New to all of this

[pjkjr4]

Long-time lurker here. My kids want to try their hands at showing steers to go along with show pig projects for this next year. We aren't interested in trying to raise any of our own at this point in time, and we don't know enough about it to strike off with such a big investment. Also, time constraints don't allow us to venture off that deep. (It seems that I have everything I need, except for the time, money and smarts to do this right!!!!) Anyway, we're going to start off with 1 steer for my oldest, and see how that works before we purchase 1 for each kid.

I've talked to different people about feed. I've got quite a range of responses as far as what to feed for the first 90-120 days. Anywhere from creep feed pellets with good grass hay, to textured feeds that have lots of cottonseed hulls in it. We will be getting this steer March or April, and won't be showing him as a fat until next spring. I assume that we might try to jackpot a liitle next winter, so I can see myself getting him too fat too fast. When I get to the fattening stage, I've already made up my mind that I will stick with Acco for that. I also would like to save as much money in the early stage as I can, so I could use money for topress, etc. later.

I'm not wanting to get into a feed war as far as brands go, but I'm just checking to see what has worked in the past for you.

Thanks (sorry this post was so long)

 

[JoeDirt]

(welcome) (welcome)


I would get a HALTER BROKE STEER for your first project about $1000.00 and then go to your CO-OP or feed store and feed him a NAME BRAND CATTLE FEED TO START.  Keep him in a small pen 12x12 and feed him and play with him and earn his trust.  Make sure the person you buy him from lives close by so he can come over when you have QUESTIONS.....


We have Fair in AUGUST 1 and we get our steer in October to November and it weighs about 600-700 lb.  So we got  9 months to put on 600 -700 lbs

This is the best way to start

 

[CJC]

PJKjr4

Where do you live. Maybe someone on here lives in your area and they might be willing to help you out. You never know.

 

[pjkjr4]

HALTER BROKE??? Man, you sure do want to take all of the fun out of it. I appreciate that tip, but I would rather pay more money for quality, than for something I can do myself. Surely halter-breaking can't be any tougher now, than when I was doing it on my own show cales 20 years ago (although, I'm probably not in as good of shape now than I was back then). I will, however get one that is calm. Learned that one the hard way back in high school. What are you feeding?

 

[CJC]

HALTER BROKE??? Man, you sure do want to take all of the fun out of it. I appreciate that tip, but I would rather pay more money for quality, than for something I can do myself. Surely halter-breaking can't be any tougher now, than when I was doing it on my own show cales 20 years ago (although, I'm probably not in as good of shape now than I was back then). I will, however get one that is calm. Learned that one the hard way back in high school. What are you feeding?

Halter breaking still the same. But it's a lot easier to pay the extra money and start doing the things you need to do with them. If you get a gentle one for them the first time; it's a whole lot easier to get them out there to mess with it.

 

[vc]

Not knowing the age or size of your son, I would make sure to get a gentle calf over a calf with looks. I am not saying don't try and get the best calf for your money just make sure you cull the ones with attitude out first.

I would not keep a calf in a pen smaller than 24*24 and make sure it has plenty of shade, if you have a bigger area for them to get turned out in that is great.(once you have them gentled down you can turn him out to run and burn up some energy, Calves need to get out and move it helps muscle development) We have a covered area the calves go into during the day and then turn them out into a 80 * 200 pasture at night.

You want to feed 2-3 percent of the animals weight, a 600 pound calf should get between 12 - 18 pounds a day. If you hold them to much when they are young they tend to get tall and growthy. See that allot in the FFA steer projects in our area, the kids on a budget try to save money on feed the calf suffers for it. (no offense to the FFAers just some kids only allow themselves a budget that does not meet the animals needs and  the 4H kids seem to have more parent contribution.)

Pick a good solid calf that your son can work with and take his time, move slow and work with him every day.

Good luck and HAVE FUN

 

[kanshow]

I'd find someone in your area who is willing to be your son's mentor.  Ideally, this person could be the breeder of that dog gentle calf you are going to get for your first calf. 

 

[shortyjock89]

It sure did help us out a bunch when I started showing to have someone to help us (in fact, that would be LSF here on the board).  They handled clipping and helped us get the right feed ration to get us started.  Now that we've done it a while, we've figured stuff out for ourselves, and what works best for us.  ANYHOW, enough of my blabbering.  If you're going to go with a name brand feed, we really like using UMBARGER feeds.  It's steam-flaked and kinda loaded up with molasses, and we've never had trouble getting calves to eat it.  We feed their creep feed and starter feed for a bit before we switch to our own mix for growing and finishing.  Good luck to you and  (welcome)

 

[farmboy]

first, i dont think you need a "name brand feed" the best feed we have ever used is a custom mix. do a little research before you decide what to feed him and see what you can get for the best prices

 

[Jill]

1. Buy the best calf you can afford, the only difference in the cost is the inital purchase price, it cost just as much if not more to feed a bad one.  This project is a whole lot more fun if you aren't standing last every time out, so it pays to know a lot about what you want before you start looking.
2. Find someone in your area that is willing to help you for at least the 1st year, maybe someone you could help work if they share knowledge and supplies with you.
3. It doesn't matter what you feed, if it is the correct balanced nutrition, but whatever you choose, stick with it, if you want to finish on Acco feed Acco from start to finish.
Good Luck, and in case no one told you, this is addictive!

 

[pjkjr4]

The addiction thing is nothing new to me....my kids have shown pigs for 4 years now, and I loved it when I showed hogs and cattle as a child. As a matter of fact, since my original post, I have decided to buy 2 steers as opposed to 1, so I don't have one of the kids mad for not being able to show, and also for competition at the feed bunk. We don't have any access to a cool room, so the fans and misters will be going just about as soon as I get them broke. Summertime in western Oklahoma is not a good time to be trying to keep hair.
Both kids will be going to Show Cattle Camp at Conners State College in June. I just wish they'd let the parents go, too!! I haven't placed clipper blades on a calf in 18 years.

Thanks for all your comments.....I look forward to being a regular poster here. Now that college football is over with, and the pigs are too small to jackpot, and it's too dang cold to play golf, I have to keep my mind occupied on something at work, or I'll go nuts. So why not be thinking about club calves, right???

 

[showsteerdlux]

If you're looking for a school yourself and your kids look at Stierwalts. I have been to one of his smaller clinics and learned a ton. The idea about 2 steers is a good one and with you being in Oklahoma you should have no trouble with finding a good calf.
As far as feeding the 1st 90-120 days, I'd have to agree with some of the other posts in that it is worth the extra bit to stay on one feed/brand the whole way through imho.

 

[AAOK]

The addiction thing is nothing new to me....my kids have shown pigs for 4 years now, and I loved it when I showed hogs and cattle as a child. As a matter of fact, since my original post, I have decided to buy 2 steers as opposed to 1, so I don't have one of the kids mad for not being able to show, and also for competition at the feed bunk. We don't have any access to a cool room, so the fans and misters will be going just about as soon as I get them broke. Summertime in western Oklahoma is not a good time to be trying to keep hair.
Both kids will be going to Show Cattle Camp at Conners State College in June. I just wish they'd let the parents go, too!! I haven't placed clipper blades on a calf in 18 years.

Thanks for all your comments.....I look forward to being a regular poster here. Now that college football is over with, and the pigs are too small to jackpot, and it's too dang cold to play golf, I have to keep my mind occupied on something at work, or I'll go nuts. So why not be thinking about club calves, right???

Lots of good advice in the previous posts, the best of which is about staying with a quality feed, and making sure your steers are pushed a little when they are young.  It's a whole lot easier to hold a big calf that is finished, than to try to finish one that didn't have the opportunity to properly develop.  I'm in Ada, OK so not much help for someone in western OK.  I'm out of kids and out of cows, but out of range also.  Your plan to send the kids to Connors is a good one.  If all goes well this first year, you'll be smart to send them to Steirwalt's the next.  Your best bet is a Sept-Oct. steer.  If you can find a good one, and get him bought before the March-April sales, you'll be money ahead.  Four months is not too young a calf to buy.  This age is a great place to get one started on a show ration.  I wouldn't plan to find anything worth feeding for less than $1500.

When you shop, look for hair as well as structure and style.  The fans and misters can keep a good haired calf decent through the heat.  And, other than July, I can't think of a month without a show or two.  Do you know the Glovers, Collins, Venables, Sid Griffits?  There are many good folks in the west that will help you find a calf,and advise you on your first project.  There are quite a few shows in Jan & Feb.  Go to as many as you can, and meet all the people you can who are dragging the winners.  Pay attention to what they do, and don't be afraid to ask questions.  Most people will be happy to supply the answers.

Good Luck!  Feel free to PM me anytime.
In HIS grip, Dan

 

[austin]

(welcome) (welcome) (welcome) (welcome) (welcome) (welcome) (welcome)

 

[JoeDirt]

NAme Brand is anything that comes in a bag  I feel is the best way instead of trying to mix your own .... this is great for 1st timers

first, i dont think you need a "name brand feed" the best feed we have ever used is a custom mix. do a little research before you decide what to feed him and see what you can get for the best prices

 

[pjkjr4]

After talking with the Co-op that custom-mixes our show pig feed, they put me in touch with a couple of guys (that I already knew)  that they mix show calf feed for. After finding a ration that I liked, I asked about the price. It would be just under 2/3 of what the Acco Grower is. That's a savings of over $300.00/ton!!!! He also said we can tweek the ration itself, meds, or minerals at any time. So that's what I think I will do.
Next question...In the summertime, when you rinse daily (like we plan to do), do you just brush hair down, then forward and let it dry that way, or do you brush then blow dry? Looks to me like air drying would keep them cooler.

 

[CJC]

Next question...In the summertime, when you rinse daily (like we plan to do), do you just brush hair down, then forward and let it dry that way, or do you brush then blow dry? Looks to me like air drying would keep them cooler.
[/quote]
Yes to the brushing question. I let ours air dry in front of a fan.

 

[vc]

We still blow them out, there are lots of theories on this, one being that the wet hide will heat the water nearest the body thus warming the animal. If you leave the hair wet it also make it hard to keep the hair trained. We rinse, blow out, and then tie in a shaded area with insulation in the ceiling, tin roof get real warm. Run fans and misters (I put the misters on a timer thing were getting to wet) plus we will run a swamp cooler on them during the hot months. The tie area is covered on all 4 sides by shade cloth, allows the area to breath but still keeps it dark. During the hot months we will rinse more than once a day.

side note: if your water is hard you may have to rinse with vinegar and water every so often to get the deposits of the hair, misters are the culprit here.

 

[yousesteers]

brush them til they are dry on a warm day under fans only takes about 30 minutes and a couple of calves you can rinse both brush one out then the other and keep going back and forth until they are dry it trains the hair and stimulates growth