This isn't a cattle-fattening mix. Or didn't start out to be. I came up with this as a medium to get oil and biotin into my horses, These condition the coat, the skin, and best of all their hooves. Horses do not require a lot of feed, and so many people do not understand this, Horses were designed to continuously feed on low-quality marginal forage. It is dangerous to their long term health to feed them quantities of grain. I have had horses for 52 years now, I have NEVER kept one in a stall. They do NOT wear blankets, and are NOT ever hauled in an enclosed trailer, In 52 years, I have never had one colic. My horses eat grass and hay, free choice. The ONLY time they are ever in a stall, is waiting their turn for the farrier or vet, etc.
Like I said, I use oil and biotin to keep them slick and shiny. Every day, I feed them a mix of a quart of oats, an 8 oz can pg whole corn, an 8 oz can of cracked corn ( this is my fly control program, The corn in the manure is pecked out by the chickens, spread out and dries up, Any maggots in it at all, also get eaten by the chickens.) an 8 oz can of B.O.S.S>, 8 oz of beet pulp pellet, 8oz of alfalfa pellets, and I crush up alfalfa cubes into a 16 oz can. This is used as binder for the mix. I put 3 oz of wheat germ oil, 3 oz of rice bran oil, 2 oz of Red Cell, and 4 oz of corn oil in it. Then I add a scoop ( I use a Mr,. Coffee scoop of 100% biotin crumbles, which is 3 oz I think) and a jigger (1 and 1l2 oz, isn't it) of loose minerals salt. And I put in a cop, 8 0z, of brown sugar. I have an industrial, commercial, stainless steel mixer I mix it all in, and put each serving in gallon zip lock bag. I feed them a bag inside their stall every day, just to get them in the habit of coming to the barn when they see me, and going into their respective stalls. They are in the stalls 15-20 mins,.
A few years back, a friend that showed horses with us, remarked that his kids were gonna show a calf that year, and wondered if we could make a similar mix for it, and if it would have similar results. I modified it for cattle by using a half gallon of oats, half gallon of corn, (whole and/or cracked) doubling all other items except the biotin. This mix he added ro whatever he was feeding them every day, and yes, it did wonders for their coats as well. This is what I am feeding those two heifers now, along with free choice bermuda hay.
All of the stuff in this mix is good for them...cows or horses, ..but it is oil and biotin, that is working the magic. If there were an easy way to get just this oil and the biotin in them, I wouldn't bother with the feed.