Feed-protein content

[DallyCash]

Hey guys, I might be trying to keep things too basic, nutrition is not an easy topic for me.
Long story short, when do you want to feed a higher protein feed vs a lower protein feed?

Long story: Last year we fed a feed with approx. 13% protein to my daughters show steer (red angus) and a couple heifers. Basically its cracked corn, ddg, soyhull pellets. The pen of 3 got 60# total a day with free choice hay and crappy grass in their pen. The steer weighed 1180 at fair (18 months old) went on the truck and graded out at prime negative. He won the carcass contest out of the 40 steers.
So this year we are feeding almost the same feed, added rumensin and a yeast product, however the family that we got the above feed ration from is switching to a higher protein, mix is similar to a commercial show feed. Obviously we had good results with the above ration, but now we are wondering if we should also make the switch with other family. We will get weights on the current steers next week, but we are guessing 2 are 750, 1 at 700, and the market heifer at 650. Boys born in Feb, heifer born in April.

 

[DallyCash]

I feel like I should add that these are pasture calves that we have, not clubby or special fancy calves. I can't remember how to post pictures but would be glad to email them to someone to post.

 

[TexasBred]

I feel like I should add that these are pasture calves that we have, not clubby or special fancy calves. I can't remember how to post pictures but would be glad to email them to someone to post.

Assuming you have the same or better quality calf this year why would you want to go away from a proven feed?

 

[callmefence]

If the shyt looks like a pie your good.
If it looks like a scoop of ice cream you need more protein.........

 

[DallyCash]

Assuming you have the same or better quality calf this year why would you want to go away from a proven feed?

That was our thought also (and the 2nd reason we went ahead and had more of the original feed delivered), but we didn't know if there was a reason to have a higher protein feed. The only thing we would like to change about the calves would be a higher rate of gain, the steer gained 1.71#/day after backgrounding till fair. with that said, we never pushed the feed hard to them. we could have cut the free choice hay and the free choice grass and got better grain consumption but our goal was to have a calf that my daughter could show that also made weight which is what we got. the champion carcass was just icing on the cake. :cowboy:

 

[DallyCash]

If the shyt looks like a pie your good.
If it looks like a scoop of ice cream you need more protein.........

Ya know I read that on here a few years ago, and I sure look at poop a whole lot more since. :lol: I have been working the last 4 nights so really haven't spent enough time at the farm since, but this week I will have to evaluate the poo situation.

 

[Son of Butch]

Hey guys, I might be trying to keep things too basic, nutrition is not an easy topic for me.
Long story short, when do you want to feed a higher protein feed vs a lower protein feed?

When it is needed and profitable which breaks down to feeding by age, from youngest to oldest age groups.

calves = highest % protein ration
grower ration = lower than calf ration
finishing ration = lower % protein than the grower ration as finishing requires higher energy not higher protein %
mature cattle receive the lowest % protein rations.

I would not change what you are doing as it's successful and your finishing schedule needs to coincide with the fair.
Otherwise to finish earlier I'd push them harder in the finishing phase... (increase energy consumed per day)

p.s.
Congratulations on your success at the fair.... :tiphat:

 

[True Grit Farms]

Assuming you have the same or better quality calf this year why would you want to go away from a proven feed?

That was our thought also (and the 2nd reason we went ahead and had more of the original feed delivered), but we didn't know if there was a reason to have a higher protein feed. The only thing we would like to change about the calves would be a higher rate of gain, the steer gained 1.71#/day after backgrounding till fair. with that said, we never pushed the feed hard to them. we could have cut the free choice hay and the free choice grass and got better grain consumption but our goal was to have a calf that my daughter could show that also made weight which is what we got. the champion carcass was just icing on the cake. :cowboy:

1.71 is not a good ADG at all, a steer should do better than that on hay alone.

 

[DallyCash]

When it is needed and profitable which breaks down to feeding by age, from youngest to oldest age groups.
calves = highest % protein ration
grower ration = lower than calf ration
finishing ration = lower % protein than the grower ration as finishing requires higher energy not higher protein %
mature cattle receive the lowest % protein rations.
I would not change what you are doing as it's successful and your finishing schedule needs to coincide with the fair.
Otherwise to finish earlier I'd push them harder in the finishing phase... (increase energy consumed per day)
p.s.
Congratulations on your success at the fair.... :tiphat:

That is simple enough for me to remember, young=high, old=low. Thank you! She is only 8 so doesn't quite understand her dads excitement, but he was tickled pink with the results and she was tickled that she got a plaque.

 

[DallyCash]

1.71 is not a good ADG at all, a steer should do better than that on hay alone.

that was his gain from Nov 28 to aug 1st. he did get sick a time or 2. however the last month he gained 80 pounds, so 2.66 per day.

 

[True Grit Farms]

1.71 is not a good ADG at all, a steer should do better than that on hay alone.

that was his gain from Nov 28 to aug 1st. he did get sick a time or 2. however the last month he gained 80 pounds, so 2.66 per day.

That's more in line with what I was thinking would be an acceptable ADG.