Holstein Steers

[Nathan]

I have 100 acres of new ground that is covered in a rye grass / clover mixture, currently about 6 inches tall. I am considering turning out some 4 weight holstein steers. I am planning on selling the steers in August. Any advice??

P.S. I have much experience in cow / calf but am limited with stocker cattle.

 

[MikeC]

I have 100 acres of new ground that is covered in a rye grass / clover mixture, currently about 6 inches tall. I am considering turning out some 4 weight holstein steers. I am planning on selling the steers in August. Any advice??

P.S. I have much experience in cow / calf but am limited with stocker cattle.

That ryegrass and clover will be gone around the first of June. Plan for it.

Only other thing I would say is be sure they have been de-wormed and keep a good mineral in front of them.

Oh yea, I would put a little feed in front of them every few days or so.
It'll make it a whole lot easier when you gather them.

 

[Nathan]

Thanks, MIkeC

 

[K-SHIRES]

For maximum gains, utilize a reel of polytape and step-in posts to rotationaly graze or strip-graze steers. If you force them to eat their alotted amount, move them to new feed as often as your time schedule allows, you can either A) increase carrying capacity if land, and/or B) Make feed more palatible and fresh longer into the summer. Regrowth forage packs a lot more punch than matured out forage they have walked all over and crapped on. * You are probably already planning on this, and probably knew this* Anyways, only other recommendation is provide fly/pest control or will lose gains to steers fighting flies.
Good luck with venture.

 

[Stocker Steve]

It sounds like great pasture but Holsteins need to be bigger than beef breeds to do well on 100% grazed forage. I have had the best Holstein ADGs by turning out steers closer to 600 rather than 400 pounds. To avoid surprizes you will want to re weigh them a couple times and make changes if neccessary.

 

[Beefy]

i'd say be on the lookout for bloat if youve got clover.

 

[Nathan]

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming.

 

[Nathan]

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming.

 

[Nathan]

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming.

 

[auctionboy]

I have read a few articles aboat that weight holsteins and pasture. You can get the best gains per calf a day feeding some corn meal, but if are not hurting for space it maybe more profitable to go without If you have a cheap grain source I would feed them. I would try to make your group uniform as possible, and get them on a good vac program and it they are a large enough group get a premium at sale.

 

[K-SHIRES]

Nathan - Our holstein and cross steers go to Waukon, IA, and then on to IA and Nebraska where they are fed out. Buyers are more and more wanting to know that steers have had 9-way vac and(if not in the 9-way) vac for blackleg. They pay less or shy away from steers that don't have this. Don't know if that applies to your region, but suspect it would.

 

[PaMike]

I was raised around Hereford Cow/calfs, and I just started raising Holstein steers. I have gotten 1.5 lb/day gains on Holstein steers the same size as yours with just pasture,mineral, and good water. The Holstiens are different from "beef" battle. They seam to get bloated easier, and they will get sick off of anything poisonous you have in the field. They are also very noisey. We had some pass throughs in our fences that the beef cattle never found in 10 years. The holsteins found them with in a week, and I had to put some wire across to keep them in.