Finishing steers

[tncattle]

I know this should be in the feedyard or health & nutrition section but I need a quick answer so more people will see it here probably. Need to order this morning.

I'm finishing 5 steers to around 1000 lbs. and right now two of them weigh 880 and 890--- the other 3 all weigh around 775. Do I need a high protein feed? I will order from CPC, Performance or Co-op. They have all kinds of feed offered. I'm just not sure what is best or if I really need some high priced finishing feed as opposed to just a more economical feed that will work just as well.

 

[BC]

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.

 

[bigbull338]

BC is right on the protine of the feed.an also you need tobe feeding them 10 to 12lbs of feed a hd a day plus hay.

 

[TexasBred]

I know this should be in the feedyard or health & nutrition section but I need a quick answer so more people will see it here probably. Need to order this morning.

I'm finishing 5 steers to around 1000 lbs. and right now two of them weigh 880 and 890--- the other 3 all weigh around 775. Do I need a high protein feed? I will order from CPC, Performance or Co-op. They have all kinds of feed offered. I'm just not sure what is best or if I really need some high priced finishing feed as opposed to just a more economical feed that will work just as well.

Go to the Co-op or whoever actually manufactures the feed. Ask them to show the formulation. Look for something in the 11% range, 4-5% fat and no less than 50% corn in the mix. Adding200-250 lbs. of cottonseed hulls to the mix would help maintain rumen function. Basically you'll end up with something similar to a show finisher feed. Also try to get a "meal" or loose type feed rather than a pellet. You have no idea what can be in a pellet. It won't be the cheapest feed in the house but will give you the most bang for you buck.

 

[tom4018]

The Performance grower is about one of the best priced feeds around here for what you get. Been feeding to some lightweight heifers and used it on yearling bulls.

 

[tncattle]

The Performance grower is about one of the best priced feeds around here for what you get. Been feeding to some lightweight heifers and used it on yearling bulls.

Is it from "Performance Feeds"? What does it cost a ton right now?

 

[Farmgirl]

TB,

What do you think of urea in feed for calves 500 pounds and up? They are on pasture (no a lot of grass in this drought) and also hay free choice.

Thanks,
Farmgirl

 

[TexasBred]

TB,

What do you think of urea in feed for calves 500 pounds and up? They are on pasture (no a lot of grass in this drought) and also hay free choice.

Thanks,
Farmgirl

A little urea never hurts. It holds cost down some and leaves additional room in the formula for higher energy ingredeints. Look at the tag on your feed and right under the guarantee for crude protein should be a disclosure of the amount of NPN (urea) in the feed....shouldn't be over 2% equivalent protein.

 

[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

 

[tom4018]

The Performance grower is about one of the best priced feeds around here for what you get. Been feeding to some lightweight heifers and used it on yearling bulls.

Is it from "Performance Feeds"? What does it cost a ton right now?

Yes, $208 a ton last month.

 

[BC]

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.

 

[tncattle]

Two of the steers are around 880 lbs. and the other 3 are around 750-775. How long do you think it will take them to go through 3 tons of feed?

Also, they were last wormed in the late spring, should I worm them again before they start on the feed?

 

[chippie]

BC is right on the protine of the feed.an also you need tobe feeding them 10 to 12lbs of feed a hd a day plus hay.

How long 3 tons will last will depend on how much you are feeding daily. If you are feeding 5 steers 12 lbs each daily, that is 60 lbs per day.

3 tons would last 100 days.

 

[BC]

Two of the steers are around 880 lbs. and the other 3 are around 750-775. How long do you think it will take them to go through 3 tons of feed?

Also, they were last wormed in the late spring, should I worm them again before they start on the feed?

Considering their size, you will be feeding between 20 and 25 lbs. (2.5% of body weight) per head per day. 3 tons of feed will last between 48 and 60 days.

You should worm again as you place calves on feed.

 

[BC]

How long 3 tons will last will depend on how much you are feeding daily. If you are feeding 5 steers 12 lbs each daily, that is 60 lbs per day.

3 tons would last 100 days.

At 12 lbs a day would be around 1.5% of body weight. It takes 1% just for maintenance. To get gain you have to feed 2.25 to 3 percent of body weight.

 

[chippie]

Considering their size, you will be feeding between 20 and 25 lbs. (2.5% of body weight) per head per day. 3 tons of feed will last between 48 and 60 days.

You should worm again as you place calves on feed.

Ditto ^

We feed 10 lbs of feed twice daily per animal with equal amounts of hay.

 

[marksmu]

I just finished 2 steers about 3 weeks ago. We started them on free choice hay/water and 1% body weight grain that was a mixture of 50% corn, and 50% rye, oats,alfalfa pellets (740 and 752 lbs) That ramped up over a 2 week period until I was feeding 4% of their starting weight daily split between a morning and afternoon feeding. From there I increased the ration 1/4% per day or about a pound for what was supposed to be 110 days. I was shooting for 1000lbs as a finished weight. 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.

 

[BC]

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.

 

[tncattle]

I have some injectable wormer but and it says not to slaughter for at least 35 days after use. The two big ones will go at least 50-60 days after worming before slaughter but I might feel better with a pour on. Opinions please.

 

[TexasBred]

I have some injectable wormer but and it says not to slaughter for at least 35 days after use. The two big ones will go at least 50-60 days after worming before slaughter but I might feel better with a pour on. Opinions please.

Have you used Cydectin?? No milk nor meat withdrawal.

CYDECTIN® Pour-On for Beef and Dairy Cattle has changed the way parasites in cattle are controlled. Cattle treated with Cydectin can easily be recognized by a purple streak on their back, which remains for a short period of time after treatment. Cydectin also features no slaughter withdrawal or milk withholding when used according to label directions - 1 ml. per 22 pounds of body weight. This means treated cattle may be used for human consumption any time following treatment. Cydectin controls roundworms, lungworms, lice, grubs, horn flies and mites. It controls the brown stomach worm (Ostertagia ostertagi) for 28 days and the Dictyocaulus viviparus lungworm for 42 days after treatment.