I have 4 steers which I am finishing on 14% purina sweet feed for nine weeks. My angus will be approx. 1200 lbs. This is what my feed store recomends. It's easy to handle and get so I like that. Is this a good choice? how about for the quality of meat? any input would be appreciated.
Finishing with sweet feed
- Thread starter Woodman
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D.R. Cattle
Well-known member
Interesting topic. Of all the calves I've sold over the years, I haven't finished very many for myself. Anyone with info on the recipe for tender and flavorful results please speak up. I've got 2 freezerbounds on grass right now.
Hobby Hereford
Active member
14% sweetfeed and steamed (also called flaked corn in this area) corn
is what we finish with and have always had melt in your mouth meat.
is what we finish with and have always had melt in your mouth meat.
TXBobcat
Well-known member
D.R. Cattle":1ui6ox6n said:
We just had a Longhorn steer butchered a few months ago. He was on feed for 120 days and I fed him a beef builder product, which is just a sweet feed. The last 30 days I also added some flaked corn to the ration. I also gave him a small amount of sudan hay each day to keep the rumen working. I started him out at around 6-8 lbs of feed a day and slowly ramped it up to 20+ lbs a day as his appetite increased.
As far as the final product, I was really suprised with the meat quality and taste. I was not expecting anything spectacular (being a Longhorn), but the meat turned out to be very flavorful and there was not a lot of fat.
Good for you, and tastes great!
I read a paper a few years back. Think I may have told yal'll this befor. But it was completed at Texas Tech Univ. at their meats lab. It stated that the last 90 days of feed cattle eat dramattically changes the flavor. Higher grain supposed to result in better flavor. Can't rember were I saw this at to back that up. But I also saw a man on RFD TV's Cattle Show talk of the same thing. The show was the one that was at the Chi. ranch in Texas.
Scotty
Scotty
The label states grain products but doesn't specify the amount of corn. Theres some that you can see but it's primarily pellets. coarse 14% protein. I also give hay. I keep hearing about corn finished meat and it makes me wonder. I'm isolated and surrounded by sprawl you guys are my lifeline. Thanks for the replies.
Oldtimer
Well-known member
In our part of the country corn is not very plentiful-- Many feed out their cattle on barley -- I like using a rolled mixture of 50% barley 50% oats-- the oats adds a little more bulk and decreases the chances of an animal foundering or bloating..also are fed grass hay........
Jake
Well-known member
that Japanese Kobe beef is fed on the left overs from beer making.... I'd guess that would mean barley, right?
MrBilly
Well-known member
We hand feed black Angus influenced steers for customers each year. We use a custom feed which is given to them twice per day. It is just shy of 1/2 crimped corn, has oats , soybean Meal, cottonseed hulls, molasses, vitamins, etc. We feed at 2.5-3.0% of body wt. and we go slowly taking 5 to 6 months to finish - we use visual inspection and weight to determine when to quit. Most are right at 1150 lb at harvest. They they are harvested and dry aged for 17 days, wow is it good. The animals remain on pasture and get free choice hay once the grass goes dormant. We do this in the fall and winter only.
Billy :clap:
Billy :clap:
greenwillowherefords
Well-known member
I have raised several beeves, with no disappointments. I have used Munding non-medicated show feed one year, Moorman FastForward show feed one year, (along with Tindle Sweet 12) and this is the second time I am using Tindle Superstock 12% protein. It has quite a bit of corn in it, and the steer is growing VERY well. I always try to add more corn near the end, but I have trouble getting them to clean the non-sweetened corn up. The first steer I raised on Coop Dairy texture sweet 16%, and that worked well too. As long as you feed quality feed to a quality calf, the result will likely be good.
Sundown Land & Livest
Member
I read alot about finishing on grain the last 90 days. However I am basing my feeding more on a desired weight than on timing. Is there an estimated weight that should indicate when to start grain, if I want to butcher at 1100-1200 lbs?
Todd
Todd
greenwillowherefords
Well-known member
Sundown Land & Livest":1vj9lv8e said:
My steer seems to be averaging close to 4 pounds per day gain, on about 17 pounds of feed, and some hay. If you know about what performance your genetics can generate, you can make an educated guess at how long it will take to get him where you want him, and where to start. In my case, four and a quarter pounds of feed is producing a pound of gain with a little help from the limited hay. How much he gains depends on how much he is fed, and how efficiently he converts it.
Medic24
Well-known member
Woodman":2x0czgpy said:
Well, this was my first time ever raising cattle let alone finishing them off for butcher. They started off as 600 lbs heifers when I purchased them and I left them on strictly grass for all but the last 75 days. The last 75 days I put them over to cracked corn and husks. They were given a 50lb bag of this feed each day for 75 days. We then let them hang for 14 days and I have to tell you, the meat rivals any of the best steakhouses I have ever been to. I only took one side and sold the other 3 to family and they all concur that they have had none better. I hope this helps!
Bob
Bob
