Stealing a thread

[pjkjr4]

Stole this topic from another thread. Have you or anybody you know used paylean on a fat steer? Works well (when formulated right) for hogs that need more muscle expression. Just wondered. Oh, and by the way, it's official: I'M FINALLY BURNED OUT ON THE SHOW PIG DEAL!!! After 5 years of it now, I'm counting down the days until this set of hogs is gone. If anyone tells you that hogs are easier than cattle, send them to me, and I will bring forth my list of arguments!!

 

[MYT Farms]

Stole this topic from another thread. Have you or anybody you know used paylean on a fat steer? Works well (when formulated right) for hogs that need more muscle expression. Just wondered. Oh, and by the way, it's official: I'M FINALLY BURNED OUT ON THE SHOW PIG DEAL!!! After 5 years of it now, I'm counting down the days until this set of hogs is gone. If anyone tells you that hogs are easier than cattle, send them to me, and I will bring forth my list of arguments!!

Going with cattle will be the best thing you ever did.  Don't know about paylean on steers, but I do know that Sullivan Supply and SunGlow™ feeds offer stuff to make their muscles pop.

 

[P-F]

I think it is illegal to feed paylean to cattle, I am sure it is for sheep.

Could be wrong on both

 

[box6rranch]

We have never done it on steers. You have to be super careful. The steer needs to be very structurally correct. There is someone at our fair that does it every year. Their steers come in totally crippled and walk really stiff and bowlegged. I would get lots of details. I think if you decide to do it you only do it for a short period of time when they are close to being finished.

 

[chambero]

Yes - Optaflexx is legal to feed to cattle.  Sullivan puts it in a product named Showflexx which we feed.  You can exascerbate structural problems a little, but we've had more of a problem of them going off feed a little with it on some calves.  But we use it on all of them.

 

[mike]

If you use the sullivan additive it is not illegal, like said above you have to be very careful or you will cripple one and you only want to use it the last 3 or 4 weeks of your final show, definatley just for terminal animals.

 

[SlickTxMaine]

What results do you get from the Optaflexx?

 

[SouthWest]

Awesome results.  Been using it on show steers for years.  I have used both showflexx and Explosion from Sunglo.  Explosion fed for 40 days give me the best results.

 

[MJA]

I know its not illegal to use on cattle in Iowa. Hogs in Iowa can't use it though

 

[SlickTxMaine]

Awesome results.  Been using it on show steers for years.  I have used both showflexx and Explosion from Sunglo.  Explosion fed for 40 days give me the best results.

Southwest......I don't mean to sound stupid, but I am new to steers, so can you tell me exactly what you are likely to achieve by using these products??  Is it the same as paylean in hogs, regarding lean muscle?  Thanks!

 

[CAB]

  I don't know what the active ingredient in Optaflexx is for sure, but I do know that whatever it is that it would be legal to feed to market cattle. As far as it being illegal to feed Paylean to hogs in Iowa, that is for sure legal and was specifically developed for being fed to lighter muscled market hogs in the last stages of grow for a fairly short time period and also fed to harder doing hogs in the commercial sector. We have fed paylean @ various rates for short periods of time to add muscle to show pigs with some concern about over doing it. Hogs can get so muscle bound that they do have troubles moving. In the last couple of years here in Iowa there has been a movement back away from using paylean as they are wanting show pigs similar to cattle, softer and looser made. Paylean is 100% legal to feed @ recommended levels in Iowa. I would have to do some cking to see whether or not "Paylean" is legal to supplement to cattle feed in Iowa or elsewhere. BTW, the rates that we have fed paylean to hogs was 9 to 18 grams/head/day, starting approximately 1 month out from the show date & paying close attention to the results concerning many areas. Brent

 

[ruhtram]

I thought i heard some pig breeders say they almost didn't get the pig off paylean in time, resulting in getting disqualified. They must have been using something else. I know its legal to use in cattle though.

 

[chambero]

I'm pretty certain Paylean was approved by FDA for hogs before its equivalent was approved for cattle.  It's not approved for use in sheep which has caused some problems.  But there are no barriers against its use in swine or cattle.

We've used (or people feeding our calves) Showflexx since it first came out in 05 I believe.  I wouldn't call results awesome, but you do get a little muscle boost on some calves.  It's not a miracle "cure" though.