Steer needs weight!!

[stockshowkid]

I have Dakota Gold calf that doesn't eat like he should. He weighed 545 pounds this past weekend. I need him to weigh 1000 pounds before January. He's on Sunglo calf grower and he gets about 24 or 25 pounds a day ( based if he wants to eat or not That day.) he was just recently implanted and wormed. I'm considering switching feed for the 3rd time. Any opinions?

 

[GoWyo]

We have had good gains top dressing the grain ration with rumensin pellets and Diamond V brewers yeast.  Maybe add in a cup of vegetable oil too depending on the fat content of your feed - don't want to be over 5-6% fat, but a little helps.

 

[Shallene]

You have plenty of time to get him to 1000 lbs.  If he gains 100 lbs a month or a little over 3 pounds per day while he is normal you should be able to get him there.  If he weighs 545 pounds now you should be feeding him no more than 3% of his body weight or 16 pounds of feed per day.  I would keep him on sunglo and cut his feed back to 16 pounds per day and feed him 8 pounds in the morning and 8 pounds in the evening.  Then adjust his feed to that 2.5 to 3% mark as he gains weight.  I would top dress with a sure champ or comparable vitamin/protein suppliment.  Then skip one morning feeding per week to keep them honest and hungry.  If you live in Texas or the south they usually don't eat well in this heat until summer is over but just keep the comfortable and be patient.  You will get there.

 

[stockshowkid]

Well I live in Florida so it's just as big here. I don't feed him on Sunday mornings. If I try and give  him a lot he will either eat it all or bloat . Have any of y'all tried appetite express?

 

[GoWyo]

I have used Appetite Express and liked the product, but found I could buy a 40# sack of Diamond V brewers yeast for the same money and it yields pretty much the same result.

 

[RyanChandler]

You need to transition him to a finisher before you even consider any other weight gain supplements

 

[stockshowkid]

Will the finisher stunt his growth and will it be too hot of a feed?

 

[RyanChandler]

The only difference between a Grower and a Finisher is simply that a Finisher has more calories per bite.  It's like comparing a hamburger vs a cheeseburger.  Each bite of a cheeseburger has more calories than each bite of a hamburger.  Personally, I would never feed anything but a finisher and then add forage to adjust the total energy level of the ration as needed.

 

[rrblack78]

We are seeing the best gains/condition we have ever had using Hi Pro 12%-5% feed and purina powerfuel. Our area is southeast Texas so it's hot and humid like Florida. No cooler, only fans.

 

[WT]

What part of SE Tx? It's always nice to see other folks in this area.

 

[Peridot]

Have you tried ShowTec EatMoor as a top dress? That should increase his appetite if he's having trouble finishing his feed.

 

[RyanChandler]

Adding a weight gain/increased consumption supplement to a Grower is like putting chocolate syrup on low fat ice cream.  If the goal is to gain weight, why not just eat the regular full-fat ice cream (Finisher) and save your money on these bs supplements?

 

[stockshowkid]

Okay I will try the finisher. Any other ideas?

 

[Peridot]

I'd wait until he was a little bigger to switch him to a finisher. 550 seems a little small to be fed a finishing ration. I've never known anyone to start feeding finisher that young except on dairy animals. He's still developing. Fat is the final step. He needs to grow his skeleton and muscle first. I'd keep him on grower and cut him back a little since you said he wasn't always finishing his feed and was bloating occasionally; if you can get him to eat more consistently he shouldn't bloat. EatMoor should help. Then move him on up and switch him over to finisher after that. He'll gain real well that way, especially when the weather cools off.

That's what I'd do anyway. Good luck with him. 

 

[RyanChandler]

Body fat or cover comes from a caloric surplus (excess calories) not from a particular type of feed. Feeding a calf a concentrated feed that has a high enough energy level to be considered a finisher does not mean that the calf's total ration (feed + hay/grass) has a high enough energy level to be considered a 'finishing ration.' 

For example: feeding 10 lbs of a finisher along with 20lbs of hay will be substantially less calories than feeding 20lbs of a developer and 10 lbs of hay.  The calf eating 20 pounds of a developer will put on fat much more quickly than the calf only consumingg 10 pounds of a finisher.  Quantity is the kicker here. If your calf is struggling to physically consume the poundage needed of a developer,  then the most practical approach would be to compensate for this by feeding less pounds of a more nutrient dense feed. 

 

[vc]

Do you feed him twice a day or only once  a day, if twice a day is it the same time each day?
We feed twice a day, 6 a.m. and 5p.m. 6 and 6 is the best but 6-5 works for us, calves are at the gate and waiting to be fed, by feeding twice a day at the same time each day they get into a routine, and tend to gain better and stress less when on a routine. I also like the fact if you feed twice a day you can tell early if there is a problem with one as far as appetite, gut health, things like that.
The 6 and 5 are the feeding times at our fair, by feeding them on this schedule from day one they tend to stay on track at our fair as well.

Why does your calf have problems on Sundays, what do you do different on that day? 

 

[stockshowkid]

Now I need 400 pounds or more in the next 5 months. He's currently weighing in the low 600s.