Feeding 6-800lb butcher calves

[fnfarms1]

I retain 8 butcher calves a year and sell them in 1/4, 1/2, and wholes. These are currently 6-800lbs, I purposely kept them at staggered weights because my butcher dates are strung out June-Sept. question being that I feel they should be growing better and eating more. Currently they are eating 125lbs once a day. I think they should clean up 150-175. They do have free choice hay. Also there is a heifer and dairy calf in there that will go to sale in few months. So 10 hd total avg 12.5lbs each. Last few days I've started trying to feed 2x a day 75lbs each feeding, 2nd feeding they don't clean up well. Been doing this 10yrs, first time they don't seem to gradually increase intake. They've all be dewormed etc recently. All seem healthy. Can they go without the hay? Being ruminates I think forage is needed.

 

[Son of Butch]

June 1st is 100 days from today September 30th 222 days (7.4 months)
Yes, you could get away without feeding hay for a few months.
IF you want to try it, after they clean up whatever free choice hay they have left, delay putting out more hay for 3 weeks and see how they react. Personally I prefer they get a couple pounds per day for the scratch factor and rumen health.

 

[pnw-farmer]

I was feeding out a steer last year and had the same thing happen. Was feeding 15 lbs a day. I just cut him back to half that for about week, then slowly started to climb back up. He started cleaning it up again. Figured he got an upset gut.

 

[fnfarms1]

June 1st is 100 days from today September 30th 222 days (7.4 months)
Yes, you could get away without feeding hay for a few months.
IF you want to try it, after they clean up whatever free choice hay they have left, delay putting out more hay for 3 weeks and see how they react. Personally I prefer they get a couple pounds per day for the scratch factor and rumen health.

No worries of acidosis etc from only eating 12% commodity mix with little roughage?

 

[Son of Butch]

Yes, but they are already on a grain heavy diet... correct?
So it'll probably put them into a mild state of acidosis, unless they suddenly slug 20 lbs it could happen in a day, but you're already breaking their feedings into twice a day. That's why I said observe them. Only way to find out is to try it and see, but there are plenty of cattle in feed lots doing well with subclinical acidosis. They've only got a few months till slaughter.

 

[fnfarms1]

Max Gain is my goal here, while still growing them correctly for slaughter

 

[Son of Butch]

Then perhaps limit the quantity of hay or feed lower quality free choice hay, so they don't fill up on it.
I assume there hasn't been any spoilage to the grain mix that would limit intake this year compared to how they performed
on the same grain mix in previous years.

p.s.
I should have mentioned if you are going to eliminate hay, farm grade baking soda should be added to the grain mix at the rate
of 4-6 oz per head per day.

 

[fnfarms1]

Then perhaps limit the quantity of hay or feed lower quality free choice hay, so they don't fill up on it.
I assume there hasn't been any spoilage to the grain mix that would limit intake this year compared to how they performed
on the same grain mix in previous years.

p.s.
I should have mentioned if you are going to eliminate hay, farm grade baking soda should be added to the grain mix at the rate
of 4-6 oz per head per day.

I'm going to try to still provide some hay. I just may pitchfork it into the feed bunk vs free choice.