holding steers

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Cowgurl101

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Mar 22, 2008
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choteau
HELP!! My steer has a month and a half til fair, and he is basically finished. He is eating 20lbs of cob and wheat straw for roughage. I was told to reduce his feed, but shouldnt i add something else so he gets enough nutrients? I am walking him about a mile a day, but im trying to increase this gradually. What would you recommend i add to his feed, and how much of each should i give him? Thanks!!
 

showsteerdlux

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What else is he being fed? I agree on the beet pulp. Also walking a mile per day seems that it would take off finish, so you may have to keep on feeding him to keep the finish.
 

showgirl

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May 19, 2008
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Cowgurl101 said:
HELP!! My steer has a month and a half til fair, and he is basically finished. He is eating 20lbs of cob and wheat straw for roughage. I was told to reduce his feed, but shouldnt i add something else so he gets enough nutrients? I am walking him about a mile a day, but im trying to increase this gradually. What would you recommend i add to his feed, and how much of each should i give him? Thanks!!



Add beat bulp and cottin seed hulls
 

Cowgurl101

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choteau
he is being fed oxy explosion along with it( for 2 weeks). Would  i be able to get beet pulp at most feed stores, and how does it run for price? Im also wondering how long it takes for them to get used to it ( do they generally like it) and how much needs to be fed. Thanks for your help!!
 

BCCC

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most feed stores should have it.... Its about 9 bucks a bag, feed them a scoop for awhile till they get used to it and then up them up.... Get rid of the oxy explosion, it makes them gain to much weight.
 

Cowgurl101

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choteau
So oxy explosion will make them gain weight even if their feed is reduced/changed? I want my steer to retain his muscle shape and hair, and thought oxy  would help this.  He doesnt get free choice grain so he cant overeat.
 

BCCC

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Idk about when you reduce the feed, The only time I have ever used it is when they were on full feed, and it really made them gain! (which wasnt a problem because
thats the reason I bought the stuff)
 

shortyjock89

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If he's finished now, and you've still got a month and a half until fair, you're in a bit of a pickle.  What I would do is really reduce the amount of grain he gets, and feed him beet pulp to get it back up to the same volume.  I would feed it wet, because it will add a lot of volume, and he will get full without getting fat (that's the plan anyhow).  I would do this for the next month or so, and let him have all the roughage he wants. Then if he is where you want him two weeks before his target show, increase his feed back up, and back the beet pulp off, but try to maintain the same volume of feed.  This way he will probably eat it all just fine and his stools won't get too lose. 

I would say that he might look a little stale and over done in a month and a half, but good luck anyhow.
 

TJ

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Olson Family Shorthorns said:
If he's finished now, and you've still got a month and a half until fair, you're in a bit of a pickle.  What I would do is really reduce the amount of grain he gets, and feed him beet pulp to get it back up to the same volume.  I would feed it wet, because it will add a lot of volume, and he will get full without getting fat (that's the plan anyhow).  I would do this for the next month or so, and let him have all the roughage he wants. Then if he is where you want him two weeks before his target show, increase his feed back up, and back the beet pulp off, but try to maintain the same volume of feed.  This way he will probably eat it all just fine and his stools won't get too lose. 

I would say that he might look a little stale and over done in a month and a half, but good luck anyhow.

You have the right idea with the cob & the wheat straw.  Also, OFS offered a good sugestion with the wetted beat pulp... it will really fill him up.  You can't go wrong with free choice grass hay either.  Also, walk/exercize that calf like crazy.  Turn him out at night into a bigger lot & walk him in every morning.  I tell ya something else... we have turned steers out with females in heat to increase their excercize... it works. 

I don't know a thing about Oxy-Explosion.  But, when holding a calf, what I recommend is that you get the roughage way up (you are doing that & beet pulp will help) & get the protien up.  If it were me, I'd feed 1 lb. of Calf Manna or Show Bloom per day, along with the roughage. 

Anyway, lots of exercize along with high roughage, adequate protien & minerals is exactly what you want to do.  A week or 2 before the show, you may want to start him back on some feed to freshen him up a bit.   
 
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