Looking for Feed Help

[missyleaton]

We have a December 2024 born shorthorn heifer that we can not seem to get to gain any weight. We feed umbarger and have never had issues in the past. She is currently on a ration of 9lbs of umbarger payload, 1/2 of a 3lbs scoop of barley (not 1.5 lbs because the barley is so light), 1.5lbs depth charge, 1 3lb scoop of umbarger caboom (but it's not 3lbs because its a light weight material). She gets this ration in the morning and again in the evening. It works out to just over 21lbs per day. She is stalled during the day and then turned out at night and has free choice hay all night. She also has access to a vitaferm mineral tub during turn out. Any suggestions to get this gal to gain some weight?

 

[Gargan]

Is she wormed and poured for parasites regularly ( every 60 days)? She could just be hard converting. What's she weigh now?

 

[vc]

She is 9 months, how much does she weigh now, do you have a picture of her to get an idea of where she is at,

 

[vc]

I never understand how you post a request for help and then never follow up, can't be of much help that way

 

[Gargan]

The age of "right now"....

 

[steer lover 4ever]

Have you tried Synergy Umbarger I have used it in the passed and it works well also lots of corn

 

[Luna Mesa]

That heifer’s diet sounds heavy on energy and supplements but light on what her body might actually be missing — effective rumen function and trace mineral balance. A few things jump out:

Umbarger + Depth Charge + Caboom is a lot of processed feed and additives. If she’s not utilizing it, her rumen microbes may be off. Sometimes too much starch (especially barley and payload) depresses fiber digestion.

VitaFerm tub access is good, but if she’s only on it part-time at night, she might not be taking in enough trace minerals (especially copper, selenium, and zinc).

Hay quality matters — if the hay’s stemmy or low protein, it limits gain no matter how good the concentrate looks.

Parasites or low-grade illness can mimic “feed not working.” A fecal check and body temp read can rule that out fast.

Age and frame — if she’s bred early or going through a growth slump, she may be diverting nutrients elsewhere.



Kalmbach’s 14% Stocker/Grower is pretty balanced for exactly that middle-ground animal: not finishing yet, but past the creep-feed stage. It carries the right mix of protein, vitamins, and trace minerals (especially chelated copper, zinc, selenium, and manganese) that help where the fancy show rations sometimes fall short.

You could pull back a bit on the Umbarger mix and give her a consistent base of the Kalmbach feed, maybe starting at 1% of her body weight per day, split morning and night. Let the hay stay free-choice, and make sure she’s got clean water and a plain white salt block so she keeps mineral intake balanced.

That steadier foundation lets you see if she starts to fill out before layering any more additives. If she gains on it, you’ll know it was likely a mineral or rumen-stability issue, not a calorie problem.

 

[S_W]

Give her free choice hay all day. Not just at night.

Put a trace mineral salt block in the stall and where she is at night.

Maybe get your hay checked so you know the nutritional content in it. It might be missing something.

Get her dewormed too. Nows the time to do it as it's getting into fall and getting colder.

My heifers seem to do pretty good on just rolled oats and hay when they are yearlings. It's probably just that she is missing stuff in her hay.

 

[Mcarlos]

I would just feed her a good grower feed, with vita charge, constant hay, and deworm her. If you want an extra kick give her an Implant like Revelor G