Implants

[J]

OK I think after getting several opinions I have decided to just go to the sale barn and buy what has pontential. Steers, heifers, bred cows or pairs.
My next questions are:
Have any of you ever used implants?
What were your results?
Can you implant a bred cow or even an open cow for that matter?
I assume there is a withdrawl time with some of them, depending on which one you use, but do I need to notify anyone at the time of sale. (sale barn)

 

[jt]

OK I think after getting several opinions I have decided to just go to the sale barn and buy what has pontential. Steers, heifers, bred cows or pairs.
My next questions are:
Have any of you ever used implants?
What were your results?
Can you implant a bred cow or even an open cow for that matter?
I assume there is a withdrawl time with some of them, depending on which one you use, but do I need to notify anyone at the time of sale. (sale barn)

never heard of implanting cows... growth implants are used on calves. not bull calves though, steers only. cut the bulls first. and on replacement heifers some say dont use em, some say you can use them while the calf is still nursing..

jt

 

[memanpa]

why use them at all?????
steriods are steroids!!! regardless of who uses them!!!!! human or animal!!!!
i don't want them in my food supply!!!!! nor would i want any of my friends to have them :x :x :x :x

 

[Carlos D.]

I agree -we should have some responsibility to the consumer --having just come through this mad cow thing-- NEVER in my wildest dreams would I consider feeding remanants of dead animals to my cows; feed mills however ,considered this just the way it should be . And god knows what goes into hog feed thats why I have 1 old sow and raise a litter of pigs every year-in the barn yard no problem getting $50.00 extra for these pigs

 

[Medic24]

There are several manufacturers of implants...........some containing saline and others still make the silicone type. I would certainly discuss the differences with your doctor before
i chose either one. personally, I am a fan of what ever mother nature blessed you with......i even prefer the disadvantaged ones...........oh hold on a sec...let me re-read that.........oooohh. ok... your talking about growth implants....ok, now I get it. :idea:

Well, much like the above. paragraph.......why bother? :cboy:

 

[denoginnizer]

I used them this year in my calves. I wont use them again because ,to me, amount of aggravation doesnt justify the amount of gain. Also, after you implant your heifers I have heard that you shouldnt keep them for breeding. If the market changes and you decide that would like to keep a few heifers you dont have the option if they are implanted. I agree that we should be aware of what consumers want. One of the things I hear, most often, at the grocery store is they want cheaper beef. I have no problem eating beef that is implanted with them and they are not steroids but the end doesnt justify the means in my operation.

 

[Bez]

Yup - I have implanted steers and had excellent results.

I would venture to say that the majority of commercial beef purchased through your major stores has been implanted - more and faster growth - hence a better return on the animal.

I have never heard of implanting breeding stock - too much chance of possible problems in my opinion.

Europeans will not accept implanted beef into their system so there is not a large trade between them and North America.

Mind you they do take some beef in - and they produce a surprizing amount themselves.

Bez

 

[Susie David]

Sorry don't use them....we sell natural beef to select customer base. Susie

 

[SF]

My opinion regarding implants "Don't use them".
If you want a better growth rate, then do a better job at buying your breeding stock (better genetics to start with) and look at your feed sources.

 

[Chuckie]

Medic24, that was the first thing that went through my mind when I saw "Implants." You can be on unemployment and go to the bank and get a loan to purchase a set. Now everybody has em.'
On the implants for the cows, I have never used them. Maybe someone will say something to sway me one way or another.

 

[Texan]

why use them at all?????
steriods are steroids!!! regardless of who uses them!!!!! human or animal!!!!
i don't want them in my food supply!!!!! nor would i want any of my friends to have them :x :x :x :x

Memanpa, judging from the excessive use of exclamation points and also from the four little mad facies you used, you sure seem to have a lot of anger over this subject. You almost sound like one of the wacko, agenda-pushing, tree-hugging, dope-smoking, salad-eating, old hippies. Surely not, though. On the other hand, I have a different viewpoint---

I'm glad that cattle feeders and backgrounders have tools such as implants to help my cattle be more efficient for them. A better chance of profits for those segments means a better chance of profits for those of us that count them as customers. Assuming that profit is a concern for you.

 

[jt]

there was a write up a few months back in one of the cattle magazines i receive about the added benefits implants provide to calf producers.

and whether any of us like it or not, calves get implanted.

jt

 

[Bama]

What about chicken? All the chicken we eat nowadays from a grocery store has been feed with special growth hormones. Whats the differant's. Unless a speciality market comes into the picture feedlots are going to continue to make em grow as fast as they can.

 

[Bez]

What about chicken? All the chicken we eat nowadays from a grocery store has been feed with special growth hormones. Whats the differant's. Unless a speciality market comes into the picture feedlots are going to continue to make em grow as fast as they can.

Bama - wife ships 30,000 birds to market every week. Do not know about the U.S. of A. - but in this country they are not fed the way you state.

Not only have I seen the ingredient list, which is mostly pure grains - certainly no hormones - but I have eaten the birds - pretty good as far as I am concerned.

Bez

 

[Bez]

there was a write up a few months back in one of the cattle magazines i receive about the added benefits implants provide to calf producers.

and whether any of us like it or not, calves get implanted.

jt

jt - the vast majority of commercial herds and feed lots use implants.

Buy it in the store you are likely eating beef that has been implanted.

Bez

 

[jt]

there was a write up a few months back in one of the cattle magazines i receive about the added benefits implants provide to calf producers.

and whether any of us like it or not, calves get implanted.

jt

jt - the vast majority of commercial herds and feed lots use implants.

Buy it in the store you are likely eating beef that has been implanted.

Bez

yep, i know. i use em on my calves that are headed to the feedlot..

jt

 

[sidney411]

It is a proven fact that implanting steers and heifers increases their ADG. You can google the reports all day long if you want more information on it. You can pretty much guarantee that your calves that go into a general feedlot situation will be implanted unless you are in a special type program or sell the beef yourself. If you are selling at the auction or private treaty to a buyer, etc. why not get the extra gain yourself and extra money in your pocket. It only takes a few more seconds per calf to implant them when you are cutting/banding, ear tagging, or vaccinating. What you are implanting is not a steriod BTW, although most if not all implants are synthetic, it is a hormone that would naturally be found in the body. Untill the feedlot business changes their outlook and decides that more gain does not equal more profit then you are lieing to yourself in thinking that if you don't implant your calves that they won't be implanted.

 

[J]

It is a proven fact that implanting steers and heifers increases their ADG. You can google the reports all day long if you want more information on it. You can pretty much guarantee that your calves that go into a general feedlot situation will be implanted unless you are in a special type program or sell the beef yourself. If you are selling at the auction or private treaty to a buyer, etc. why not get the extra gain yourself and extra money in your pocket. It only takes a few more seconds per calf to implant them when you are cutting/banding, ear tagging, or vaccinating. What you are implanting is not a steriod BTW, although most if not all implants are synthetic, it is a hormone that would naturally be found in the body. Untill the feedlot business changes their outlook and decides that more gain does not equal more profit then you are lieing to yourself in thinking that if you don't implant your calves that they won't be implanted.

That was kind of my thinking when I posted this subject. I have only implanted a few head myself, for other people. I didn't see the final results so that was why I was asking, but as far as the inconvience of doing it I didn't really see one and frankly don't understand why more people don't do it. It only took a few seconds. I am considering doing it to the few stockers that I plan to buy each year so SF's opinion is probably right if you plan to take the breeding route but even then why not go ahead and do it? After all you are paid by the pound. I looked on the Beef Quality Assurance website and it doesn't say anything about not using them. To me it's kind of like diggin post holes. Yeah you could do it with your bare hands or post dole diggers or even an auger on the back of a tractor, I guess it just depends on what results you want.

 

[SF]

It is a proven fact that implanting steers and heifers increases their ADG. You can google the reports all day long if you want more information on it. You can pretty much guarantee that your calves that go into a general feedlot situation will be implanted unless you are in a special type program or sell the beef yourself. If you are selling at the auction or private treaty to a buyer, etc. why not get the extra gain yourself and extra money in your pocket. It only takes a few more seconds per calf to implant them when you are cutting/banding, ear tagging, or vaccinating. What you are implanting is not a steriod BTW, although most if not all implants are synthetic, it is a hormone that would naturally be found in the body. Untill the feedlot business changes their outlook and decides that more gain does not equal more profit then you are lieing to yourself in thinking that if you don't implant your calves that they won't be implanted.

That was kind of my thinking when I posted this subject. I have only implanted a few head myself, for other people. I didn't see the final results so that was why I was asking, but as far as the inconvience of doing it I didn't really see one and frankly don't understand why more people don't do it. It only took a few seconds. I am considering doing it to the few stockers that I plan to buy each year so SF's opinion is probably right if you plan to take the breeding route but even then why not go ahead and do it? After all you are paid by the pound. I looked on the Beef Quality Assurance website and it doesn't say anything about not using them. To me it's kind of like diggin post holes. Yeah you could do it with your bare hands or post dole diggers or even an auger on the back of a tractor, I guess it just depends on what results you want.

J; Shouldn't implant heifers that are being kept for replacements. Many of the implant lables indicate this information also. Next, consider who you are going to market to. There are market alternatives to the general feedlot. Many of these pay a premium for cattle that will fit into the natural beef or organic beef programs.

There are many consumers who will pay a premium for natural meat products. Another avenue to consider.

 

[J]

It is a proven fact that implanting steers and heifers increases their ADG. You can google the reports all day long if you want more information on it. You can pretty much guarantee that your calves that go into a general feedlot situation will be implanted unless you are in a special type program or sell the beef yourself. If you are selling at the auction or private treaty to a buyer, etc. why not get the extra gain yourself and extra money in your pocket. It only takes a few more seconds per calf to implant them when you are cutting/banding, ear tagging, or vaccinating. What you are implanting is not a steriod BTW, although most if not all implants are synthetic, it is a hormone that would naturally be found in the body. Untill the feedlot business changes their outlook and decides that more gain does not equal more profit then you are lieing to yourself in thinking that if you don't implant your calves that they won't be implanted.

That was kind of my thinking when I posted this subject. I have only implanted a few head myself, for other people. I didn't see the final results so that was why I was asking, but as far as the inconvience of doing it I didn't really see one and frankly don't understand why more people don't do it. It only took a few seconds. I am considering doing it to the few stockers that I plan to buy each year so SF's opinion is probably right if you plan to take the breeding route but even then why not go ahead and do it? After all you are paid by the pound. I looked on the Beef Quality Assurance website and it doesn't say anything about not using them. To me it's kind of like diggin post holes. Yeah you could do it with your bare hands or post dole diggers or even an auger on the back of a tractor, I guess it just depends on what results you want.

J; Shouldn't implant heifers that are being kept for replacements. Many of the implant lables indicate this information also. Next, consider who you are going to market to. There are market alternatives to the general feedlot. Many of these pay a premium for cattle that will fit into the natural beef or organic beef programs.

There are many consumers who will pay a premium for natural meat products. Another avenue to consider.

Thanks for the options SF.