Question about Steer

[LaurenE]

I have a question about my show steer. This is the same one that I have written about in prior posts. He now weighs according to the weight tape to be about 800 pounds, and he is gaining well, but he is still not doing as well as I would like on the corn feed we are feeding. All of the other steers and heifers are eating it fine and have had no problems, but he still has a loose stool after feeding it to him for about a month and a half now. I only give him approximately 1 1/2 scoops (3 qt scoop) each feeding with about 6 or so scoops of Purina Fitters Edge. He also gets as much coastal hay as he wants when he gets let out every to every other day. Should I give him some probios? He loves the corn and will eat as much as he can of it, but I just dont know it anybody else has had this problem with feeding their cattle a high energy corn mash? Should I up the corn and hope that his system gets used to it and just give him as much hay as he wants? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[businessbreed]

if he's not finishing i would up the corn. if he likes it let him eat it.

 

[Anonymous]

Get some shreded beet pulp and start with 1/4 scoop per feeding. The beet pulp will help firm him up. We feed beet pulp to all of our show calves. It helps keep them firm and helps their gut because of the fiber.

 

[jkwilson]

Be a little more specific on what the feed is. Protein level etc. I'd also be a little concerned about hay only every other day. He should have a little every day to maintain consistent digestion.

 

[LaurenE]

I am not exactly sure of what kind of feed it is. It is what our show friends recommended us feeding and they pick it up for us. I doesn't come in a bag, they just go and fill barrels. All it looks like is ground up corn, so powder and some larger pieces. We are actually feeding beet pulp already and he really does like it. I upped him a little bit today, so I will check and see how he is doing tomorrow. Thanks for all of your help.

 

[milkmaid]

Be a little more specific on what the feed is. Protein level etc. I'd also be a little concerned about hay only every other day. He should have a little every day to maintain consistent digestion.

Ditto. They need roughage (aka "hay") in their diet on a regular basis for proper digestion. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Some people limit feed the hay - I like hay of some sort in front of them 24/7.

 

[Bez!]

I am not exactly sure of what kind of feed it is. It is what our show friends recommended us feeding and they pick it up for us. I doesn't come in a bag, they just go and fill barrels. All it looks like is ground up corn, so powder and some larger pieces. We are actually feeding beet pulp already and he really does like it. I upped him a little bit today, so I will check and see how he is doing tomorrow. Thanks for all of your help.

When you show this animal and the judge has to make a call between two animals that are very close - he will ask you some questions.

The first one might be - What do you feed this animal?

Your answer - I am not exactly sure of what kind of feed it is. :shock: :?:

You just rang his bell. It is time you know EVERYTHING about your animal.

What it's habits are, how it drinks, how often it drinks, how it eats, what it likes to eat, how many times it chews each mouthful. And much, much more.

When you show an animal you will have questions - like you have tonight. You also have to provide information.

You should have an entire list of ingredients in this unknown feed. You should know its caloric content, its protein content, where it is mixed and especially what it costs.

Time for you to get with the ENTIRE program if you truly want to succeed. Otherwise this animal - a living breathing creature - becomes just another THING.

Sheesh - why do you even have this animal?

Hard nosed? Yeah - perhaps I am - but you do need to think about things a bit. Be glad you were raised by someone who actually knew what you were eating.

Bez!

 

[msscamp]

As usual, Bez! hit the nail on the head.

 

[LaurenE]

Just because I am not sure of what type of supplemental corn feed I am feeding does not mean that I am completely incompetent on raising a steer. This is my first year showing and I am being told what is best for me to do and I am doing just that. I do appreciate those who are making an effort to help me instead of those who are just shooting me down. Don't you think that if you truly wanted to help someone, that the best way to do it is to point out the problem and then make the best solution to that problem instead of calling them out on everything that they are doing wrong and then stating that they have no place being where they are? I came to this board to learn more about keeping cattle, but I guess that I better make sure that I know everything there is to know about the cattle world before I make an attempt to ask another question, but then why would I even need your help, because I would have no questions. Again, I am very thankful to all of you who have helped me to actually learn more then I did when I first got involved in cattle and I intend to continue my questions, and I do not appreciate those who are so "hard-nosed" that they can't even realize that they were a beginner at something once and that they also had stupid questions before they learned from their mistakes and overcame their novice position.

 

[certherfbeef]

Look Lauren, if you are gonna hang around here and ask for advise from these old cowpunchers than you are gonna have to learn how to take a knock or two.
Bez gives some of the best and indepth advise of anyone on this forum. Heed to his warnings and learn from his writeings.

These folk give top knotch real world advise. It is put out there in plain and simple terms so even the greenest of newbies can get the hint.

I think you are out of line for bashing someone you is trying to help you. Sometimes bluntness is the best way to get someone to understand.

 

[Bez!]

Just because I am not sure of what type of supplemental corn feed I am feeding does not mean that I am completely incompetent on raising a steer. This is my first year showing and I am being told what is best for me to do and I am doing just that. I do appreciate those who are making an effort to help me instead of those who are just shooting me down. Don't you think that if you truly wanted to help someone, that the best way to do it is to point out the problem and then make the best solution to that problem instead of calling them out on everything that they are doing wrong and then stating that they have no place being where they are? I came to this board to learn more about keeping cattle, but I guess that I better make sure that I know everything there is to know about the cattle world before I make an attempt to ask another question, but then why would I even need your help, because I would have no questions. Again, I am very thankful to all of you who have helped me to actually learn more then I did when I first got involved in cattle and I intend to continue my questions, and I do not appreciate those who are so "hard-nosed" that they can't even realize that they were a beginner at something once and that they also had stupid questions before they learned from their mistakes and overcame their novice position.

LaurenE

I will go slower and easier on you this time.

#1 - asking questions is not bad - in fact it is good.

#2 - answering a question about your feed on your show animal with "I do not know" is really bad. Really bad.

Do not ever accept feed from anyone even your friends unless you truly know where it came from / what is in it and what it really is. Never.

If you are asked what is in the feed by any judge you must be able to answer. If you cannot it shows - to him - a lack of understanding - a lack of caring - a lack of learning and general overall carlelessness.

Believe me he will not say what I did - but he darned sure will think it. I know - I have done a few shows myself over the years.

First questions I asked - What does your animal weigh? Is that scale or tape? If tape and a scale was in the show area - why not scale? What was your daily rate of gain? What did he weigh when you started him out? What do you feed him? How often? What was his conversion rate? When did he last drink? How much? What minerals are in your feed?

A few more but you get my point. If you cannot give these answers to the judge and it is a close call - the ribbon sometimes goes elsewhere. I had 10 year old kids telling me all the right things.

Now - get hold of that feed and find out exactly what the ingredients are - do not take a "I will see what I can do" for an answer - demand the answer.

Otherwise you are trying to feed an animal by using the dice - wanna' roll snake eyes or sixes?

It lives and eats and drinks and basically breathes because of you - do not forget that and always know what he is eating.

Know everything about this guy - know it cold.

Bez!

 

[LaurenE]

I do agree that "sometimes bluntness is the best way to get someone to understand," but I also disagree with the bashing of someone before all information is acquired. Yes, I am a novice, but at least I am accepting that I am doing something wrong and I am making an attempt to ask for advice on how to correct it. I am able to retain information without the "bluntness", although I do not mind it and I often find it entertaining, but I feel that the question of: "Why do you even have this animal?"...is insulting, because their many who have cattle or other animals who make no attempt to correct their bad practices or to gain knowledge about them. I feel that these people should be asked this question and not those who are sincerely trying to do what is best for their cattle or other animals, just because they are uncertain of one simple fact.

 

[msscamp]

Don't you think that if you truly wanted to help someone, that the best way to do it is to point out the problem and then make the best solution to that problem instead of calling them out on everything that they are doing wrong and then stating that they have no place being where they are?

Lauren, that is exactly what Bez! did, he pointed out the problem and told you how to fix it. If you don't know what your steer is eating, or what your steer needs to be eating, how can you provide proper nutrition or adjust his feed to ensure maximum usage and therefore maximum gain? A simple question of the people that provide your feed will give you an answer that can be used to make a phone call to find out what is in your steer's feed. You can go from there with clarification from the people on this board, and research on the internet as needed.

I came to this board to learn more about keeping cattle, but I guess that I better make sure that I know everything there is to know about the cattle world before I make an attempt to ask another question, but then why would I even need your help, because I would have no questions.

There are people on here that have raised cattle for many, many years and they don't have all the answers - just about the time you think you know the game, someone goes and changes the rules. You are here for the same reason that the rest of us are here, this board can point you in the direction you need to go to find the answers to your questions and also provide answers to questions - but it takes a little effort on each of our parts. Information cannot be found unless one is willing to search it out. I would also advise you to not expect most of those answers to be sugar-coated, however.

Again, I am very thankful to all of you who have helped me to actually learn more then I did when I first got involved in cattle and I intend to continue my questions, and I do not appreciate those who are so "hard-nosed" that they can't even realize that they were a beginner at something once and that they also had stupid questions before they learned from their mistakes and overcame their novice position.

As a cattle-owner, you have a responsibility to provide the best care possible for your animals and a responsibility to put forth a little effort to find out what that care entails. Do you honestly believe that these boards were available when most of the people on here embarked on their dream of raising cattle? They were not, these people learned by trial and error, by reading studies and publications and by taking classes in feeds and feeding, cattle management, and many others as well, by talking to more experienced neighbors and gleaning information from those conversations. You've got it easy. Get over the attitude, accept the responsibility and do some research. Just my thoughts.

 

[LaurenE]

I do appreciate your restatement, Bez!. I know that I will need to know everything about my steer at the show, and your post helped remind me of that. I am not what you would consider a "born-farmer" and I live in one of the most growing cities in all of Florida, so I have been questioned many times about why I got into showing, and why I would even want to, but I am just trying to learn as I go. I will "take heed to your warnings" and I will try to do better on my questioning in the future. Thanks.

 

[Sulphuric]

Being blunt is one thing; being rude is another, and uncalled for. It is getting old, people making excuses for others for what would be considred rude boorish behaviour in most civil groups. Why not be informational and give advice without being judgemental?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Being blunt is one thing; being rude is another, and uncalled for. It is getting old, people making excuses for others for what would be considred rude boorish behaviour in most civil groups. Why not be informational and give advice without being judgemental?

This is a tough business for tough people if you get offended or have tender feelings asking a bunch of old cattlemen there opinon, well your not going to like the response.

They don't get any better than Bez on this board.

Go buy some cheese to go with all this whine.

 

[Beefy]

i would give him hay free choice and up the feed too if hes cleaning it up. but i dont know anything about showcattle or getting them ready to show.

 

[LaurenE]

Thanks for all of your help. I tried mixing in the corn instead on just leaving it on top, and it really has helped...I don't know why it would matter though. :roll: I also upped his feed and he only left a little. So I hope that all continues to go well. Thanks.

 

[maplelanefarms_ont]

Lauren, We have prepared a few heifers and steers for show, and I know what is like it is kinda fustrating for the novice showperson: if your project isn't gaining well, isn't leading how you pleased and it gets fustrating when you show up to the show and your animal just doesn't fit it. Beleive me, alot of us have been there. I'm only speaking from a couple years experience. I have only been showing at local fairs. I'm 17 and haven't joined the Beef 4-H club or anything but my sister has and I help her with her calfs and my own. So what I'm trying to say, don't worry it will work out in the end, the starting is fustrating but the ending is for the most part is rewarding.

If your calf is eatting the feed and liking it, just up the amount. Like everyone else said: Hay is Very, Very Important. We feed lots of hay, they eat it and they like it. The only side effect of hay is haybellies. If they were outside more often they might be able to work that belly off but its up to your circumstances whether or not you can give them all the outside they need.

I have also posted a few questions, sure people sound harsh but really if you really think about what they are saying. Is it really that harsh? The poster posted the Question! Weren't you expecting some sort or comment you wouldn't like? I agree 100% with everyone here. I do beleive that you need to know anything about your steers/heifer and taking someone elses opinion on feed wouldn't be my first choice until I knew everything about it. Also maybe you are paying one heck of a price for this feed when in the end it is just cracked corn and, you could be getting something cheapper and better. (oh ya, your feed, the way you described it sounds like cracked corn)

I just hope next time you don't get as upset with remarks, really they are just words and personally if you don't like waht they are saying don't do it. You don't have to go along with anyones advice!*but it might help, if you do*

I hoep your calf works out for you, Melissa


s

 

[aplusmnt]

Lauren.....If I understand your post properly? You do know what kind of feed you are feeding, You mentioned you are feeding "Purina Fitters edge" but are not sure what is in the corn you are supplementing, it is probably just ground corn.

If you can switch the steer over to Purina Finishing Touch and just feed it that all it can eat, do not add nothing.

If you can not get Finishing touch then continue to feed the "Purina Fitters edge" and add the corn (mix in and stir together) If he is 800 lbs he should be eating about 24 lbs (3% his weight) of feed or even better ALL he will eat! If you feed him 24 lbs total feed make it 16 lbs of the Purina fitters edge and 8 lbs of corn (1/3 corn 2/3 Purina feed) You will need to weigh a scoop and figure out how much feed by weight you are feeding.

If you can not weigh the feed then just use a 1/3 corn and 2/3 Purina feed ratio, and feed him everything he will eat!!!!!

Make sure he has feed free choice or at least a flake a day. The feed you are feeding is high in fiber but still needs the hay.

Get him eating all he will eat!!!!!!! Do not ration his feed if he eats what you give him then the next day give him a little extra till you get him eating all he can eat. This steer needs to gain as fast as you can, if I remember right you are showing pretty soon?