMMENTALS

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2007
Messages
303
AND... if she is eating that much feed and is still "too green to look at" imagine her BCS nursing a calf on pasture.

Is she small in size compared to others in her class, or just much thinner? When you purchased her, was she far behind in growth and condition? How long have you been feeding her this way?

 
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