After first show - wont eat grain

[Supertrace]

So we had a great first show but now that we are back our steer is boycotting grain.

A couple of things -

Like I said this was our first show - he didnt eat much there either.

When we came back we had horrible storms and downpours, he's been in rain before but it was pretty ick.

At our ranch, because of the rain, the ranch manager moved the herd of roping calves to the pasture next to our steer and this is the first time he has seen the herd. He stood at the fence staring and mooing at them for 24 hours straight and refused to eat anything other than hay. Since then, the herd has been moved away so he can focus on eating, but tonight when we fed him he didnt eat hardly any of his feed.

He IS drinking, grazing on his grass, and eating hay.

Any ideas? Is this normal for a calf after his first show? Should we worry? WHEN should we worry?

Thank you!

 

[Supertrace]

This convinces me that next year we will buy two so they have a buddy.

 

[chippie]

We have always raised our show cattle by themselves and kept them stalled or in a small pen (dry lot). Our kids would walk them daily for exercise. They had a friend (girl) who would walk/jog a mile with her steer every day. She won Grand at her fair.

Having a buddy is OK only if you can separate them at feeding time and if the buddy is very very tame. Otherwise the two will feed off of each others fear and you will have a mess.

The new of the calves should wear off and he should start eating again.

 

[VCC]

Get some pro-biotics (paste is best) and hit him with them, he may have stressed a little, the pro-biotics will help get him back on feed. How do you feed at home, give them their grain at the same time each day, 6 and 6 is a good rule of thumb, and give them 30 minutes to eat it. They get used to eating on a schedule and get after it when they do, at the shows you try and stay on the same feed schedule, so they do not stress.
I have found each steer to be different, the ones with good appetites seem to never miss a beat, the picky eaters seem to do worse at shows, we started feeding chopped hay with molasses along with their grain at shows, they liked it so it helped with the picky eaters. We had to find what worked best with each calf, some we just cut back on the grain and gave them all the good hay they would eat at the shows, other would be fine just feeding normal.

 

[Supertrace]

Well the ranch manager moved the herd out of sight and I dont know if it's made it worse or better but at least he isnt standing in one place anymore. But still no eating. He IS drinking so that is a good thing. Will eat some hay, will graze on his grass but wont even look at his food. We do feed on a schedule and he has always hogged it all down within 10-15 minutes. I can tell he doesnt feel good. He looks like eeyore, so we are going to take him to the vet tomorrow and see what they say. Another weird thing I'll mention - since the show, three giant bloody warts have popped up on his head. I call them warts but wonder if he didnt get bit by something. Who knows, but we will find out tomorrow! I'll let you know what the vet says. Man I am learning a lot! I might be able to BS my way around by the time we get our next calf! LOL! :lol:

 

[Supertrace]

We do not do 6 and 6 - does there need to be 12 hours in between? We've always done 8 and 630. I am thinking if I am going to be a real farmer I gotta get there earlier, huh?

 

[chippie]

He may have picked up a bug at the show. Taking him to the vet is a smart idea.

 

[VCC]

8 and 6:30 works just fine.