Need big wieght gain

[shorthornboy]

I have a steer weighing 660 I show in July and would like him at 1200lbs. He has a good frame and looks easy feeding with a deep body. What should be fed to him? He also has no condition on his ribs like there should be at least a little. I hate cramming the liquid fat or high fat diets a few weeks before, because the fat seems to be lower quality. Basically I need a litte fat now before summer when he would be on a hot ration. He is a angus steer. he is known eating about 13-15lbs. a day.

 

[showsteerdlux]

He should be eating closer to 20#s a day is one thing. You should be feeding 3% of body weight. Also make sure your feeding a feed that has at least 4% fat.

 

[KDSC]

That is quite a gain needed, I see about 150 day between now and then I see about a 4lb ADG, I dont think you can get that all summer long. Whats your minimum weight?? I think you should be shooting for that instead, because i think 4lbs a day is a bi much, can it be done, yeah but the conditions will have to be PERFECT

 

[showsteerdlux]

I agree with KDSC. I didnt think about that its only 150 days away. I'd say you could by all means try for it but it will take considerable work. If you don't already put him on a name brand feed or an exact replicate, have free choice minerals for him and don't give him to much hay. You could probably go ahead and run fans on him if its above 50 degrees. Just work real hard on getting him to eat and hopefully he'll make the weight your aioming for. Also you could break up his feedings into 3 or 4 times a day instead of 2 and then take it away after 15-20 minutes. That could maybe keep him wanting to eat and eating it faster.

 

[Cowboy]

Just a word of caution here at this weight stage. If you try and push him up to 3# grain at this point in his life --he MAY burn out too soon and just flat quit eating when you need to be at his best.

Here, and not saying I have done it right, I GROW them at about 2# grain a day, on 2 feedings, wit hfree choice grass hay untill they weight 800. Then all bets are off, and you can go up to the 3# grain slowly in little additions over a week or two time.

I am saying this for your benefit, if you burn em uptoo soon, you will have the chance of causing liver absceses as well, and then they will shut down. Keep lots of fiber inthem at this point -- a 3lb per day gain now is certanly adequate. I know you have something like 165 days to get there in mid July, but a straight Angus will get over fat early --

As far as fat goes, we feed High Noon Feeds for everything from the hfrs growing ration to warm up and finish on the steers. They have a very unique mix, lots of cotton seed hulls and a special high fat molassis mix that is second to none. They also keep the grain at a course texture -- VERY important there -- they use roasted corn, and it is not ground -- but just pressed enough to crack the shell -- it is whole kernel out of the bag! A course grind will stimulate rumen action and not make them sour. I have never had one get loose or scour on thier feed ever.

These are just tips -- I am no proffesional show guy, but have learned alot in 30 some years. Keep the rumen happy, and they will gain like crazy --if they get sour --it's over!

Any way -- good luck on your steer --sounds like you really like what you do and are excited!! Keep that thought !! hehe

Terry

 

[KDSC]

IF you have High Noon feeds go with them, it is one of the BEST cattle feed, I love it I just wish I could feed 4 tons of it every month so I could actually keep it in.

 

[ATOZ]

If it is allowed in your state , what about implanting him?  What are the pros and cons on Implanting to those of you that may have done it in the past?

 

[afhm]

Put him on a small self feeder and keep it full.

 

[KDSC]

Implanting, it works great, we use it in our feed lot, The implant we use you have to give it to him every 30 days other wise, at the end of the 30 days they would go of feed, but if you put a new one in every 30 days they do great. Although it will give them a bullish neck, but at this point, you really need the gain so it might just have to be one of those things that you have to deal with.

I am assuming that this is a county fair steer that you are trying to make minimum weight so you can sell him, am I right???

 

[shorthornboy]

I do have high noon feeds in my state of indy but a feed representative is quite far from here. I saw their feed at Hoosier Beef Congress and was impressed with it. I live up in northwest indiana. What is implants? Where do I go to do this? I would consider this though. I have increased their feed slowl. They are eating well and I am watching their appitites.

 

[red]

go to www.ralgro.com for info on implants.

Red

 

[KDSC]

yup those are the ones we use, we will be implanting my daughters steer before to long, Although my sons steer already weighs 1020 lbs and fair aint until july 16th :'(  I think We had better start holding him ;D

 

[TJ]

If I were going to implant a show steer, I would hold off a bit.  I would implant with Revalor S & I'd give it about 60 days before the final show.  That's just my opinion. 

I also wouldn't try to put on too much finish (fat) at this point.  I'd go more for growth & then I would slowly switch over to a finishing ration.  The last thing that you want to do is burn the calf up.  Talk to several nutritionists & get several opinions about the best gameplan.  You've got approx. 150 days to put on 540 lbs.  That's 3.6 per day.  That's certainly do-able if you have the right genetics & if you have the right ration/s.  We've had plenty of steers top 3.5 ADG. in several 180 day feedlot tests, including the Great Western Beef Expo in Sterling, CO, so gaining 3.6 over a 150 day period isn't at all out of the question.           

 

[KDSC]

what time exactly is you fair??

 

[6M Ranch]

We used High Noon last year, and it was the first time we had trouble making weight.  Went back to our own custom mix this year.  Anyone else have this problem?

 

[shorthornboy]

my fair is the 21st or 22nd of July. I think my steer will be quite competive in a smaller weight class because alot of people got huge steers that are going to get very fat. He is a really good angus steer, the breeder raises purebred angus and simmental for breeding shows. But he has a lot of clubby appeal for his genectics and has several inches of hair.

 

[KDSC]

OK then You only need about 3.14 lbs of gain a day. That shouldnt be too hard to do.  I would say feeding about 3.5% of their body weight should do that.