Steer finish - last 90 days - updated photo

[faycopa]

Daughter has a steer currently weighing about 1100 & gaining.... Just got scales repaired so can't comment on ADG but would say its in the 3 lb ADG range.
Decent profile, could use more thickness on the back end.
Have approximately 90 days until the terminal show.
Currently feeding a farm blend of ear corn, oats & a mixer pellet plus about 1.5 lb a day of stabilized rice bran.
Wonder if an implant or an Optaflexx product would help muscle him up on the back end ?

I know.... this thread will need a picture or 2  :  .... will try to get some later....

 

[RankeCattleCo]

You'll have a hard time just getting muscle. My suggestion would be to find a hill and make him hike up and down it a few times a day. Just something with a slight incline. It will help, especially in his lower quarter.  You have 90 days to put on roughly 200-250 pounds so you should be able to do it if he is an average frame steer... Implant might just make him mean and eat more, not necessarily put on muscle.. In some cases yes... Putting hormones in an animal 90 days before show might be a problem, he might turn into a real dick.  If you think he's lagging behind add some more corn, if you think he needs to be held add more oats/other filler

My suggestion: it sounds like he is right on track to finish for the show, if not slightly early. If he stays on track, he should finish slightly before the show. If he finishes a little early, use this to your advantage, fill him with a ton of grass hay and beat pulp to drop his gut down. Until then, don't mess with your ration too much. You aren't in a time crunch, but you don't have time for him to go off feed either.

 

[faycopa]

Thanks Sheep... Steer is a pretty good eater so we're hopeful another 200 lbs will happen.
Frame wise he is just average size so the last 200 lbs could make quite a difference.... hope so anyway...
Been turning steers out into a 2 acre lot for a few hours in the evening and it does have some slope to it.... Still a little bit too much grass on it for me to leave them out all night - don't want any bloating..... Horses are mowing it down pretty good so in a few weeks we should be able to turn out all night

 

[RyanChandler]

cutting it close, I wouldn't turn him out on grass for even one second.  Bet he's burning more calories per step than he's taking in.

 

[RankeCattleCo]

cutting it close, I wouldn't turn him out on grass for even one second.  Bet he's burning more calories per step than he's taking in.

200 pounds should be very achievable in 90 days if kept on feed. Should be able to coast him right into the show.

 

[vc]

X-bar I believe they are talking about kicking them out on the grass to get exercise not a method of feeding. That is why he wants to wait for the horses to mow it down prior to leaving them out on it at night.
I like to kick them out at night, especially as the get heavy, keeps them moving freely as well as holding their muscle shape.
Do you know your protein and fat percentages on your feed?

If the feed is right you should average between 2.5 to 3.5 pounds over the next 90 days depending on the calf, should put you right there for weight, what weight do you think the calf will hit 12:00 at?

 

[Tallcool1]

If he is sound, by all means put him on Optaflexx.  It will absolutely thicken him up a little. 

Be aware that it will also stiffen him up a little in his movement.  If he is free moving and has a lot of set in his pastern, I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

You are really the only one that can make this decision because I don't know what kind of show you are going to and how competitive it is.  Sometimes you can get by with one not being right at 12:00 with their finish as long as they can get out and move.  Then you have the other side that says they have to be fat first and foremost.  This is the best hair growing season you will have.  You can put on a whole lot of thickness with good hair.  You just have to weigh out your options. 

 

[faycopa]

vc - I'll have to go back and look at feed #s but it should be right around 12% protein and just shy of 4% fat.
I had SureChamp people run the #s on our feed last year  -thank you Crystal 
Son had rate of gain champ this summer at County Fair so we have had good growth on this feed in the past
xbar - As for the grass, we are trying to keep them from eating too much of it.
They are turned out at night for a few hours into a 2 acre lot after grain and hay feeding for exercise. With cold weather coming on and 2 horses working on it all day, there is less grass out there every day

I think 1300 lb would be a nice weight on this steer. Daughter is rinsing, blowing, etc everyday... hair coming in nice. He is pretty sound so thats why I was thinking about the Optaflexx.  We have a 2nd steer that I wouldnt even consider putting on it - too stiff and straight as is....

 

[vc]

I would add a half pound more of the stabilized rice bran to his feed, I don't thin he has enough cover to put him on optiflex. I would try to get some guts on him, I think it will improve his over all look.

 

[faycopa]

thanks vc... will consider bumping up the rice bran to 2 lb a day to fatten him up a little more

 

[DSCSD]

What part of the US do you live in? On the east coast there is a feed store in MD and there is a feed store here in SD that has some of the best fat steer feed. Id suggest adding in some steam flaked corn!

 

[faycopa]

Have used steam flaked corn as part of ration in the past over the last 60 days or so.
May do so again this year.
Steer seems to be getting some decent cover on him now with the stabilized rice bran.

 

[BlkAngus]

What part of the US do you live in? On the east coast there is a feed store in MD and there is a feed store here in SD that has some of the best fat steer feed. Id suggest adding in some steam flaked corn!

what's the feed store in MD and what feed are you talking about?

 

[faycopa]

Interested in the MD feed store as well

 

[rackranch]

I agree, get him fat as you can and if his structure is good optiflexx him last 20 days or so.  Watch him close.  Depth charge and Keep em on will add some body at the show.  Two bottles am and pm with half bottle of Dextrose and half bottle of Amino concentrate starting 24 hours out.  Good luck

I would add a half pound more of the stabilized rice bran to his feed, I don't thin he has enough cover to put him on optiflex. I would try to get some guts on him, I think it will improve his over all look.

 

[DSCSD]

Farmers co op in Frederick Md  14% Flake. My dad created it with another guy in the 80s and we also mix it out here in SD at the Hubbard mill in Rapid City. Good stuff... if you know how to feed it right!

 

[faycopa]

DSCSD - can you send the recipe ?
May not be able to get to Frederick, but have a local mill that might be able to mix

 

[DSCSD]

umm probably not... its selling better and cheaper than that showrite crap out here. The version is a little different and better than the one in Frederick.

 

[faycopa]

No problem with the feed recipe... thought I would at least ask  8)