Feeding out a couple steers

[Bcompton53]

I've got two steers, an angus and a shorthorn cross, that we are feeding out for personal consumption and to sell some meat as well. They are actually at my inlaws place, who aren't really cattle people, but who are feeding them.
I am managing remotely, which is a pain, but I'm trying to figure up a finishing ration. They are about 750 pounds now, so I've got another month or so to figure it out. Since 500 pounds I've had them on a 14% protein mix of whole corn and SBM, at about 1% of body weight. So they are bunk broke, and been eating well. They are also on brome pasture.
Would just using the same whole corn and SBM plus Dical and minerals be ok for finishing? Or would I really benefit from using something like medicated steakmaker 40-20 as the supplement instead of the SBM? They will be on free choice brome hay over the winter also.
Thoughts? And again, simple is better in this case, as I'm instructing remotely.

Also, a side note, the last beef (angus) we bought from a local farmer who finished on corn/steakmaker. The inlaws have it in their head that the beef tasted bitter. I ate the same meat and never noticed anything. Has anyone heard of this? I told them they are crazy, but they are so adamant that they have decided to sell their portion of the steer that we are finishing and just buy beef from the store. :?: :bang:

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I'd probably bump their feed up to 12-15#/hd/day over the next 2 weeks. Keep feeding them that way till they get to ~900 pounds, then cut the protein back to 11% and feed 15#/hd/day. Do that for 3 weeks then cut back the protein to 9-10%, and give them all they can eat. Also have some dry hay sitting out for them all the time, they probably won't eat much of it but they'll have it.

Bit simpler method is keep them out on pasture longer, and keep feeding them the 14% at an increasing rate, till they get about 1000#. Then feedlot them for the last two months on full feed at about 9% protein. Which would be about 85% corn.

SBM with dical and minerals would work fine, medicated pellets work better, but either will do the job.

SBM will make the fat a bit of a yellow color, see if your picky in-laws notice it. :lol:

 

[Ebenezer]

What's in the steakmaker? Corn gluten pellets will put a taint in lambs and I assume steers, too. My guess is the sulfur.

 

[Ky hills]

What's in the steakmaker? Corn gluten pellets will put a taint in lambs and I assume steers, too. My guess is the sulfur.

We have finished out 2 beefs on just our feed store ration that contains corn gluten pellets, We haven't noticed any off or bad taste, we think it is quite good, but that said it does have a distinct taste that is different than what we got at the grocery. When I had sheep and goats, I was feeding a ration of 1/3 soyhulls, 1/3 cracked corn and 1/3 corn gluten pellets. They would actually eat it in that order, with the corn gluten always last and sometimes some would leave that.

 

[Porkchopfat]

I am working on a steer feed out myself right now. If I have interpreted Texas Bred's post correctly I should be successfull. I am feeding loanstar 1025. It is less than 10% Crude fiber, it is the first thing I look at on the feed tag. It should indicate by the by that you are getting a good high grain supplement. I feed 1 lbs of 1025 and 1 lbs of corn twice a day to start. After 10 days I add another 1 lbs of corn. Keep adding corn and possibly 1025 till he is on full feed. Make sure to have plenty of long fiber hay available to control/slow digestion and keep the rumen nice and healthy. But I could be off so ... how close is that TB.

 

[Bcompton53]

I'd probably bump their feed up to 12-15#/hd/day over the next 2 weeks. Keep feeding them that way till they get to ~900 pounds, then cut the protein back to 11% and feed 15#/hd/day. Do that for 3 weeks then cut back the protein to 9-10%, and give them all they can eat. Also have some dry hay sitting out for them all the time, they probably won't eat much of it but they'll have it.

Bit simpler method is keep them out on pasture longer, and keep feeding them the 14% at an increasing rate, till they get about 1000#. Then feedlot them for the last two months on full feed at about 9% protein. Which would be about 85% corn.

SBM with dical and minerals would work fine, medicated pellets work better, but either will do the job.

SBM will make the fat a bit of a yellow color, see if your picky in-laws notice it. :lol:

Just feed hay when the pastures decline? Or do I need to provide it as soon as I start bumping feed up

 

[Son of Butch]

When on full feed, free choice dry hay is just for 'scratch factor'.
Provide access to hay as soon as on full feed, they'll probably only eat 2-3 lbs a day, but it's there
for them as they see fit or feel the need to keep their rumen moving to prevent acidosis.

 

[dieselbeef]

pasture til 20 mos..then free choice all they can eat feed ....butcher at 22 mos...700 on the rail..it aint rocket science....

 

[Bcompton53]

pasture til 20 mos..then free choice all they can eat feed ....butcher at 22 mos...700 on the rail..it aint rocket science....

At 20 months the steers will weigh 1200+ already. Studies show that marbling builds up throughout the life of the animal, so only providing grain the last two months isn't ideal. But...it ain't rocket science.

 

[dieselbeef]

its yer money....

 

[shaz]

Is there any reason to ever take them off grass? Seems like grazing and 10-15lbs of feed per day would work well and be cost effective in the later development stages.

 

[Bcompton53]

its yer money....

I'm eating this beef. If I wanted to grow cheap beef, I'd follow your instructions, but our motives are different.

 

[Bcompton53]

Is there any reason to ever take them off grass? Seems like grazing and 10-15lbs of feed per day would work well and be cost effective in the later development stages.

They won't leave the grass. Based on some studies I saw, it basically comes down to how fast you want them to gain. They'll eat all the grain you give them, and then fill up on forage. So fast gain means feeding more grain, but finishing in less days.

 

[TexasBred]

I am working on a steer feed out myself right now. If I have interpreted Texas Bred's post correctly I should be successfull. I am feeding loanstar 1025. It is less than 10% Crude fiber, it is the first thing I look at on the feed tag. It should indicate by the by that you are getting a good high grain supplement. I feed 1 lbs of 1025 and 1 lbs of corn twice a day to start. After 10 days I add another 1 lbs of corn. Keep adding corn and possibly 1025 till he is on full feed. Make sure to have plenty of long fiber hay available to control/slow digestion and keep the rumen nice and healthy. But I could be off so ... how close is that TB.

How big is your steer and what is the crude protein on the 1025

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

pasture til 20 mos..then free choice all they can eat feed ....butcher at 22 mos...700 on the rail..it aint rocket science....

I disagree with your timing. The younger, the more tender. Research has time and again proven (if you plan to sell) that consumers put more emphasis on tenderness than marbling.
I butcher (harvest) at 12-14 months of age with 750# carcass - full of marbling and tender. customers claim " I can cut it with a fork". We have all our chucks cut into 1" steaks and cook and eat like a regular t-bone.
Your way may be the cheapest, but I want quality meat in MY freezer, and more importantly, want quality in my customers' freezer.

 

[dieselbeef]

well since yer the expert asking questions and have never eaten any of mine save yer judgement and don't be d$$khead. idk how long you planning on feeding it but fat doenst marble for beans if its all jammed in at the last 60 days of life..itll all be wasted money on trim. idgf what ya do but don't try to impress me by raising crappy cattle that need 500$ of feed to finish. ill put my steaks against anything you grow....anytime. my steers finish on grass alone about 1200 lbs...about 750ish on the rail.. in 20 mos....everyone moans about being poor and not making any money...wait..tell me its fork tender best ya ever had right....lol...good luck expert

 

[Porkchopfat]

I am working on a steer feed out myself right now. If I have interpreted Texas Bred's post correctly I should be successfull. I am feeding loanstar 1025. It is less than 10% Crude fiber, it is the first thing I look at on the feed tag. It should indicate by the by that you are getting a good high grain supplement. I feed 1 lbs of 1025 and 1 lbs of corn twice a day to start. After 10 days I add another 1 lbs of corn. Keep adding corn and possibly 1025 till he is on full feed. Make sure to have plenty of long fiber hay available to control/slow digestion and keep the rumen nice and healthy. But I could be off so ... how close is that TB.

How big is your steer and what is the crude protein on the 1025

The steer is 1000 lbs. And 10% cp on the 1025. 3 fat and 10 fiber.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

well since yer the expert asking questions and have never eaten any of mine save yer judgement and don't be d$$khead. idk how long you planning on feeding it but fat doenst marble for beans if its all jammed in at the last 60 days of life..itll all be wasted money on trim. idgf what ya do but don't try to impress me by raising crappy cattle that need 500$ of feed to finish. ill put my steaks against anything you grow....anytime. my steers finish on grass alone about 1200 lbs...about 750ish on the rail.. in 20 mos....everyone moans about being poor and not making any money...wait..tell me its fork tender best ya ever had right....lol...good luck expert

Calm down. You are the one saying to feed just the last 60 days ("pasture til 20 mos..then free choice all they can eat feed ....butcher at 22 mos...700 on the rail..it aint rocket science...."
I take a weaned fall calf and start feeding in May. 60 days about 10#/hd/day, next 60 days about 15#/hd/day, last 60 days about 25#/hd/day of whole shell corn with a little Sunshine protein pellets. High protein grass thru summer, then 16% baleage. That's 3000# (1.5 ton) of $175/ton corn. Less than $300 total under 14 months old, 750# carcass.

 

[Bcompton53]

pasture til 20 mos..then free choice all they can eat feed ....butcher at 22 mos...700 on the rail..it aint rocket science....

I disagree with your timing. The younger, the more tender. Research has time and again proven (if you plan to sell) that consumers put more emphasis on tenderness than marbling.
I butcher (harvest) at 12-14 months of age with 750# carcass - full of marbling and tender. customers claim " I can cut it with a fork". We have all our chucks cut into 1" steaks and cook and eat like a regular t-bone.
Your way may be the cheapest, but I want quality meat in MY freezer, and more importantly, want quality in my customers' freezer.

Echos what I have read and experienced.

 

[TexasBred]

I am working on a steer feed out myself right now. If I have interpreted Texas Bred's post correctly I should be successfull. I am feeding loanstar 1025. It is less than 10% Crude fiber, it is the first thing I look at on the feed tag. It should indicate by the by that you are getting a good high grain supplement. I feed 1 lbs of 1025 and 1 lbs of corn twice a day to start. After 10 days I add another 1 lbs of corn. Keep adding corn and possibly 1025 till he is on full feed. Make sure to have plenty of long fiber hay available to control/slow digestion and keep the rumen nice and healthy. But I could be off so ... how close is that TB.

How big is your steer and what is the crude protein on the 1025

The steer is 1000 lbs. And 10% cp on the 1025. 3 fat and 10 fiber.

Sorry Porkchop. Done got nasty so I'm staying out of it