Feeding Whole Corn Start to Finish - Any Thoughts?

[farmwife]

Anyone have any experience feeding whole corn (topdressed with a premix) for commercial steers from start (700#) to finish (1200#)?

 

[showjock401]

I wouldn't recomend it, but how long is the feeding period? Just becareful you don't over finish him.

 

[farmwife]

I wouldn't recomend it, but how long is the feeding period? Just becareful you don't over finish him.

160 days

 

[sim.-ang.king]

He will get super fat super fast is all i got to say.
So this is not going to be a good show animal if that's what your looking for.

 

[TexasBred]

Anyone have any experience feeding whole corn (topdressed with a premix) for commercial steers from start (700#) to finish (1200#)?

Most good show calf finishers will contain at least 60% corn but also will have considerable roughage in them. You have to have plenty of roughage or you'll end up with acidosis, calf will go off feed and it will be all uphill from there.

 

[Avalon]

If feeding whole corn you will waiste a lot of nutrients unless you cook it first.

 

[farmwife]

Thanks for the responses. I agree that feeding whole corn is not really the way to go.

Planning to feed a custom ration 14% protein with 3% fat for 2/3 of the feeding period and then up the corn content (flaked corn) to 50% for the last 1/3.