Beet pulp/pump?

[ctroidl]

I am showing a heifer in 2 weeks and I am struggling to keep her looking full and hydrated at home, (I can just imagine how she will look at the show). I have been giving her 2 extra lbs of beet pulp in her feed for the past month. I have just recently switched her ration to half beet pulp/ half regular ration. I would like to know if it would be a good idea and safe to start pumping her with a couple litres of electrolyte water after her feeding to get the beet pulp to expand.

 

[cowman 52]

Hydration ain't yore problem,  cows just drink so much water, anything past that by way of pump( the dang things ought to be outlawed) is asking for trouble of a lethal size.  Work on getting more of a filling ration in the animal and less of a cure via the fastest easiest route.

 

[frostback]

Agree with cowman. Wont do any good to pump at home. Now if you want to mix the electrolytes at home so she gets used to them and then use the same at the show, it might help mask the chlorine if its town water. She may drink better at the show. Some use other things like Kool-Aid. Of bring water from home if possible. 

 

[ctroidl]

She just needs a lot more expansion to her belly. I have been feeding beet pulp which expands as good as anything. Just fed at 6 tonight she got 7 lbs of beet pulp 3 lbs of her regular ration and than drank water after. She is still looking like a 5 year old cow with her hips sticking out. Naturally she has a descent sized belly. That's why I thought maybe pumping her right after would expand that beet pulp.

 

[Gargan]

How old is this hfr? If she's a yearling, she needs to be eating close to 20# of feed. That may be your problem and how long since her last worming?

 

[Tyler]

She just needs a lot more expansion to her belly. I have been feeding beet pulp which expands as good as anything. Just fed at 6 tonight she got 7 lbs of beet pulp 3 lbs of her regular ration and than drank water after. She is still looking like a 5 year old cow with her hips sticking out. Naturally she has a descent sized belly. That's why I thought maybe pumping her right after would expand that beet pulp.

A picture would help but I'm guessing you just have a very green heifer and fill is not your problem.  That is why your heifer's hips are sticking out.  3lbs of a developer ration and 7 lbs of beet pulp won't cut it.  How big is your heifer?  A lot of 1000lb show heifers will eat a solid 20 lbs of developer a day plus free choice hay.

 

[Tyler]

How old is this hfr? If she's a yearling, she needs to be eating close to 20# of feed. That may be your problem and how long since her last worming?

beat me to it <beer>

 

[ctroidl]

She was born mid march last year. I have been feeding her a grower ration at 16 lbs a day since the start of December. I gave her the 10lb beet pulp/grain mixture at 6:30 than gave her 6 more lbs to get her full feeding in. She's been dewormed. I don't know if this matters but this heifer is fat. She has fat pocket as big as our 1200 lb fat steers. She is fairly small framed also.

 

[Tyler]

I'm still guessing a tick green but, I could be wrong.  A picture would help.  A grower ration on a heifer that age at 16lbs a day still wouldn't be hot enough unless she is a very easy keeper.  Fat can be a relative term...depends who is describing the calf

 

[OH Breeder]

She was born mid march last year. I have been feeding her a grower ration at 16 lbs a day since the start of December. I gave her the 10lb beet pulp/grain mixture at 6:30 than gave her 6 more lbs to get her full feeding in. She's been dewormed. I don't know if this matters but this heifer is fat. She has fat pocket as big as our 1200 lb fat steers. She is fairly small framed also.

Can you post a picture of this female? I am not sure if she is as fat as you say, then it could just be the breeding and structural. Do you know what percent protein your grain mixture is?

 

[ctroidl]

I will try and get a pic up of her tonight while I rinse her, I think it will be more useful than when she has her coat all fluffed.

 

[ctroidl]

Here it is, sorry it took so long. This is 2 hrs after eating.

 

[ctroidl]

And the other side, sorry pritty sh*ty pictures. Had to use my phone

 

[obie105]

I don't think she is fat. She needs feed and more time. They don't get that big belly full look over night.

 

[ctroidl]

Like I said I have 2 weeks, I am now giving her 20lbs of half beet pull half ration. I put her under fans at lunch and she gets 3 flakes of hay she's under fans until about 4:00

I have two questions:
Should I be feeding her hay free choice to fill her up as much as possible?
Should I be limiting her water to train her to drink out of buckets? ( right now I think she should probably be getting as much water as possible)

 

[obie105]

I think in those pics her fill looks fine and I don't think she looks fat. It would help to see a profile pic to see what she looks like. She needs to know how to drink out of a bucket to go to a show but the water she drinks now really will not effect her fill on show day. If you drive more than an hr to the show she will be fully shrunk out anyway.