Finishing steers

[Anonymous]

As long as you follow the protocols you're fine either way.

 

[marksmu]

At 106 days I ran out of feed and took them in for slaughter. At the end they were getting alot of feed in both feedings - would go through 50lbs a day, but they were very fleshy.

Steer 1 came in at 997 lbs, and steer 2 weighed in at 901 lbs. They were confined to a 50' round pen with shade/water here in Houston for this dang hot summer. I think I would have had more weight gain if it had not been so hot.

The meat was extremely tender, color was excellent. Taste is also very good - but different than grocery store. It has a much stronger beef flavor. Don't know if that is because of the brahma influence, or because they were on grass before the grain....there is no yellow in the fat - so I am leaning towards it being the brahma influence. At any rate it was a good feed mixture - but it was expensive. The 106 days on feed cost $411.

The 106 days you fed your calves would be about a month to six weeks short of what most showlists at feedyards would be. Packers don't even look at cattle unless they have 130 days or more on them.

Do they count the two weeks it takes to ramp up to a full 4% of body weight per day? If they do then they were on feed for 120 days....I did not count that time as I was not technically feeding a growing ration - just transitioning them over to the grain and off the grass.

 

[vclavin]

You need a finishing feed. It only needs to be 10 to 12 percent protien. Unfortunately it needs to be high in an energy source such as grain (corn, milo, barley or wheat) to put the desired finish on a calf. Visit with your dealers and get something high in energy (look at the TDN as an indicator). Buy the feed that gives you the most bang for your buck, not necessarily the cheapest.

What % of the feed do you consider high? In your opinion, you can't finish with a high fiber feed?
Valerie

I would expect grain to make up 60 to 80 percent of a finishing ration with roughage making up 15 to 25 percent and the balance would be protein and minerals. That should get you a ration that would have a range of TDN from 72 or 73 percent to about 84 percent. ADG would be expected to be somewhere in the 2.75 lbs to 3+ lbs per day.

We never feed ours High energy feed, only 1/3 of mix is grain (that 1/3 is 75% ground corn and 25% oats). Gain is 2.5 to 5lbs a day gain. They also get all the hay they want or grass if on pasture. I don't remember the TDN, TB figured it for me and I just remember it was high TDN. Anyway, backfat is under .35 and marbling is choice to prime ( except for one this year which ultrasounded 3.85 - won't do that cross again lol). 15 to 20lbs per head a day of the feed mix depending on environment and rate of gain. Tender and tasty. (Yellow fat is from high Vitamin A storages - causes low marbling)
Valerie
PS. I see nothing wrong with high energy, it's just a pain to go back and forth between high energy feeds and high fiber feeds. We stuck with high fiber as all animals eat the same feed ration no matter if a calf, cow, feeder, developing heifer or bulls. Everyone - even the chickens lay quite well.

 

[TexasBred]

Val you're basically going "fulltime" with a grower ration rather than switching to a finisher ration closer to the end. Might take just a little while longer to get them where you want them but they do get there and in just the condition you prefer.

 

[vclavin]

Val you're basically going "fulltime" with a grower ration rather than switching to a finisher ration closer to the end. Might take just a little while longer to get them where you want them but they do get there and in just the condition you prefer.

TB,
If a finisher ration is always high energy, wouldn't taking the time to switch from high fiber to high energy slow things down?
They are 1300-1500 lbs by 13-15months old... is that too long?
Valerie

 

[TexasBred]

Val you're basically going "fulltime" with a grower ration rather than switching to a finisher ration closer to the end. Might take just a little while longer to get them where you want them but they do get there and in just the condition you prefer.

TB,
If a finisher ration is always high energy, wouldn't taking the time to switch from high fiber to high energy slow things down?
They are 1300-1500 lbs by 13-15months old... is that too long?
Valerie

There is always the potential to have a few days of rumen adjustment. Finishing rations typically boost the amount of corn in a diet (thus energy and starches), lowering the amount of oats in the formula if it contains oats) and lower the amount of fiber. You could basically get the same amount of energy from a grower ration by adding fat.

 

[vclavin]

TB,
Is it that steers need that higher energy level to gain quick? I have noticed that the steers can't keep up with the bulls even with the same feed and same amount.
Valerie

 

[TexasBred]

TB,
Is it that steers need that higher energy level to gain quick? I have noticed that the steers can't keep up with the bulls even with the same feed and same amount.
Valerie

Research shows that bulls gain weight faster and convert feed more effeciently than steers....(Testosterone). Only way to offset this is to feed more calories..some also use implants.

 

[vclavin]

TB,
Is it that steers need that higher energy level to gain quick? I have noticed that the steers can't keep up with the bulls even with the same feed and same amount.
Valerie

Research shows that bulls gain weight faster and convert feed more effeciently than steers....(Testosterone). Only way to offset this is to feed more calories..some also use implants.

Thanks TB, that explains it. I would need to serperate the bulls from steers that are being fed out and change their ration.
Valerie

 

[Mid South Guy]

This is why I bought a grinder/mixer and mix my own feed. It gives me the flexibility to mix whatever type of ration I need for the class of cattle I am feeding, adjust it according to different conditions (i.e. forage quality, ingredient price/values, etc.). There is no commercially available feed that I know of that fits all circumstances.

 

[TexasBred]

This is why I bought a grinder/mixer and mix my own feed. It gives me the flexibility to mix whatever type of ration I need for the class of cattle I am feeding, adjust it according to different conditions (i.e. forage quality, ingredient price/values, etc.). There is no commercially available feed that I know of that fits all circumstances.

That's great as long as you can weigh everything and balance the ration. Most companies make a complete range of feeds....some quality...some least cost (ingredient price/values)

 

[Mid South Guy]

The grinder/mixer has eletronic scales on it that are fairly accurate.