OSU Cowculator Problems/Questions

[Otha]

Here's the short story. We've got 2 steers on feed to be butchered in about 90 days. For the last 30 days they have been on free choice coastal bermuda hay that tested 15% protein and around 8 pounds of a finisher feed that claims 14% protein and 4% fat.
So I have been playing around with the Cowculator and can't seem to get it to show them gaining more than 1.6 ish pounds per day unless I plug in a unrealistically high feed intake on the hay. Changed the finisher feed amount from 5-20 pounds doesn't change much of anything. I need some help here, not sure what I am doing wrong or not understanding. Also looking at switching to a cheaper feed but need to figure out the Cowculator first before I know how changing the feed will affect things.
And if the Cowculator is correct then I just need to quit feeding the finisher all together because its costing several dollars a day.
Thanks.

 

[sstterry]

Here's the short story. We've got 2 steers on feed to be butchered in about 90 days. For the last 30 days they have been on free choice coastal bermuda hay that tested 15% protein and around 8 pounds of a finisher feed that claims 14% protein and 4% fat.
So I have been playing around with the Cowculator and can't seem to get it to show them gaining more than 1.6 ish pounds per day unless I plug in a unrealistically high feed intake on the hay. Changed the finisher feed amount from 5-20 pounds doesn't change much of anything. I need some help here, not sure what I am doing wrong or not understanding. Also looking at switching to a cheaper feed but need to figure out the Cowculator first before I know how changing the feed will affect things.
And if the Cowculator is correct then I just need to quit feeding the finisher all together because its costing several dollars a day.
Thanks.

In my opinion, if you are finishing them, you need to move away from the protein and more to carbohydrates with more grain. @Jeanne - Simme Valley recommends finishing on straight WSC.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Think it's expensive now?
I've been carrying a buckets of feed to mine for about a year now....
It was much cheaper last year!

Shes gained well. Eating the heck outta corn now!

 

[Otha]

In my opinion, if you are finishing them, you need to move away from the protein and more to carbohydrates with more grain. @Jeanne - Simme Valley recommends finishing on straight WSC.

I could be completely wrong here in my thinking but the Starch in the WSC will make there gut not process the hay right? I was hoping to utilize that high protein hay (it's last years so it's affordable) as the base of the feed program and just supplement some to add some gain per day.

 

[Son of Butch]

Here's the short story. We've got 2 steers on feed to be butchered in about 90 days. For the last 30 days they have been on free choice coastal bermuda hay that tested 15% protein and around 8 pounds of a finisher feed that claims 14% protein and 4% fat.
And if the Cowculator is correct then I just need to quit feeding the finisher all together because its costing several dollars a day.
Thanks.

Cowculator information must be entered wrong or some other misunderstanding.
A small operator's input costs will always be a lot higher than commercial producer.

BUT, for best finishing they need to be eating 2% of body weight in corn either ground or whole (I didn't say it would be the most economical way) only a couple of pounds of hay per day to keep the rumen moving. I'd suggest adding 2 lbs of corn each every Monday and Friday (4 lbs week) until they are eating all of the corn they want which will be at least 2% of body weight. Expensive, but will get the job done.

 

[MurraysMutts]

15% protein hay should provide enough.

But u need calories to add fat/marbling. Corn works good!

 

[sstterry]

I could be completely wrong here in my thinking but the Starch in the WSC will make there gut not process the hay right? I was hoping to utilize that high protein hay (it's last years so it's affordable) as the base of the feed program and just supplement some to add some gain per day.

It is an incremental process, you start slow and build up. They need hay for the rumen to function properly, but your eventual goal is to use the excess energy to store fat in the tissue and create the marbleing.

 

[Otha]

Cowculator information must be entered wrong or some other misunderstanding.
A small operator's input costs will always be a lot higher than commercial producer.

BUT, for best finishing they need to be eating 2% of body weight in corn either ground or whole (I didn't say it would be the most economical way) only a couple of pounds of hay per day to keep the rumen moving. I'd suggest adding 2 lbs of corn each every Monday and Friday (4 lbs week) until they are eating all of the corn they want which will be at least 2% of body weight. Expensive, but will get the job done.

Do you recommend straight corn because it's cheaper than a finisher feed would be? The big feed lots don't finish on straight corn and hay so I would assume there is some advantage to a mixed feed?

 

[Son of Butch]

Do you recommend straight corn because it's cheaper than a finisher feed would be? The big feed lots don't finish on straight corn and hay so I would assume there is some advantage to a mixed feed?

I'd keep the finisher in... but start adding more and more corn, thereby replacing the hay, until they were eating only 1-3 lbs of hay per day.

 

[callmefence]

I probably shouldn't comment here as I don't consider myself knowledgeable on final finishing. And I don't wiegh.
I do feed a beef , usually a heifer, and a couple of hogs every year.
By the time I have a beef within 4-6 weeks of D-Day I want it eating almost nothing but corn. It'll have hay but it's getting enough corn it doesn't eat much.
Hogs that goes back to weaning.
Tried it different and i like what I get better feeding almost all corn.

 

[Otha]

I probably shouldn't comment here as I don't consider myself knowledgeable on final finishing. And I don't wiegh.
I do feed a beef , usually a heifer, and a couple of hogs every year.
By the time I have a beef within 4-6 weeks of D-Day I want it eating almost nothing but corn. It'll have hay but it's getting enough corn it doesn't eat much.
Hogs that goes back to weaning.
Tried it different and i like what I get better feeding almost all corn.

Well sounds like I just need to go the corn route as most recommend it and enjoy the meat produced.
I would enjoy trying a bunch of different methods. I had really planned to have these animals on wheat/peas this spring and sudan/peas all summer but the drought messed those plans up. I guess I could have them out on what sudan is there. We have been watering it some but I don't want the risk of losing an animal to prussic acid when I only have two going to the butcher. Maybe it'll rain next year and I can do some experimenting.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yes, I always recommend whole shell corn vs cracked/processed corn. You will SEE the corn in the manure. Don't worry about it. Cracked corn is in the manure, you just don't SEE it.
If just starting on grain, you start with 1% body wt. Slowly increase to 3% BW.
Think of meat and potatoes. Meat is protein. Potatoes are carbs. Carbs puts on fat. Cattle must put so much OUTSIDE fat before their body will make marbling.
Feedlots don't feed straight corn, but they can buy by-products cheap to stretch it.
Don't limit your hay. They will limit it on their own. Do not add protein feed.
I am not a nutritionist, but my husband was, and this is what he taught me.

 

[SBMF 2015]

increase to 3% BW.

Can you get a 1,000lb str to eat 30lbs of corn? I used to figure that's about what they were eating when I turned them in on a self feeder at around 1,200.

 

[Otha]

One more question about the WSC. What is the normal feed conversion rate for WSC. Trying to figure some cost. @Jeanne - Simme Valley @Son of Butch

 

[Son of Butch]

The feed value of shelled corn is the same whether processed (cracked, ground or rolled) or fed whole. It makes no difference when finishing steers, but other animals such as calves and dairy cows benefit from having it processed for them.
Ear corn of course needs to be ground because of the cob which adds fiber, but lowers the overall feed value on a pound for pound basis.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

There may be up to 8% difference in efficiency between WSC & cracked - but - generally always looking at WSC COSTS less than the 8% diff. And the 8% is probably more accurate with calves and dairy milking cows.
It is really difficult to get them to consume 3% BW - but - if you can - it is supposed to be safe. There are lots of gutless wonders that would be playing heck to consume 2% BW including hay/grass.
Steers will tend to limit themselves on the amount of hay they eat, simply because they "generally" PREFER the grain. They only have so much room to store food. I have hay or grass available 24/7. And you will get some steers/heifers that prefer grass/hay over grain. That's great if we're talking a replacement - but defeats the purpose if it's a steer we're trying to grain finish.

 

[Walking W]

Here's the short story. We've got 2 steers on feed to be butchered in about 90 days. For the last 30 days they have been on free choice coastal bermuda hay that tested 15% protein and around 8 pounds of a finisher feed that claims 14% protein and 4% fat.
So I have been playing around with the Cowculator and can't seem to get it to show them gaining more than 1.6 ish pounds per day unless I plug in a unrealistically high feed intake on the hay. Changed the finisher feed amount from 5-20 pounds doesn't change much of anything. I need some help here, not sure what I am doing wrong or not understanding. Also looking at switching to a cheaper feed but need to figure out the Cowculator first before I know how changing the feed will affect things.
And if the Cowculator is correct then I just need to quit feeding the finisher all together because its costing several dollars a day.
Thanks.

I've been reading the replies. Lots of good info on finishing here. I use the University of Arkansas Grower Ration Balancer spreadsheet program. I can attach it it, if anyone would like.
The mix I came up with using their spreadsheet that was easy for me to obtain in bags and provided the needed energy, protein, minerals and vitamins was about 3 to 1 WSC/12% sweet feed plus hay or grazing. Slowly adding the mix a couple of pounds each week until the 2% of body weight is obtained. Watch out for acidosis, if you push it too fast.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am not a feedlot guy we just feed out one for us.
Grain raises their body temperature and the just quit gaining well in this environment.
I always like to have mine ready to go to slaughter late January or February, this allows me to pour the corn to them staring about October.

 

[Otha]

I am not a feedlot guy we just feed out one for us.
Grain raises their body temperature and the just quit gaining well in this environment.
I always like to have mine ready to go to slaughter late January or February, this allows me to pour the corn to them staring about October.

I don't like trying to finish them in this heat. Will defiantly be changing things for next time.

 

[Otha]

Ya'll have given me some great advice about finishing steers. Thanks for that. However we haven't solved my original problem yet. I was asking about the cowculator spread sheet or something similar being used to help formulate a feed ration for finishing steers. Even if I do feed corn as suggested it would be nice to plug things into the spread sheet to get a cost per day and COG along with expected daily weight gain. I want to be able to play around with the feed ration to dial in a COG and Daily gain that meets my time line and budget.
A big part of why I am asking the question is because I have this 15% hay which is cheap feed and should be plenty good enough to help put some weight on. Unless I am not understanding something.
Thanks for any further advice.