Finishing heifers vs. steers

[badaxemoo]

Being new to the cow-calf setup, we've never finished a heifer before.

What are the main differences between finishing steers and heifers?

I'm assuming that the steers will gain weight faster and finish at a heavier weight, but will the heifers take a longer time to finish?

I was hoping to retain all my heifers to build my herd, but I think I was fooling myself on that one and might need to go and buy a couple of better heifers.

 

[IluvABbeef]

This might sort of answer your question: "The finishing performance of heifers is lower than steers or bulls and they require more feed energy to achieve the same growth rate as steers or bulls. Heifers cannot match the growth rate potential of males, so finishing systems must take account of the biological limitations that control heifer growth an development."

Quoted from: http://www.kt.iger.bbsrc.ac.uk/FACT%20s ... heifer.pdf

Hope that helps.

 

[alabama]

Feeding out a heifer to slaughter is not the same as finishing out a heifer to make a replacement cow. To make a replacement cow I think the heifer needs to be raised like she is going to be kept as a cow. I have felt that raising a replacement should be on "good" grass. You may want to supplement some but not much. It also has to do with the development of the utters. If the replacement is feed to heave she will build up fat in her utters that will hurt her milk production. You need to keep them healthy and growing but not fat like a slaughter calf.
Cattle were meant to eat grass. I raise my heifers on grass and in the winter, they eat hay and a little cottonseed.

 

[IluvABbeef]

you might want to look at this too:

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/agec2/mf592.pdf

 

[badaxemoo]

Feeding out a heifer to slaughter is not the same as finishing out a heifer to make a replacement cow. To make a replacement cow I think the heifer needs to be raised like she is going to be kept as a cow. I have felt that raising a replacement should be on "good" grass. You may want to supplement some but not much. It also has to do with the development of the utters. If the replacement is feed to heave she will build up fat in her utters that will hurt her milk production. You need to keep them healthy and growing but not fat like a slaughter calf.
Cattle were meant to eat grass. I raise my heifers on grass and in the winter, they eat hay and a little cottonseed.

I should have been more clear. I meant finish to butcher. I didn't know that the word "finish" was also used for replacements.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[somn]

Feeding out ten or twenty isn't that much different than feeding out steers. At times in the feedlot we have seen higher adg and lower we have seen higher feed coversion and lower. Now feeding a hundred in a yard thats different. I can give you some of the negatives and positives. I will start with the negatives first you have the sucking of one another, second you have the riding of one another, third you have the sucking of one another again, fourth you have the riding of one another again. So basically in the end you have a pen full of fully bagged up hiefers with broken legs and pelvis's. Now for the positives you shouldn't have the risk of any banded steers turning into bulls with both nuts shoved up in their bellies by less than honest ranchers. You might get a few pregnant ones though. Take the good with the bad I guess. Hope this helps

 

[MikeC]

If you're looking for ways to increase the profitability of your feedlot heifers, look no further. By adding MGA™ Premix (melengestrol acetate) to feed rations, managers benefit several ways:

Improved rate of gain — More than 50 research studies have concluded that heifers entering the feedlot between 700 and 800 lbs. (315 and 360 kg) have a 10.3 percent improvement in average daily gain when fed MGA™. Lightweight heifers (entering the feedlot at around 450 lbs. or 205 kg) show an improved gain of 12.8 percent over negative controls.


Improved feed efficiency — On average, heifers fed MGA show a 6.5 percent improvement in feed efficiency over negative controls. Lightweight heifers show an 8 percent improvement over negative controls.


Shorter time to market — Because of improved gain and feed efficiency, MGA allows heifers to be marketed 10 to 20 days earlier.


More consistent performance — Because MGA suppresses heat, heifers eat more consistently.


Less injury — Incorporating MGA™ can reduce riding injuries associated with estrus and, therefore, can reduce carcass damage.


Improved profitability — Feedlot customers indicate a primary reason for feeding MGA is improved carcass performance. Trenbolone acetate (TBA) implants can result in lower quality grades — and MGA offsets that potential loss of income.