Need advice on my first steer

[R Winn]

This is my first time raising a steer, I’m a 4Her taking him to my county fair June 1st. Any advice on getting him to look his best?
As of 3/1 he weighs 1200 and is getting 18lbs show feed + 2 lbs stabilized rice bran and 2 flakes of grass hay per day. He’s been gaining about 2.75lbs/day
I’ll attach some pictures, but here’s my thoughts on him - I’d like to see him a little lower in the flank and more rib shape.
I’m considering adding cotton seed hulls, would that help? If so how much do I feed and for how long before the show?

 

[looking4champions]

If I'm reading your post correctly you said 18 lbs total per day. In my opinion 9 lbs twice per day (18 lbs total) doesn't seem like a lot for a steer at 1200#. Give him all he can eat and clean up twice per day. That will definitely add more depth of body over time. Free choice hay will definitely help. Having access to free choice hay might slow down his rate of gain and conditioning a tick. Be careful adding too much fiber and/or fill type supplements as they cut the energy in the ration. From what I'm seeing, if you increase his consumption with free choice hay you'll get the results you're looking for overtime. Just monitor his rate of gain and how it aligns with your target weight in June. If you go with cottonseed hulls add maybe 2 lbs, on top of what he gets already.

 

[vc]

I would feed more like stated, curios what feed are you feeding and what is it nutritional value, is it a finisher or grower type feed. It is time to increase the fat and lower the protean, goal is to get him to finish now and to slow down his growth. With 92 days left to feed at 2.7 he would weigh around 1450, so you could probably afford a little slow down on gain if you are getting him to lay down fat and fill in.

 

[R Winn]

Thanks for the suggestions I haven’t increased his feed in a while because he just keeps gaining so fast on what he’s getting. But how much of the grain would you suggest? His ration is 13% protein 4.8% fat. I added the rice bran to increase fat. I will try the free choice hay and see if that fills him up and slows his gain. Ideally I think I would have liked him to be around 1400, but more like 1450 is what I’m expecting.

 

[vc]

I would work him up to about 24 pounds a day of his grain along with the rice bran, it should take about a week or 2 to getting up there, add a pound a feeding and then watch for a few days if everything is right add another pound and watch, do this until you have him up to 24 pounds. If he seems to slow down or get to loose back off for a few days until he is right and then start again but with 1/2 pound a feeding. There is a good chance he will slow down the last month or so as he puts on fat so 1400 pound range is probably where he will be.