feeding jersey steers

[Anonymous]

I have 2 Jersey steers and they were born the same time I bought them at 3 months old, they are now 5 months old one weighs 420 pounds and the other 350 pounds..my question is when can I put them on the beef finisher diet? there is 70 pounds difference, is it bad to put the lighter one on finishing feed when the larger one is ready to go on it? right now I am feeding 14% dairy commercial mixed 17 pounds between them divided into 3 meals and feed alfalfa hay 2 flakes between them and first cut hay 1 large flake between them, can I just leave them on the dairy feed?

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[Anonymous]

> I have 2 Jersey steers and they
> were born the same time I bought
> them at 3 months old, they are now
> 5 months old one weighs 420 pounds
> and the other 350 pounds..my
> question is when can I put them on
> the beef finisher diet? there is
> 70 pounds difference, is it bad to
> put the lighter one on finishing
> feed when the larger one is ready
> to go on it? right now I am
> feeding 14% dairy commercial mixed
> 17 pounds between them divided
> into 3 meals and feed alfalfa hay
> 2 flakes between them and first
> cut hay 1 large flake between
> them, can I just leave them on the
> dairy feed? What is your target finished weight? At your current feeding level(over 2% of body wt grain ration) I would expect they are getting pretty fleshy now. Don't limit hay consumption unless they refuse the grain mix.

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[Anonymous]

I dont know what finishing weight they will get too, I heard that they only get to about 900 pounds, they dont eat all the hay I give them this is why I only give them that amount less waste.. can I leave them on the dairy ration for their entire schedual?

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[Anonymous]

> I dont know what finishing weight
> they will get too, I heard that
> they only get to about 900 pounds,
> they dont eat all the hay I give
> them this is why I only give them
> that amount less waste.. can I
> leave them on the dairy ration for
> their entire schedual? About 120 days before you reach your target, switch to the finish ration. It will be higher in energy, lower in protein, and lower in salt. The salt limits intake at the higher feeding levels. In fact, I'm surprised you are getting them to eat over 2% of body wt. now. Limiting roughage to the amount they will clean up is OK.

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[Anonymous]

thank you for your advice

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[Anonymous]

to weigh my cows I use a horse weight tape,,how accurate are these, cows are measured in the same place as horses, should I deduct or add a few pounds? when I weigh them I make sure the tape is pretty snug..also is beef ration the same as beef finisher? the feed mill here gave me a product list and the feed what they have is called 13% eye catcher beef ration, is this ok? everything else is high in protein, purina golden steer B32% Ms220 is the other available..not much choice..



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