Implants and Show Steers

[fluffer]

My nephue "Cook Beef" has a couple of Shorthorn steers this year.  We are used to showing breeding cattle and decent steers, but nothing real "sweet" fronted.  My husband and I are trying to decide if implanting them will cause them to get a "bullish" neck.  What do you guys suggest/do?  We typically implant in december then again around may or so.  I think we usually use Ralgro.
Thanks

 

[pigguy]

do the calves need to gain weight, muscel, frame, fat? if not i would worry about implanting them

 

[knabe]

interesting.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=jo-bullsteroids100107&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

comment
Apparently the group couldn’t settle on a definition of an illegal drug,

 

[fluffer]

1 steer is plenty big enough(650 lbs), but the other steer is on the small side.  When I say small, I mean he is probably 450 lbs if we are lucky.  He is real pretty and has the right frame, he just needs some meat on his bones.  He is green yet though.  So we don't know for sure how to handle him.  Oh, and "cook beef"'s fair is towards the end of July- that is when the steers need to be 100%

 

[pigguy]

i would give the little steer 2 implants

 

[shortdawg]

We gave ours a " G " and it has worked really well. Not enough to give him a little extra attitude.

 

[fluffer]

You would give him 2 implants at 1 time or 2 implants over the next year?

 

[TJ]

You would give him 2 implants at 1 time or 2 implants over the next year?

I would wait on the implant & I would get that light calf on a really good ration & see how they do over the next few months.  You've got approx. 280-290 days before your final show & if you can get that green calf to gain 3 lbs. per day, that will get you up around 1290-1320 lbs. for the final show, so he may not need an implant right now.  3 lbs. per day really isn't that much & most calves should be able to gain that fairly easily if they are fed a good ration, especially if the calf is a bit green.  If it were me, I would wait & give them a  Revalor S implant about 45-60 days before the final show.  If the light calf is still too light in about the middle of March, I'd maybe think about implanting him about 120 days out from the show (4 months).  That Revalor implant will make them gain better, but if you give it too soon before the show, it can potentially make them a bit too staggy, so keep that in mind.