Expected gain

[HOSS]

I am developing a yearling Gelbvieh bull to be ready for breeding by June 1st. He will be 15 months at that time. This is my first time buying a young bull as I normally buy them ready to go. I bought him at 8.5 months old. He turns 12 months next week so I have had him for 3.5 months. I have had him incrementaly brought up to a ration of roughly 20 lbs. of 12% Beef Builder pellet feed daily along with free choice mixed grass hay, minerals and an 18% protien lick tub. My pasture is started to green up and grow so he also has decent fescue to graze. I am guessing he will weigh around 1,000 pounds right now. I will be weighing him next week to get a yearling weight. I know that it is impossible to say exactly what the ADG will be on any individual bull but what should I expect as a decent number on this ration plan? I am trying to guestimate what he will weigh at breeding time. I don't want him to be fat and melt on grass. Right now he is in real good shape without being fat. I will back off the feed as the grass continues to come along so that he is "weaned" off of it by June. He was not pushed real hard after weaning by the breeder. I am going to guestimate a frame score of 6+ when mature. I will be getting a hip height along with the weight next week.

 

[bandit80]

Do you know what he weighed when you bought him?

I would think he should gain at least 3#/day on that ration, which is a good way to bring a young bull along. If he weighs 1000# now, he still has 90 days before breeding. That would give him another 270#, putting him at 1270. As long as he is not with too many cows, he should be ready to go.

 

[bigbull338]

with what your feeding him he should gain 2.5 to 3lb a day.by the way your talking id say he weighs 1000 to 1100lbs now.so he should weigh 1400 to 1500lbs at turn out.

 

[Stocker Steve]

My four yearling bulls are on salt and hay. They were on pasture before that. Not sure why you would want to grain them for 3# per day?

 

[bigbull338]

he needs the fast weight gain so he can turn him out this summer.

 

[TexasBred]

HOSS how long before you have good green pasture up that way? Good grazing on fertilized high quality pasture should let him gain some weight without getting fat as a pig. I think I'd want to get him use to maintaining on grazing.

 

[KNERSIE]

He should be gaining 3.5-4 lbs a day on your current ration, he is in my opinion right on par or slightly ahead, no real need to get him any heavier than 1100lbs at the start of the breeding season, what is more important is to make sure he is well adapted to grazing and to make sure the rumen microbes is there in high enough numbers to make the transition to grass only an easy one.

I'd start weaning him off concentrates slowly and just supplement hay and grass with a protein lick until the grass has enough substance to stop the hay. In possible the better option would be to supplement the grass with alfalfa hay to help make the transition. Don't forget to make sure he gets enough exercise and that he goes into the breeding season physically fit.

 

[HOSS]

He has not been dry lotted but on a 5 acre pasture with a steer buddy (will be dinner before long) so he has some decent leg stretching room and he is constantly is a shoving match with the steer. The pasture is greening pretty well and is a mixture of fescue, clover and crab grass. It is grazeable. I do plan to back him off as the grass comes in more lush. He will probably be on 15 head of cows this summer for his first breeding season. I will A.I. the rest. I just want to make sure that nutrition will not be the cause of him not reaching his full potential nor the cause of him being too fat to perform properly. I keep minerals out at all times for him as well. He is really looking great and putting on muscle like a good Atlas son will.