Finish ration

[cowsandcorn]

Had a 700# steer break its jaw in February from getting kicked by another calf. Anyways, it finally gained weight back and looks pretty good. He has been running with cows on pasture for the summer and would guess it weighs 800-900# now. Im planning on feeding it out and butchering it. I have cornstalk and alfalfa bales leftover from last year and corn. I was thinking about trying to find another single heifer or steer to feed with it. For the ration I am thinking to put a cornstalk bale in feeder and start out with 8# corn + pellet and keep working up from there or I could put the alfalfa bale free choice and keep working up on the corn. Any thoughts/ideas? I've never finished an animal before. Thanks

 

[SBMF 2015]

Had a 700# steer break its jaw in February from getting kicked by another calf. Anyways, it finally gained weight back and looks pretty good. He has been running with cows on pasture for the summer and would guess it weighs 800-900# now. Im planning on feeding it out and butchering it. I have cornstalk and alfalfa bales leftover from last year and corn. I was thinking about trying to find another single heifer or steer to feed with it. For the ration I am thinking to put a cornstalk bale in feeder and start out with 8# corn + pellet and keep working up from there or I could put the alfalfa bale free choice and keep working up on the corn. Any thoughts/ideas? I've never finished an animal before. Thanks

You're on the right track. The one we're going to put in the freezer this winter is being fed the same way.
Now it's not how I would feed a yard full, but for one or two it will be just fine.
Ours is in with some young mrkt cows that needed fed. They have free choice grass hay and dad has worked them up slowly from 10lbs/hd to 19.2lbs/hd/day. Dad's got them to where they are leaving about a coffee cup full of corn in their bunk. They also get 1lb/hd/day of Purina 4020RUM finisher.
Just remember to work them up slowly. 1/2lb a week increase is pretty safe.

 

[ChrisB2]

You're on the right track. The one we're going to put in the freezer this winter is being fed the same way.
Now it's not how I would feed a yard full, but for one or two it will be just fine.
Ours is in with some young mrkt cows that needed fed. They have free choice grass hay and dad has worked them up slowly from 10lbs/hd to 19.2lbs/hd/day. Dad's got them to where they are leaving about a coffee cup full of corn in their bunk. They also get 1lb/hd/day of Purina 4020RUM finisher.
Just remember to work them up slowly. 1/2lb a week increase is pretty safe.

Do you mean increase 1-2 pounds per week and not 1/2 pound? It would take over 7 months to get him on full feed at 1/2 pound per week.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Do you mean increase 1-2 pounds per week and not 1/2 pound? It would take over 7 months to get him on full feed at 1/2 pound per week.

No I meant half a pound a week. Start them at 1% of their body weight and increase 1/2lb every week.
I've fed 1,000's of cattle over the last twenty years. Slow and steady. Less corn over a longer time period cattle will still grade. Prime takes time. Lots of finished cattle are killed between 18-22 months old.
A str that over eats or gets acidosis will take longer to straighten out than feeding it slowly. Especially when the OP said they have never fed out a str before.

 

[cowsandcorn]

You're on the right track. The one we're going to put in the freezer this winter is being fed the same way.
Now it's not how I would feed a yard full, but for one or two it will be just fine.
Ours is in with some young mrkt cows that needed fed. They have free choice grass hay and dad has worked them up slowly from 10lbs/hd to 19.2lbs/hd/day. Dad's got them to where they are leaving about a coffee cup full of corn in their bunk. They also get 1lb/hd/day of Purina 4020RUM finisher.
Just remember to work them up slowly. 1/2lb a week increase is pretty safe.

Thank you! I'll probably try the cornstalk bales, protein and corn route..try to find a locker date for January?

 

[Warren Allison]

Thank you! I'll probably try the cornstalk bales, protein and corn route..try to find a locker date for January?

I see you are a new member. Welcome aboard. You need to go back into your profile, and add your ;location. It helps members out so much when answering questions, advising, etc, if we know where you are located.