Feeding Steers

[wvherefords]

Howdy. I began feeding a few 13 month old steers grain on Nov 1st in preparation for butchering for my personal use (and for some friends and family). I began with more hay than grain and gradually increased them to where they are now getting 20 lbs of 14% protien grain per day (each) plus approx 5lbs of hay (each) per day. I feed 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 in the evening.

They just havn't seemed to grow out like I would have liked and at this point are only running approx 800lbs. They are hereford/shorthorn cross. I bought them at 450-500 lbs and they were on good pasture until Nov 1. I would have thought they'd have been a lot bigger by Nov 1...

I'm planning on taking them to the butcher at the end of january and wondered what some of you thought about that. I'm new to this (first time I've fed some out) and followed the advice of a few locals and the wise folks on this board. I think I just probably started them too early and would have to continue feeding them for another few months to reach the 1,100 lb range and I'm not willing to do that.

I'm assuming I'll just get a lot less packaged meat, but it will hypothetically be more tender because they are smaller/younger.

Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated...

thanks,

-Eric

 

[txshowmom]

To fatten them up you need to decrease the protien and increase the fat. Add more corn and less grain.

 

[Dee]

I have never fed out any cattle, just backgrounded, but, protein is what makes muscle, correct? Too much fat and they will just get fleshy, not meaty. I had a problem a few months ago with my replacement heifers...all gut and no butt, increased the protein and they are looking great. The feed lot down the road really pushes the corn and distillers, with just a sprinkle of ground hay. Perhaps your feed rep could advise you as to what type of ration is best, or a local feed lot operationcould give you some tips.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

How do you know for sure they are only 800 lbs? Is this a guess or actual checked weight?

On this much feed, they should be gaining at least 3 pounds per day if their genetics are right. Have they been wormed?

I feed 12% Tindle Superstock, which has a lot of corn in it.

 

[wvherefords]

havn't weighed them, so I'm not 100% certain what they weigh. I asked a friend/neighbor who is very knowledgable about cattle come over to give me his opinion (even I can tell they aren't as big as they should be, and I'm a novice). He estimated their weight at 800 lbs. I may haul them over to his farm to weigh this weekend, weather permitting.

anyone out there routinely butcher at lower weights for personal use?

thanks,

-Eric

 

[fellersbarnoneranch]

anyone out there routinely butcher at lower weights for personal use?

We have butchered at 800#. The yield is not as good and the cuts are smaller, but it was dang good meat.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

anyone out there routinely butcher at lower weights for personal use?

We have butchered at 800#. The yield is not as good and the cuts are smaller, but it was dang good meat.

Same here. The steer that lost only 24% from hanging to package weight weighed 870 (After being hauled 40 miles) I've butchered three in the eights, and they have all been good. They hung right at 60%, which would probably have been better at over a thousand pounds. This last steer was easily the biggest I've butchered yet. Mine all marbled well, although a black Angus breeder told me it was impossible to marble well at those weights. My butcher and my eyes told me otherwise, along with my tastebuds.

 

[docgraybull]

We've butchered steers between 800 and 900 pounds and were pleased with the results.

 

[wvherefords]

Thanks for all your replies... One more added twist:

as of yesterday, these steers have stopped cleaning up their grain. Used to be they finished the 30 lbs I put out (total, 10 lbs each) each morning and evening very quickly. I noticed yesterday evening that there was a little left over from thursday morning and then this morning there was even more left over from last night... I usually put out the 30lbs of feed each morning and evening plus 20 lbs of hay only in the evening. This morning there was still hay leftover from last evening too...

any thoughts as to why they have all-of-a-sudden decided they don't need to finish their grain?

I'm going to check them again at lunch to see if they cleaned up the grain that was left over. We've had extensive rain in the past 24 hours, so it could be that the grain was soaked and unappetizing, but that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense... Its clearing off now and getting much colder, so maybe that'll straighten them back up again...

I'm planning to haul them to the processor at the end of the month even though they're only about 800 lbs, but I don't want to start sliding backwards now after feeding since Nov 1...

thanks. All your insight is most appreciated.

-E

 

[milkmaid]

How long have they been on this much grain?

I had a fellow tell me once that (as it relates to a 4H project) folks here have a tendency to bump the grain up right before fair time and try to be putting tons of grain into their steers, and the result is that the steers go off feed. He said it was better to be giving them a few pounds a day over the winter, and v-e-r-y gradually increase it over the summer and they should be fine and shouldn't go off feed with that schedule.

That's what I've been told, anyhow. No personal experience with it one way or the other.

As to your question about butchering at this weight - I know a fellow who routinely butchers one steer in the fall at 800lbs. Says he prefers to butcher at that weight because they're nice and tender then, any bigger and you have to grain them. That's what he says. Again, no personal experiences to relate to you.

 

[wvherefords]

I started them on grain on Nov 1 at approx 3 lbs each per day. I increased it gradually (every seven days adding a few lbs per day) to the point where they began to get 20 lbs each per day about 3 weeks ago. They've been on a constant 20 lbs each per day since then...

didn't get a chance to check them at lunch. if they still have grain left when I go to feed them this evening, I'll know I've got a problem...

thanks,

-E

 

[greenwillowherefords]

Cut back on their feed until they clean it up.

 

[wvherefords]

must have just been the extensive rain thursday that had them screwed up. the rain stopped friday morning and by friday evening they were back to cleaning up 60lbs of feed very quickly.

false alarm.... ;-)

thanks,

-E

 

[TLCfromARK]

havn't weighed them, so I'm not 100% certain what they weigh. I asked a friend/neighbor who is very knowledgable about cattle come over to give me his opinion (even I can tell they aren't as big as they should be, and I'm a novice). He estimated their weight at 800 lbs. I may haul them over to his farm to weigh this weekend, weather permitting.

anyone out there routinely butcher at lower weights for personal use?

thanks,

-Eric

Back when I was a kid I've seen Dad butcher them between 5 - 600# but all he got was hamberger meat and what we called minute steak, nothing with bone in it. It was sure tender.
;-)