new to feedlot

[aquajon]

i have a few cows that i want to put in the feedlot to get ready for slaughtering in the spring. what is the best way to feed them? lots of sweet feed and some hay or all sweet feed? right now they are eating in the pasture and get a few lbs of sweet feed a day it is 12% protein mix that i pick up from the local feed store. i have been told to never let there feeder go empty. any help is great.

 

[gerardplauche]

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. Sweet feed mixed with hay is a good diet for "soon-to-slaughter" cattle.

 

[dun]

Unless the sweetfeed is meant to be fed as the only feed source it won;t have the fiber that cattle require to keep their guts functioning properly.
I would only feed about 2% of their weight in the grain mix and free choice hay. If you do decide to feed at the 2% rate up the amount (not the percentage) as they gain weight.