feeding show steers on a ramp

[country lane]

Does anyone feed show steers on a ramp?  We are looking for the pros and cons to feeding show steers on a ramp.

 

[kfacres]

it's a  horrible, old fashioned idea in terms of feeding lambs and goats.. so I don't see anything different with steers.

 

[savaged]

It's such a short period of time(feeding) that I doubt it would have any notable effect anyway.  Assuming the feeding program is good,  I'd spend an extra amount of time daily on hair. If its not a slick show you can get a lot more benefit from an extra half inch of hair.

 

[DLD]

We used to do it back when i was in school (30 years ago), not on the theory that it built muscle, but that it would straighten back legs (back before we ever even thought about legs being too straight).  I don't think it did much to build muscle or straighten legs either one, but at the same time I don't see why you'd call it horrible, I don't think it caused them any pain or stress.  I guess maybe if you were to use something way steeper than I ever saw or heard of.  If there was an advantage, I think that it kind of gave them a chance to stretch regularly and maybe it kept them a little more loosened up...

 

[kfacres]

We used to do it back when i was in school (30 years ago), not on the theory that it built muscle, but that it would straighten back legs (back before we ever even thought about legs being too straight).  I don't think it did much to build muscle or straighten legs either one, but at the same time I don't see why you'd call it horrible, I don't think it caused them any pain or stress.  I guess maybe if you were to use something way steeper than I ever saw or heard of.  If there was an advantage, I think that it kind of gave them a chance to stretch regularly and maybe it kept them a little more loosened up...

breaks down the hip/ loin junction, and isn't proven to build any muscle. 

 

[DLD]

Guess that comes from doing it longer or in a more extreme fashion than we ever did - I did say I didn't believe it built muscle either.

 

[OLD WORLD SHORTIE]

We have ramped a part or our barn where we have setup as a show like area with all the trimmings. We have a few fans and a blower that do not leave this area. We have have pipe dividers that teach the calves to not wiggle around all the time.  I have heard that ramping will teach them to stand square,  which it might if we were to leave them tied up there all the time. But we just usually just use as an area tie them up to build some stamina in keeping their head up or from trying to lay down in the ring. Its also a good area to feed and tie them down also, but thats why they have their stalls in my mind.Plus we keep this area nice with plenty of cedar fiber and lots of lighting to show calves off to possible buyers.

 

[kfacres]

Guess that comes from doing it longer or in a more extreme fashion than we ever did - I did say I didn't believe it built muscle either.

I know you did, I was agreeing with you.  Many have tried ramping at feeding time to being almost vertical in stance...