feedig out a beef

[BRYANT]

I posted pictures a few weeks ago of a steer that hurt his mouth. He never got to where his mouth is not lop sided, so I am going to feed him out and put him in the freezer. I did have a vet look at him and he said he was probably born like that, which he was not, and that it will not bother him at all.
I have never tried to feed one out so this will be new for me right now he is on winter grass pasture with range meal. I like fat beef and DO NOT like grass fed beef. he is 8 months old now and was set back a little from his mouth but seems fine now
Do I put him up and start feeding? if so what age and how much?
what weight and age is the best to butcher?
what kind of feed ? a lot of people around here buy a feed called ''Bull Test'' to feed them out with
I can put what it has in it to see what some of you think about it.
I am not as concern about the cost as much as I am about him being good. I have cut up a lot of farm raised beef that I would not have ate if they gave it to me, looked about like a deer and that's not what I want I can get all the lean deer I want. I had rather sell him and take the hit as to feed him out and it not be good to eat.
I know I have kind of rambled but this is not something I know much about, thanks for any help

 

[farmerjan]

We keep any that we are going to butcher on pasture until they are in the 800+ lbs size. Then if you want to finish it, put them on a grain ration, many use 50% corn and 50% other grain mixed, and just a mild hay like orchard grass so they don't get too loose for at least 90 to 120 days. All depends on what weight that you want to finish him out at. He ought to weigh 1000 or so in 120 days (1.5 to 2 lb gain per day) and should have a decent fat on his back. Some feed corn silage and add more grain. Since we sell to several that prefer grass fed, we don't do too many on grain but have a couple of people who want that. They get about 10-20 lbs grain mix 2x a day. ( 5 gallon bucket a day) Butcher at about 20-24 months so that there is enough maturity so that he will marble and the meat will have a better texture.
We have a calf that was born with a "crooked" mouth, the bottom jaw is not directly under the top but at an angle. He will be a beef next year. Seems to eat okay, is still on the cow and will get weaned off by late Jan since she should calve again in late March. He was eating grass at pasture and is eating hay now. He'll go out with the weaned heifers and then put on feed next fall to finish at 20+ months. We would lose our *** on him at the sale. Will have another calf to keep with him besides the heifers for the summer next year.

 

[farmerjan]

Bryant; went back and looked up the pictures of the calf and our steer looks like that only worse. It seemed to get alot worse after about 3-4 months or so. So we will be feeding him out next year. I think your calf is really nice and you could probably get him to 1000 lbs by early next summer. Ours is smaller and we don't need the beef this year so will let him grow slower and then push him next fall. He seems to eat okay now but if it looks like he isn't eating well, we'll just butcher him as baby beef.

 

[cattle60]

When I put a beef in the lot to feed out they are about 13 months old around 1000 lbs or so,just guessing. I was buying some from the mid 8's to 1000 to feed and fed them for 45 days, turned out fine. Kept some for me and sold the sides. I use a 15% grower/finisher until the last 14 to 21 days and then add 1/3 more cracked corn to the feed. Feed them up until they level off on what they clean up and keep it at that amount. This always seems to be a good recipe for me.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I've used several mixes and mixed with 50% cracked corn. This last one was as good as I have ever produced and it was simply horse and mule with 50% cracked corn. Fed him twice a day at around 4 gallons each feeding in the end month. I wish they all turned out as good as this one did. His hanging weight was 685. No idea what his live weight was.

 

[Son of Butch]

His hanging weight was 685. No idea what his live weight was.

1100 lbs would be a reasonable assumption

 

[backhoeboogie]

His hanging weight was 685. No idea what his live weight was.

1100 lbs would be a reasonable assumption

You're probably right. I had guessed him at 1200 and it was simply a guestimation.

Mostly I was glad he went prime. Best steaks I have ever produced. My wife cannot get a roast out of the pan without breaking it up. Tender as all get out. I have sold the sire and dam both. What a shame. I'd eat every steer out of that combination if I still had them.

 

[BRYANT]

here is the feed the feed mill said they would suggest I use. I can get any thing mixed that I would like.
don't know how to enlarge the picture, maybe it can be read ??

 

[backhoeboogie]

That's a medicated mix. Do you need a medicated mix?

TB seems to be in the know on nutrition. Maybe he'll way in on this discussion.

 

[Son of Butch]

What's the cost per lb of that mix vs cost per lb of alternative mixes they offer?
He's about 600 lbs now?
You could start him on 400 lbs of the medicated mix for 6 weeks and switch him to a non medicated ration.
Ease him on to the grain mix 5 lbs a day for 10 days (50 lbs) and increase to 11 lbs a day for the next 32 days (350 lbs).
Then I'd suggest going Corn fed with 4 lbs of hay, if you don't have the corn it sounds like they'll do a corn mix with a non medicated complete protein pellet added for you.

 

[Chocolate Cow]

The VFD coming the 1st of the year will eliminate the medication in the ration.

 

[crimsoncrazy]

The VFD coming the 1st of the year will eliminate the medication in the ration.

And if you don't have a script from a vet you are technically in violation. Doesn't matter that you bought it before the first of the year. Even though there is no way they would find out.

 

[Son of Butch]

I'm not 100% certain, but I think decoquinate (the medication in the posted mix) is not included in the coming VFD as it's for coccidiosis and like rumenson can still be fed without violating any new regulations.

 

[TexasBred]

The VFD coming the 1st of the year will eliminate the medication in the ration.

This is a coccidiostat for prevention of coccidiosis .....not affected by the Veterinary Feed Directive. It won't hurt to feed it to the bull but probably isn't needed either. Raises the cost about a dime a bag. Hopefully this is a textured feed so you can at least see what you are getting. With pellets you really have no idea.

 

[Chocolate Cow]

My mistake. I couldn't read the label-too small-so assumed the medication was CTC. Thanks for the clairification, TexasBred.

 

[BRYANT]

picture of feed

 

[TexasBred]

picture of feed

Nice looking feed. As you move along growing him out you might buy some cracked corn and add a bit more to it.

 

[papavillars]

So what do you think the cost is to feed out a 800 pound steer to 1100 pounds.

 

[Son of Butch]

So what do you think the cost is to feed out a 800 pound steer to 1100 pounds.

$215
6.25 lbs of feed = 1 lb of gain
$230 ton feed = 11.5 cents lb
1100 - 800 = 300 lbs
300 x 6.25 = 1875 lbs of feed
1875 x 11.5 cents = $215

IF your ration costs $200 ton = 10 cents lb
1875 lbs of feed x .10 cents = $187.50

6.5 lbs of feed = 1 lb of gain
300 x 1950 lbs of feed
10 cents lb x 1950 = $195
$240 ton = 12 cents
1950 x .12 = $234

As you can see... your mileage may vary

 

[RanchMan90]

So what do you think the cost is to feed out a 800 pound steer to 1100 pounds.

$215
6.25 lbs of feed = 1 lb of gain
$230 ton feed = 11.5 cents lb
1100 - 800 = 300 lbs
300 x 6.25 = 1875 lbs of feed
1875 x 11.5 cents = $215

IF your ration costs $200 ton = 10 cents lb
1875 lbs of feed x .10 cents = $187.50

6.5 lbs of feed = 1 lb of gain
300 x 1950 lbs of feed
10 cents lb x 1950 = $195
$240 ton = 12 cents
1950 x .12 = $234

As you can see... your mileage may vary

What about roughage (hay)?