1 month out

[klintdog]

As of today I am officially 30 days from Denver. I'm trying to decide if I should quit feeding beet pulp to get some extra fill into our animals. Currently they are fed 3% of their body weight per day. Of that 3%, 13% is made up of beet pulp. The ration is a commercial bagged product that is 12% protein and 4% fat. For example:
1,000 lb bull
30/lbs per day of feed (3.9 lbs of beet and 26.1 of feed)

Since we're a month out, should I ditch the beet and just hit them with full feed to try and get some final cover on them? We're feeding the beet warm and wet right now, which is actually presenting problems since it's so dang cold up here right now. I put it out last night and it was almost rock hard within 15 minutes.

Thoughts?

 

[shortyjock89]

Is the 3.9 lbs of beet the wet or dry weight?  I wouldn't cut it out, but maybe feed it dry.  We don't feed it wet until it's warmer out...feeding it cold and wet in the summer helps a bunch with hair growth, and we've had very similar results (fill-wise) with feeding it dry in the winter.  How well are the boys gaining, and have you been handling them a lot to see how much cover they're puting on?  How much external fat do you think they'll need to compete? 

 

[Davis Shorthorns]

you need to do something about the freezing problem we feed cooked beet pulp here we put it in a crock pot and it seems to do ok even during the winter. but I would think about switching over to something like full tank that will have similar results as beet pulp, but doesn't need to be wet.  I have heard of some animals choking on dry beet pulp.  Probably doesn't happen a lot, but never hurts to be careful.

 

[TJ]

you need to do something about the freezing problem we feed cooked beet pulp here we put it in a crock pot and it seems to do ok even during the winter. but I would think about switching over to something like full tank that will have similar results as beet pulp, but doesn't need to be wet.  I have heard of some animals choking on dry beet pulp.  Probably doesn't happen a lot, but never hurts to be careful.

Equines do choke on dry beet pulp, but I've never heard of a bovine chocking on dry beet pulp.  Not saying they couldn't, but I've never heard of it & I used to feed dry beet pulp all the time.  Personally, I think OFS is right on, I'd feed the beet pulp dry & I'd keep on feeding it.  You'd need an awful big crock pot to cook enough beet pulp for several head & I wouldn't mess with it.  Feed the shreds & forget the pellets... I can't get cattle to eat the pellets dry.   If fed dry, it will swell & result in more fill... fed dry will also encourage the animal to drink at the show.  At Denver, I'd consider adding some Kent Winning Fill to the ration.  Cattle seem to like it & it will give them fill too.     

If you need some extra bloom, consider adding some Calf Manna, Show Bloom or Vita Ferm Sure Champ rather than cutting out the pulp & increasing their feed.  I also really like Max-E-Glo or Natural Glo as a supplement.  It's 20% fat & 13% protien.        

Hope that helps.       

 

[klintdog]

The 3.9 is the dry weight. As far as finding a solution to the freezing problem, I suppose I could move to Florida Right now it's 9 degrees outside and it's supposed to get down to 3. This is the warm spell Next week we're looking at a high of -5. Once it gets below 30 I feed the beet dry since it will freeze by the time i get it in to the trough.

I had the boys in the barn tonight and they're coming along pretty nicely. I'd just like to get a bit more cover on to compensate for shrinkage - by my logic, if I can get them to look like they do tonight in Denver, after they shrink, we should be perfect. I want to try to get them to fill in a bit over their shoulders and a bit more sog to them and they'll be good.

Does anyone know of a way to get the Kent products if you don't have a dealer nearby? No one up here sells Kent feeds, so ordering large quantities is a challenge. We're taking 5 head to Denver (3 bulls, 2 heifers), so we'd need a few bags.

 

[rtmcc]

We feed beet pulp dry a lot of the year.  Also use the beet pulp pellets dry.  We know what your going thru with the cold.  Had the calves for Badger Kickoff on cooked corn for a bit to get to were we wanted them.  Had to quit because here in Minnesota you could take it out of the crock pot, mix it with the feed and by the time you dumped it in the bunk it was like marbles.  Start mixing the BP in dry gradually until you get up to the same dry weight you were using before you wet it.
<cowboy>

 

[TJ]

The 3.9 is the dry weight. As far as finding a solution to the freezing problem, I suppose I could move to Florida Right now it's 9 degrees outside and it's supposed to get down to 3. This is the warm spell Next week we're looking at a high of -5. Once it gets below 30 I feed the beet dry since it will freeze by the time i get it in to the trough.

I had the boys in the barn tonight and they're coming along pretty nicely. I'd just like to get a bit more cover on to compensate for shrinkage - by my logic, if I can get them to look like they do tonight in Denver, after they shrink, we should be perfect. I want to try to get them to fill in a bit over their shoulders and a bit more sog to them and they'll be good.

Does anyone know of a way to get the Kent products if you don't have a dealer nearby? No one up here sells Kent feeds, so ordering large quantities is a challenge. We're taking 5 head to Denver (3 bulls, 2 heifers), so we'd need a few bags.

The Natural Glo or Max-E Glo will add cover.  I'd probably add 1 lb. per day to what they are eating & see how it works.  If you want quicker results & even more cover/gain, feed up to 2 lbs. (but I wouldn't).  1 lb. = 8 fluid oz. of corn oil, so it's pretty concentrated with calories.   

RE the Kent Winning Fill... If you start adding several lbs. of it to your ration, you will get more sog.  If you can't find it before you leave, you should be able to get it at Denver.  But, I'd try to start it a few days before you go, if possible.  Go to the Kent site & use the dealer locator.  More beet pulp or full tank will do the same (probably even a little better), but the W.F. is 13% protien & it will add more calories than the beet pulp or full tank.  Plus, it's very palitable. 

Lots of tricks to keep them from shrinking so much, but the best trick is to arrive as early as possible & allow the cattle plenty of time to rest.  Also, adding Gatorade to the water (flavoring agent & electrolyte) before you leave & at the show will help.  And I like to give probiotics after the haul (fastrack if you can get it, probios if you can't).     

 

[klintdog]

We're looking at pulling in to Denver on Wednesday the 7th. It's around 600 miles for us, so it's not horrible, but not great. Our sale will be Sunday the 11th with the show on Monday the 12th. They've got a few days to recoup, but we all know how stupid show animals can be when they're away from home and decide to not eat or drink.

This year I'm goign to hit them with a Probiotic before we leave home, and then as soon as we get off the trailer on Wednesday. Hopefully that will have them eating and drinking on Thursday morning.

With the Natual Glo - is there any risk of burning them up, or fertility issues when using it on bulls and heifers?

 

[TJ]

We're looking at pulling in to Denver on Wednesday the 7th. It's around 600 miles for us, so it's not horrible, but not great. Our sale will be Sunday the 11th with the show on Monday the 12th. They've got a few days to recoup, but we all know how stupid show animals can be when they're away from home and decide to not eat or drink.

This year I'm goign to hit them with a Probiotic before we leave home, and then as soon as we get off the trailer on Wednesday. Hopefully that will have them eating and drinking on Thursday morning.

With the Natual Glo - is there any risk of burning them up, or fertility issues when using it on bulls and heifers?

We used to drive 1,000 miles to Denver, so you should be OK.  With a probiotic & some electrolytes you should be OK.  Dry beet pulp will encourage them to drink (salt if necessary) & Fastrack will get them eating.  You may want to give the probiotic several days, rather than only 2. 

I'm not a feed expert, but like anything else, I don't think that you would want to go crazy with the natural glo.  However, we are only talking up to 1 lb. per day.  Steers you MIGHT feed 2 lbs. per day during the final stretch if you need to get to get extra finish on one quickly.  Anyway, if you add a couple more lbs. of dry beet pulp in place of a couple of lbs. of your current ration & then add 1 lb. of Natural Glo (on a per day basis), I think that you would be happy.  But, I'd consult a nutritionist.   

RE fertility... it shouldn't be any different than getting them fat with corn.  It will make them fatter & fat can hinder fertility.   

 

[klintdog]

TJ, if I'm reading this correctly, you're actually recommending making the beet pulp a larger portion of the ration rather than backing it off and feeding more of the bagged feed?
While the beet pulp does swell and give them a fill, won't the high protein and the lack of TDN hurt more than it helps?

I've been taking animals to Denver for the past 5 years, and my dad for 20 years before that, so we're pretty familiar. Always seems like we run into the same problems year after year. I'm hoping to start avoiding some of those as I take over more and more of the show duties.

 

[klintdog]

Just checked the Kent feeds site and there isn't a dealer within 250 miles of us for Winning Fill. I checked and you can order the products off their website though. A 50lb bag of Winning Fill costs $17.50. To ship 2 bags to my house would cost nearly $60 though. This stuff better work miracles for $47.50 a bag!

 

[TJ]

TJ, if I'm reading this correctly, you're actually recommending making the beet pulp a larger portion of the ration rather than backing it off and feeding more of the bagged feed?
While the beet pulp does swell and give them a fill, won't the high protein and the lack of TDN hurt more than it helps?

I've been taking animals to Denver for the past 5 years, and my dad for 20 years before that, so we're pretty familiar. Always seems like we run into the same problems year after year. I'm hoping to start avoiding some of those as I take over more and more of the show duties.

Beet pulp is 8% protein & 65% TDN.  It's not high in protein and it does have more TDN than you might think.  Actually, compared to corn silage (7% protein & 63% TDN), beet pulp doesn't look so bad & beet pulp has more TDN than alfalfa.  Also, Oats are only 69% TDN.  With that said, yes, subsituting beet pulp for your normal ration will slightly lower the TDN of your overall ration, but not by that much (it's just a few lbs.).  AND if you add 1 lb. of Max-E Glo/Natural Glo, you are going to get plenty of cover & you will get more fill at the same time.  If you are concerned, add the Max-E Glo for now & wait until closer to the show to add the extra beet pulp.  I'm no expert & I am not a nutrionalist, but my experience tells me that it will work. 

RE the Winning Fill... wait until you get to the show!  ;-)   

 

[loveRedcows]

We feed dry shredded beet pulp with rations -- never had any problems.  In summer shows we wet it for added fluid intake.  Natural Glo is stabilized rice which highly digestible energy source without grain overload 13% protein, 20% fat, 8.5% fiber.  You might look into another Moorman product called Moorglo which contains natural glow, has 14% protein, 18% fat, 14% fiber and also contains flax, beet pulp and brewer's yeast.  Our cattle prefer it to natural glo.