DAILY WEIGHT GAIN

[Ridgefarmer63]

Do you folks think 2.50 lbs/day weight gain is possible for angus yearlings (steers and heifers) on rich pasture with brewers grain fed daily? Also plan on giving them dry hay along the way as long as they clean it up.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have measured an average daily gain from 0.5 to over 4.5 pounds per day for stockers.
Angus will narrow up the range a bit - - perhaps 1.0 to 3.0 pounds per day.
So you are shooting for the high end of angus ADG range, and will need a high energy pasture.

 

[Ridgefarmer63]

Steve, It is a very rich pasture of ladino white, timothy, orchard grass, redish clover etc. There will be 10 animals rotated around on ~ 15 acres total. The only thing that can derail that rotation is drought. Last year was awesome. I actually hayed a small portion if it, it was growing so fast, but two years ago was very dry.

When you got the 4.5, you were pasturing them and graining ? Or hay/baleage?

 

[Stocker Steve]

When you got the 4.5, you were pasturing them and graining ?

Char cross steers (continental crosses can significantly out gain angus if there is enough energy) and free choice Accuration (this was pre ethanol, local corn was $1.65/bu,, and I was chasing $/acre.

Best average on pasture only was 2.7 lbs. per day for Wulf Limiflex. Straight angus pasture mate ADGs were not even close. This shows the potential power of a terminal cross.

ADG is only half of the equation - - the other half is grazing season length. Cattle on fair pasture can have high ADGs but only for a short period of time. Pre conditioning helps, MIG helps, implants help, strategic worming helps, minerals help, energy supplement helps, annuals help... You need lots of moves to dance with Mother Nature. :banana:

 

[poorfarmer]

I am going to weigh some of my angus steers tomorrow, and see what I have gained over the winter on a 14% feed with free choice average fescue hay, but I would have to agree with some of the others on here I would think that 2.5 would be toward the top. I guess a lot could also depend on how thin or fleshy they are when you start them on your feeding program.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Probably be closer to 1.5 average, your bottom end calves are going to drag you down on pasture. As long as your cost of gain is low, your still going to make money, just going to take longer to do it. :lol:

 

[Ridgefarmer63]

None of my angus are registered. Two of my cows look like they have a little Holstein in them. They're great mothers, put out great calves and deliver a calf every year so far. One stocker for this year is a british white angus cross. His daddy was a british white/angus cross. Probably should of kept him. The rest are all black or black baldies. I only worm twice a year, spring and fall. I am getting 7, 700 pounders on May 1st, trying to get them to hang at 600 by early November. That'll be a challenge it seems.

I limit their intake of brewers grain to 3% of their body weight. That is what I've read is the way to do it.

Thank you for all the input.

 

[Ridgefarmer63]

When you got the 4.5, you were pasturing them and graining ?

Char cross steers (continental crosses can significantly out gain angus if there is enough energy) and free choice Accuration (this was pre ethanol, local corn was $1.65/bu,, and I was chasing $/acre.:

With free choice, how many pounds % wise of their body weight do you reckon they were eating?

When I get lazy and just put out a 100 gal Rubbermaid tub full of brewers grain for the cows, they hum through it like locusts..

 

[poorfarmer]

Weighed ten of my angus steers avg. daily gain was 1.92. This was over the last 95 days and they are now about a year old.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Weighed ten of my angus steers avg. daily gain was 1.92. This was over the last 95 days and they are now about a year old.

Good job if you are going back to grass. A bit low if you are back grounding for a feedlot.

 

[poorfarmer]

I will let the next guy decide that. I ship them on once they get between 700-800lbs. Trying to balance weight gain with the frame of the calves, and avoid getting docked for fleshy cattle at the sale barn.