Bulls not eating

[oakcreekfarms]

We are feeding our bull free choice hay, and trying to push about 20lbs of grain a day. Problem is they won't eat the grain. NOw we have them on wheat and they really won't eat any grain. We just switched to a performance bull test ration, and they won't eat that either. What can we do to get them to eat. I would like to push them to see what they are capable of.

 

[TEXANGRANCH]

What breed of bulls are these? Try limiting them to a flake per bull 2x per day until their appetite picks up. A

 

[SEC]

How old are these bulls?
Why would they need 20lbs of grain, are you going to eat them?

They can't handled anymore feed of course, feed them less grain and work your way back up, maybe not 20lbs though.

 

[oakcreekfarms]

When feeding out bulls I understand that 20lbs is pretty much the norm, they get 10lbs per morning and evening. THey are at least 850lbs, I would guess closer to 900, and are Early Febuary calves. They were eating all their feed a few weeks ago, then they started picking out the corn, oats, and pellet and left the powder. Now they are on wheat and not eating any grain. They are herefords. I think the problem might be that we only have two. We have a steer that we could throw in with them, would that make them eat better.

 

[Herefords.US]

If the wheat is lush, they are probably getting about all they need from it. Bulls that we grew out in the past would nearly always go "off-feed" for a while if they had access to lush, green pasture.

George

 

[Frankie]

If the wheat is lush, they are probably getting about all they need from it. Bulls that we grew out in the past would nearly always go "off-feed" for a while if they had access to lush, green pasture.

George

You're probably right. They'd rather have something fresh and green than something out of a sack.

 

[bigbull338]

If the wheat is lush, they are probably getting about all they need from it. Bulls that we grew out in the past would nearly always go "off-feed" for a while if they had access to lush, green pasture.

George

You're probably right. They'd rather have something fresh and green than something out of a sack.

ive got a 1500lb herd bull that im feeding.an the winter grass is growing as best it can.an the bull wont come up to eat feed unless he is hungry.an i bet since your bulls are on wheat they are staying full.if they are hungry theyll eat feed.

 

[oakcreekfarms]

The problem is they were doing the same thing when in a corral. It's not the wheat, or at least it wasn't

 

[SEC]

20 lbs is the norm for what?

I wouldn't feed a bull 20lbs let alone buy one that was fed 20 lbs. You can express a bull without feeding the living sh_t out of him.

How long have you fed bulls for?

 

[KNERSIE]

Oakcreek,

Be carefull that you don't end up depositing a lot of fat in the neck of the scrotum. Otherwise you might end up with beautiful fat bulls with suboptimal fertility. Once the fat is there it is awfully hard to get rid of and it takes a very very long time without guaranteed success. The first symptoms usually is semen that won't freeze well.

But to come back to your question, mix a molasses based protein supplement with the corn and cut back on the hay slightly till they get a taste for the hay. I have yet to see a bovine not attracted to the smell of molasses especially in combination with corn.

 

[oakcreekfarms]

We are cutting back the feed now that they are on wheat to about 8lbs per bull. But while in a pen we wanted them to mostly eat grain, so they didn't eat a lot of hay. We bought a bull that was fed out this way, and believe it or not he lost very little going into breeding season, and has picked up and continued to grow very well after breeding season. By the way a lot of these performance rations are made to be fed free choice. I guess I am saying just because you wouldn't feed them out like that doesn't mean that most large producers do. I am only feeding for where I want to be, not where I am now. I want to have a feeding program ready for when I start to enter some into production sales. But I do understand what you are saying.

We will be careful about the fat problem. We haven't ever noticed it in anything that we have fed.

 

[KNERSIE]

the problem with the fat accumilating in the neck of the scrotum is that when you notice this it is too late already.

It hampers the ability of the scrotum to act as a thermostat too keep the testes at the optimal temperature for sperm production which is slightly lower than body temperature

 

[S.R.R.]

20 lbs is the norm for what?

I wouldn't feed a bull 20lbs let alone buy one that was fed 20 lbs. You can express a bull without feeding the living sh_t out of him.

How long have you fed bulls for?

Here we go again! :roll:

SEC I could not agree more!!!


oakcreekfarms you are creating a real disappointment for your buyers!!
You are the perfect example of why folks have to be VERY careful were they buy their bulls!! When your 20lbs of grain a day bulls hit some poor suckers herd and have to work for a living on grass, they are going to fall apart!! Is that really the rep you want for your bulls?

 

[oakcreekfarms]

I am feeding them to the standards of a regular performance test. By the time they leave here their feed will be cut way down, and the transition to grass and just hay would have already started. As stated before my bull raised this way lost nothing running with the cows and just grazing small amounts of pastures. Perhaps you guys don't understand the perfomance production sales, and the look that they have to have. People always buy the biggest nicest, thickest calves. IF you would send a grass fed bull into there it would be horrible. I appreciate your comments, but don't jump on my back. There are a lot more people doing it the way that I am, then those that you think are doing it like you.

 

[Herefords.US]

While I haven't developed the few bulls that I've raised that way, there are more than a few breeders who do.

For instance, I've been told that Cooper and Holden both feed the hound out of their bull calves to maximize growth and record their performance, before they sell them at about 14 months old. In essence, they have their own "gain test".

Yet, their bulls go out and do OK in many of the best herds in the country.

George

 

[oakcreekfarms]

I would say that most registered producers feed their bulls heavy. Are you saying that it is ok to feed 8lbs and run them on wheat, but not ok to feed 20lbs and that it. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

[S.R.R.]

So you are saying that if your bulls were not given 20lbs of grain a day to help them grow they would look so bad on sale day no one would want them??

 

[la4angus]

I would say that most registered producers feed their bulls heavy. Are you saying that it is ok to feed 8lbs and run them on wheat, but not ok to feed 20lbs and that it. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

oakcreekfarms, it appears to me that you have a lot to learn about the cattle business and drveloping bulls.

 

[Herefords.US]

I would say that most registered producers feed their bulls heavy. Are you saying that it is ok to feed 8lbs and run them on wheat, but not ok to feed 20lbs and that it. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

oakcreekfarms, it appears to me that you have a lot to learn about the cattle business and drveloping bulls.

Perhaps I have a lot to learn as well! So, educate me! How do YOU all develop bulls? And are you developing them for use in your own herd or for sale?

George

 

[TEXANGRANCH]

Try offering free choice minerals. They have a copper deficiency. I asked our animal nutritionist, thats what he says. Also try just introducing them back in with just a pound of corn chop over a few days add back in the other grains, what your feeding may just be too hot.