CANT GAIN ANY WEIGHT???

[the house]

what do you mean??

 

[Jill]

He's saying if you don't feed a complete balanced feed ration for the needs of the heifer, it doesn't matter what her genetic make up is she isn't going to perform up to your expectations.

 

[OH Breeder]

He's saying if you don't feed a complete balanced feed ration for the needs of the heifer, it doesn't matter what her genetic make up is she isn't going to perform up to your expectations.

The one thing I have always struggled with is feeding to a bred heifer to show. That always worries me when calving.  :-\

 

[the house]

o i know what he's sayin i was just throwin that in there for anyone who missed it the first time lol

 

[the house]

i would also like to her what everybody thinks of her and any pointers or tips about anything you think she might need some work on i know this is not a very good pic but its the most recent one i have

 

[KDSC]

If I remeber right you feed kent feeds right?? if so which one??  You need to switch her to a finsihing ration and feed her 2-3% of her body weight, until about  3 months before she calves, then you need to back her off so the calf wont get to big inside her

 

[shortyisqueen]

50 pounds is ALOT of feed, IMHO. If you must feed that much, be careful. It is possible to burn out their stomachs with too much feed, after which they will never put weight on easily again.

 

[justintime]

I agree with SIQ. 50 lb of feed seems to be quite excessive, and you will burn the guts out of most anything on that much grain... of any kind. Is your heifer getting stiff in her movement? If she is, it is a sign that you are stuffing too much energy into her. I would suggest that you try a ration that others are using and having success with. Shortyjock has forwarded one to you and it is probably a very good ration.

The only other thing I would suggest is that she is sired by Sin City and her dam is a Rodeo Drive daughter. My Sin City calves have been fast growing calves with more frame than I was expecting to come from these genetics. Rodeo also sired some calves that got pretty framy when on feed. From the picture you have shown, your heifer also looks to have lots of size. It could be that she is growing so fast she has not spent much time putting on some outer bark. In any event, if this the case, she should eventually hit a place where she stops growing and starts to flesh up easier.

I definitely would start by checking out the ration... along with the amount being consumed. Also check out the mineral/ vitamin part of the ration. If this is a commerically prepared ration, these should be already balanced.

 

[chambero]

Something doesn't add up here.  There is no way she's not gaining weight if she is really eating 50 lbs of a brand name feed.  Are you feeding a brand name feed here in TX?  If not, there are plenty to pick from but I'd suggest Hi-Pro, Acco, or Martindale. 

Since she is bred, I would not use a finisher.  We use finisher sometimes on exotic young heifers, but you can get them too fat in a hurry.  Almost all bred heifers will get plenty fat without a finisher, especially from a British breed. 

Are you sure you are feeding 50 pounds a day?  Does she eat by herself or with a group?  You mention throwing in some corn and beet pulp?  How are you measuring.

Get rid of the beet pulp.  It is great for holding, but specifically does not help them gain weight.  You can overdo it with the corn.  Great for a steer, not a heifer.

 

[showstick09]

Are you worming her regularly? If not, check for worms. That was the problem I had in getting my steer to gain weight once.