Melatonin\weight gain

[Wildmustang777]

Hey!! I have a steer I'm looking to use melatonin on!! His final show is in march. How and what ways do you recommend, and where to get it from?? I have never used melatonin before so I'm a newbie 
Also what do you recommend, pills or implants... Unless there's another better way to do it! I think I want to do implants just because I feel I will get a better result... That's just MY gut feeling  :




I have another question to! The same steer i want to use melatonin on, I want to make sure he's on track!! He is a maine\angus cross and currently weighs 970 pounds. He is 16 months old... Final show is in March! I have a really good chance at getting grand, if I could get him 1280 the least or higher!!!! I am going to implant him this week with ralgro! Also if and when should I re-implant him!?! Thanks  <beer> ;D

 

[Wildmustang777]

Anyone? I want to start melatonin in November!! That's 120 days before my final show!!  O0

 

[vc]

What part of the country are you in? Mother nature will be telling him it is winter and time to grow hair pretty soon, Rinse brush and comb, should be all you need to get hair.

 

[Wildmustang777]

I'm in Florida... There's really no winter here  (lol)

 

[Wildmustang777]

I do his hair every day and a bathe twice a week... I just want him to  have the most hair I can get on him 

 

[Wildmustang777]

Any more suggestions??? I don't mean to be pushy but it's very important to me!!!! 

 

[Chuck Wagon]

Why are you using it?  You must have done the research about it or know someone that has used it.  Wish I could help, but have never used it.  Good feed, fresh water and hay is all I have used to gain weight on a steer.  Maybe I missed out

 

[ska]

hi!! so i have been using something called "grow and shine" it is melatonin and give them 30cc of it oral in the morning.  what breed is he? and keep  him cool and order some showcoat. it does wonders. it is $$$ but it works. just spray a little on and comb it in after every time u rinse.  and if you rinse him 1-2 times a day keep him cool and use showcoat and grow and shine, that steer WILL grow some hair. it might not be 6 inches but he will.
and keep us posted on how he is doing and when you win <beer> (clapping)

 

[rf21970]

I have used melatonin in pill form at the rate of 10mg/cwt for disposition. It worked. Just topdressed the feed with it. 3-5mg tablets are better than 10mg in case he sorts the feed and leaves a couple in the trough. My 2 cents. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Wildmustang777]

Just want to get him to his potential... He is a maine \angus cross
I use the green stuff and that stuff WORKS!!!  (lol)
I don't have a cooler... But He is under fans all the time 

He eats walpole long fattener dry... Has no molasses! He won't eat any feed with molasses. The protein is 13 or 14% if I remember correctly.
The fat is 2.5!! He eats a little over 3% of his body weight. Thank you so much  <beer>

 

[Go Green]

If you put Melotonin in the search bar there are some pretty specific  instructions  on here from a few years ago. I have been buying the 10mg tablets from Sams Club and giving 10 of those a day (100mg) for the last 90 days. I think it helps keep hair and cheaper than buying the stuff designed for cattle.

 

[CRS]

We usually buy it from one of the mail order vitamin places and can get it in flavored liquid form and when you buy a bunch of it, it is pretty cheap.  However, it does very little unless you are limiting their exposure to light.

 

[Wildmustang777]

Oohh ok  (thumbsup) thanks!!

 

[Wildmustang777]

Do you guys think I can get him 1280 by march? 

 

[Chuck Wagon]

my understanding for melatonin is it calms them and helps with hair.  You sure it helps with weight gain?

 

[Snickers#48]

I am not 100% sure on this, but I think that melatonin cuts down on daily gain. He roughly needs to gain 2.2 lbs per day to get to 1300 lbs I think. You should probably consult someone who knows and see if you need to be pushing him harder instead of using melatonin. Also since its getting into winter, you should grow plenty of hair as long a you are keeping his hide clean and well conditioned. You might also want check out the podcast that Ferris Simon is doing called Chute Side. He has a recent episode covering winter hair care.

 

[Wildmustang777]

Ok thanks.. Will definitely look into that video!!

Thank you for all of you guy's suggestions! Really big help 
I will post how he does at final show  <beer>

 

[Wildmustang777]

I have heard that they go through a period of "leveling out".... I don't know if that's true though  ???

 

[Wildmustang777]

Has anyone else had their steers "level out"?
If that's true 

 

[Wildmustang777]

Has anyone else had their steers "level out"?
If that's true 

Has anyone?? I've had a couple steers just randomly stop gaining...  ???