Bryan, I have been doing this for a long time, but on a small scale. Husband was a nutritionist, so everything I do was taught by him.
You know the saying? KISS WSC is the cheapest way to feed corn. Yes, you will see the kernels in the manure - but, if you had the ability to screen the cracked corn manure - you will find just as much. There is an 8% better efficiency if you feed cracked corn. If you can buy your WSC for more than a 8% difference, you are money ahead. Around here, this is dairy country. If I try to buy "cracked" corn - it is pulverized. Feed a lot of powder. Would HAVE to add molasses or it would blow away if you fed outside.
I do not feed cows any grain - grass & hay.
I only feedout 3-5 steers each year for freezer trade - only my fall born males. I only feed them WSC and some protein pellets. The only adjustment I do is add more corn to the % fed so I am slowly lowering the protein. The steers have grass all summer, then about the last 60 days, they just have good dry 2nd cut grass hay - free choice.
I feed replacement heifers the exact same formula. I just limit them to 5#/hd/day throughout the winter until they are bred in the spring and they get turned out on pasture. They are now COWS - and don't get grain.
I show cattle - so they get grain throughout the whole show season (May - October). I mix WSC, oats, filler pellets & protein pellets. Individuals will get more oats added to their feed if they don't need to put on weight. I do NOT get my breeding/show animals fat. Fat will ruin a female. Every cell in her udder that gets fat in it prior to being bred will NEVER produce milk.
I do not feed lots of grain to the show cattle. Weaned calves generally get about 6# of the mixture a day. I have a cow that is a super easy keeper. She gets a full scoop of oats and 3/4 scoop of mix (a scoop of corn is about 3#), and all the hay she wants.
Under my KISS formula, this 3 yr old cow has won 6 Supremes this year making her the winningest beef animal in the state. Her nursing heifer calf has won 2 Grand Champions. We couldn't get the heifer to eat ANY grain until about 4 weeks ago. She gets 50% oats & 50% ration but can only eat 1/2 scoop/feeding. Heifer calf weighs 875# - long past due to wean but we have 1 more big show to go to this weekend. Will be flushing the cow after she calves.
You can make it as complicated as you want - or not.
