Limo Heifer Feed Schedule?

[Northline]

This is my May 17/15 heifer that I plan on showing next year. She is about 400lbs at 4 months old and is nursing with free range to decent pasture and 14% calf ration. I know that naturally she will grow to a good size without feed like my past show heifers (1200lbs at a year and a half) but I'm looking to really fill her out and make her look like some of the giant heifers you'll see at the Royal. Does anyone have any suggestions about feeding schedule? I know how to work with cattle I am just new with the nutrition end of things. I appreciate the help!

 

[VCC]

Those giant heifers are fed hard, to the point some might never make a decent cow, there is also the birth date issue, your 12 month heifer might be 2 months younger than the 12 month old heifer next to her.

Feed her a good starter /developer, higher protein and less fat (14 / 3) and plenty of roughage, you can add cotton seed hulls or beat pulp to get some volume on her. Just make sure you don't get her to fat if you plan on using her for a cow down the line. You really walk a fine line between keeping them right and pushing them too far when it comes to show heifers.

 

[Northline]

Those giant heifers are fed hard, to the point some might never make a decent cow, there is also the birth date issue, your 12 month heifer might be 2 months younger than the 12 month old heifer next to her.

Feed her a good starter /developer, higher protein and less fat (14 / 3) and plenty of roughage, you can add cotton seed hulls or beat pulp to get some volume on her. Just make sure you don't get her to fat if you plan on using her for a cow down the line. You really walk a fine line between keeping them right and pushing them too far when it comes to show heifers.

Thank you for the info and warning! To prevent fatness but still get size via muscles (she's a thick solid heifer, not much fat to her) should I be walking her a couple miles a day kind of thing or do you just suggest feeding her enough to make her a decent size but not massive like the other show calves you'll see? I also have a steer I am showing as well, should I put the feed to him since he won't have the issue of calving troubles and such? Thanks again!

 

[shortybreeder]

I'm not claiming to be a nutrition expert or a show expert, my experience is somewhat limited compared to others, but I feel like my feeding schedule is really starting to get on track. That said, I currently have a May 1 15 heifer that I am feeding, and I'm targeting for her to get 15lbs/day of beef show grower (off brand of Honor Chow, same recipe but whole corn instead of steam-flaked corn) with about 2-3lbs of Precon at the bottom of the feed pan that she can eat if she wants (sort of free-choice, but limited amount) along with free-choice hay available 24/7. I have had a few comments about her being "good-sized for her age" though I think at the national level she's still going to be small. Just a little point of reference. Also, VC is probably one of the best references on here, so I'm not going to argue with anything he said, but I have heard that it is best to keep the younger calves on Purina Precon and wait until they are closer to yearlings before switching to beet pulp.

VC, could you please give your opinion on when to switch from Precon to Beet Pulp? I'm a little unsure when I should do it myself, we plan to show at NAILE and possibly NWSS. Should I switch before NAILE, between the 2, or after NWSS? Thanks!

 

[VCC]

You want to feed your heifer, you want her to grow and have volume just not get fat, she needs the protein to grow just not a lot of fat. Good coarse hay free fed is a great way to get them to add volume (guts), the beet pulp or one of the supplements on the market like Ruma-fill or Full Tank will help. Have herd Ramu-Fill works really well, I have never used it myself. On the steer he needs to be getting 3 percent of his body weight in grain a day, 14/3 until het hits 900 then a feed that is around 13/4 the rest of the time, I would add Stabilized Rice bran as well on the steer for those last 3 months, 2 pounds a day.

As long as they are in the fast growth stage I would not feed the beet pulp, once they stop growing up and start filling out that is when I would add a little of the beet pulp or some other type of filler. (I really prefer to fill them up on hay, we have a 3-way grain hay available around here and it will add volume better than most filler in my opinion) The filler is great for show time; a heifer that does it naturally is the best.

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