finishing a steer question

[Runaway Deere]

so I purchased a 1100 black baldie steer to butcher I need to finish him. So I let him settle about a week on pasture put him in a pen started feeding him alfalfa and a little cob and its the 2nd day and he is not eating his grain. He is loving the alfalfa its horse alfalfa. I'm assuming he is off his feed? Am I correct and what do I do now? How many days or any advice? Ive finished out quite a few steers but never had this problem...he is definatly not bloated and looks bright eyed and great... I'm just wondering whats the best approach now...
I've fed out smaller steers alot and never had this problem....


thanks in advance-
the wife

 

[Alan]

My guess is he hasn't figured out what grain is, when I start out new steers or heifers on grain sometimes it takes a few days for them to try it. Try dumping a little on top of the hay, then move it off to the side when he's eating it. You may have done this already, but make sure you worm him, via pour on if necessary, no need to feed the parasites, or have your family eat parasites. If you do worm him watch the slaughter date.

Good luck,
Alan

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

We brought in a 925 lb. steer from a neighbor about 6 weeks ago. He'd never had grain before. Took him about a week to figure it out, but our other steer was pretty happy during that week.

 

[TexasBred]

Buy a bag of horse and mule feed or anything wtih a lot of molasses in it. Get him to eating some of that then begin mixing the COB with it until you get him over on the cob completely. I'd hold the alfalfa back everyday until after he's eaten his grain.

 

[Runaway Deere]

hmmmm its cob with molassass... I never thought he wouldn't know what grain was... he eats the stems and leaves the cob and alot of the alfalfa flakes....
I think I will with hold alfalfa like you suggested. He knows I feed him...cause he calls me when he sees me...

I appreciate the advice!

 

[shorty]

Sometimes it takes a little while for them to eat grain if they never had grain before , molasses in the feed helps , years ago when we got calves up from virginia we had a batch that wouldn't eat grain and an old neighbor stopped in he said whenever he got cattle in that weren't used to grain he would put sunglasses on them so the feed would look green and they would think it was hay and then they'd eat it . ( he was known to drink a little )

 

[Runaway Deere]

just wanted to give you all a quick update. I with held alfalfa untill he ate his grain. He missed 3 feedings and he is eating it now. thanks sooo much! I appreciate the advice!!!

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Sometimes they just don't know what's good for them -- takes awhile.

 

[gonzo]

Mine hear me come home and they'll ball till I grain m :bs:

 

[CreekSide]

Same here they speak to the feed buckets when they see me coming

 

[Runaway Deere]

just to update he is doing great I'm about ready to have him butchered. He is a little weird though I feed him 3 times a day alfalfa and 2 big coffee cans of cob if I feed him anymore he will go off his feed well just cob...............he will still eat alfalfa...
heck I sold 3/4 of him so I just bought another steer to finish.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

just to update he is doing great I'm about ready to have him butchered. He is a little weird though I feed him 3 times a day alfalfa and 2 big coffee cans of cob if I feed him anymore he will go off his feed well just cob...............he will still eat alfalfa...
heck I sold 3/4 of him so I just bought another steer to finish.

Well, there 'ya go . . . off and running!

 

[LivestockConcepts]

A couple things to think about,
1) Did you take his temperature "just in case" to see if everything is "normal". If so, move to step 2.
2) when was the last time he was vaccinated for "overeating" or Clostridium (7-way vaccine) you may have a bit of that going on, even though he's not truely "over-eating".
3) Probably the change from grass to grain, has disturbed the balance of "good bugs" in his stomach, so getting the gut re-started and back to normal would be my first step. Using either a Probiotic Gel (such as Probiocin Gel by Pioneer) or a Probiotic Powder, given 3 days in a row, to re-establish the gut flora, should get him re-started.
4) Also, be SURE he is drinking, and is aware where the water is, Something we just take for granted, without water consumption, there is no feed consumption. Did the water "change" say from creek or stock pond, to Rural Water that is Chlorinated? Adding Bluelite into the water (by TechMix) works wonders for getting "off feed" cattle restarted. They love the taste of it, and will get them re-hydrated, and help the gut get balanced again.
Just my thoughts
Becky