Feeding question

[showmomof2]

I have a question about feeding a show heifer. As I am sure you all know by now the price of feed has skyrocketed along with gas. We are having to make some tough decisions. We have a few acres that has alot of grass on them by our house. Would it hurt to cut back on feed, but give them full access to all the grass they can eat? The 1 that I am most concerned with is my daughters simangus. She is her best chance at winning at the September fairs. She is 15 1/2 months and short bred. Thanks in advance.

 

[Avalon]

Most are going to say no, but you may be able to cut back just a bit depending on her condition and the quality of the grass in the pasture. Most of the time when when we have a heifer that age, we are allready beginning to cut back on feed anyway. Post a picture and lets talk more about her condition. I've actually put many a show heifers this age out on straight pasture during the summer. But most of the time it was a heifer that was getting close to overconditioning. It does wonders for those types.

 

[showmomof2]

This was taken the end of march. I can get a new one tomorrow, but am having problems uploading new pictures. Thanks!

 

[farmwife]

We are feeling the crunch as well. To top it all off, the feed store where we were getting our bulk feed closed (without notice) on Monday. With God intervention, I have gotten a job that will allow me to stop at another feedstore on the way home and pick up the same feed.

Long story short, I would do some shopping around on feed and talk to others who are showing in your area to see if you can find a cheaper feed (our bulk feed is running $13 cwt). As for the grass, our heifers get full access to grass anyway.

 

[Avalon]

I know this pic was taken sometime back. If she is about the same you may be able to cut back some feed by puttint her on pasture but I would watch her close. How much are you currently feeding her? Has there been a point that she began to get fat and you had to cut her back? If so when? Another ? Is purina available where you are?. If you do I may have an idea for you at least for the summer.

 

[showmomof2]

She is getting about 3 scoops twice a day plus beet pulp. She hasn't gotten so fat that we've had to back her off. We can get purina-what's your idea? Anything will help! This is my daughter's best chance for overall and we have gone so far with her I want her to still gain and look her best in Sept. What about cutting back for about a month, turning her out on grass, then getting her back up for about 6-8 weeks and bumping the feed back up. I don't want to mess her up by any means. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks

 

[CPL]

showmom. Is there an option of taking one or two of your other calves that aren't as good and putting them to pasture and still feeding this one? I guess it just depends how easy keeping your calves are for the grass idea. Unfortunately my heifer is only eating grass (by her choice not mine) but she seems to be doing OK. It'd be nice if she had a bit more cover on her. I don't think you're out of touch taking her off, or atleast taking her down on feed and then starting back up early enough so that you can get her back in condition for show.

 

[showmomof2]

We just turned some out this week-one which is my daughters hereford which she will show in the same shows as the black one. She is as full as a tick. When we get 2 more AI'd, they will be turned out. Only our new herefords that the kids plan on taking to Jr. Nationals and a couple of young commercial ones will be on full feed. I am hoping that the time spent on grass will freshen her up a bit.

 

[Chris H]

We turned a July heifer back out in late March, just as the grass was starting to grow good. I didn't like how she was filling out & developing at the time, just not good enough to show. We brought her back in about 2 weeks ago because she gained so much muscle weight that she's now one of the best in our show string. It won't always turn out that good, but if you turn them out and they gain weight on grass as a yearling then you know they've got the potential to be a good brood cow.
Do keep feeding her some grain and keep the grass in a vegetative state.

 

[showmomof2]

New picture.