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<blockquote data-quote="DiamondSCattleCo" data-source="post: 220005" data-attributes="member: 2862"><p><chuckle> I thought it was that way for everyone? I know it is for my neighbors. I've always thought it was more efficient to stuff the feed into the calf, than to stuff it into the cow, then into the calf. It may be our grass up here too. We're wetlands, and as such, the summer grass is by and large water. The cows actually lose a little shape throughout the summer and start to gain back in late summer, early fall as the grass dries out a bit. I also specifically cull my commercials for poor feedlot performance. If a cow can't drop me a calf that at least maintains my average, they find a new home.</p><p></p><p>Something that will be misleading about those averages: After weaning, it takes the calves awhile to get growing good again and by the time they hit 700 - 750 lbs, they've hit full stride (at least on the ration I give them) and will be growing at around 4lbs/day. So that balances out the 2 or 2.5 lb/day gain between 500 and 600 lbs.</p><p></p><p>This year I'm going to creep my commercial calves (not my PBs though) since oats is so cheap. I'll see if I can eliminate or further reduce that post weaning drop off in performance. My target is to have 1350 lb Angus/Shorthorn cross steers that will be fed out in 12 months.</p><p></p><p>Edit: I re-read my original message and realize my ration statement is somewhat misleading. I start them on 1st cut alfalfa and 3 - 4 lbs of oats, but the oat ration slowly increases over time to a maximum of 10 - 12 lbs whole oats. When they hit the 8 - 9 weight mark, the oat ration changes to rolled barley (also cheap) and I'll gradually increase that to 20 lbs/day, taking care not to turn them into little butterballs. I don't feed out many steers around here, as I simply don't have the time or facilities.</p><p></p><p>Another edit for clarification: The performance stats I just put up are my crossbred (Angus/Shorthorn, Angus/Shorthorn/Simm, and Simm/Shorthorn) commercials. My purebreds don't match those numbers as they aren't fed much grain, just the 3 - 4 lbs of whole oats throughout the winter months, just to help them with the cold. I haven't been in the purebred business long enough to bother posting my averages as my gains are all over the place right now, and until I get some animals culled out and start using my own bulls, I won't get an idea what I can get out of them.</p><p></p><p>Rod</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DiamondSCattleCo, post: 220005, member: 2862"] <chuckle> I thought it was that way for everyone? I know it is for my neighbors. I've always thought it was more efficient to stuff the feed into the calf, than to stuff it into the cow, then into the calf. It may be our grass up here too. We're wetlands, and as such, the summer grass is by and large water. The cows actually lose a little shape throughout the summer and start to gain back in late summer, early fall as the grass dries out a bit. I also specifically cull my commercials for poor feedlot performance. If a cow can't drop me a calf that at least maintains my average, they find a new home. Something that will be misleading about those averages: After weaning, it takes the calves awhile to get growing good again and by the time they hit 700 - 750 lbs, they've hit full stride (at least on the ration I give them) and will be growing at around 4lbs/day. So that balances out the 2 or 2.5 lb/day gain between 500 and 600 lbs. This year I'm going to creep my commercial calves (not my PBs though) since oats is so cheap. I'll see if I can eliminate or further reduce that post weaning drop off in performance. My target is to have 1350 lb Angus/Shorthorn cross steers that will be fed out in 12 months. Edit: I re-read my original message and realize my ration statement is somewhat misleading. I start them on 1st cut alfalfa and 3 - 4 lbs of oats, but the oat ration slowly increases over time to a maximum of 10 - 12 lbs whole oats. When they hit the 8 - 9 weight mark, the oat ration changes to rolled barley (also cheap) and I'll gradually increase that to 20 lbs/day, taking care not to turn them into little butterballs. I don't feed out many steers around here, as I simply don't have the time or facilities. Another edit for clarification: The performance stats I just put up are my crossbred (Angus/Shorthorn, Angus/Shorthorn/Simm, and Simm/Shorthorn) commercials. My purebreds don't match those numbers as they aren't fed much grain, just the 3 - 4 lbs of whole oats throughout the winter months, just to help them with the cold. I haven't been in the purebred business long enough to bother posting my averages as my gains are all over the place right now, and until I get some animals culled out and start using my own bulls, I won't get an idea what I can get out of them. Rod [/QUOTE]
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