raising charolais for the fair

[Anonymous]

A nice ol' guy at church gave our 16 yr. old a charolais to raise for the county fair. The guy comes out regularly along with another fella and they give tips and such on raising him as a market steer. They did the steroid-type implants, he's just at 1 year old. Our fair is the beginning of November. They have our daughter feeding a mix of cracked corn/calf manna and hay. I think we've put a mineral block in his lot, too. He's been wormed regularly and is alone in the lot. She exercises him everday and has begun to bathe him weekly. Does this sound like we are doing the right things and what are your opinions of charolais selling at this level? We'd appreciate your comments as this is our first time with the steer, we usually do market swine!

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Sounds like it may work for you... free Charolais calf

On steroids...my biased opinion...lol. I personally think steroid implants to "beef up" the muscle or whatever in a human or with livestock is doing a disservice to the "animal." (whether or not its for showing or selling to the slaughter house). [Our (and many other purebred breeders) program uses genetic improvement and judicious out-crossing to obtain the body conformation that sells and that wins in the show environment. Steroids and other implants create a fake condition, conformation that exaggerates the animals inherent genetic potential.] Feel the same about the "weighted boots" of the Tennessee Walking Horse show circuit to force the horses to learn to step higher than ever to impress the spectators and the breeders....

 

[ollie]

Growth implants are all illegal in any breedstock show that I ever saw. I'm not sure about steer shows but I would assume they're illegal there also.

 

[txag]

Growth implants are all illegal in any breedstock show that I ever saw. I'm not sure about steer shows but I would assume they're illegal there also.

growth implants are not illegal in steer shows if used according to directions and withdrawal period.

 

[ollie]

Thanks for the correction txag. I guess that should prove what kind of a steer jock that I am.

 

[txag]

Thanks for the correction txag. I guess that should prove what kind of a steer jock that I am.

no problem. of course, there are illegal steroids that can get you kicked out or disqualified but the approved implants like ralgro, synovex, etc are ok.

 

[4-Her Mom]

Growth implants are all illegal in any breedstock show that I ever saw. I'm not sure about steer shows but I would assume they're illegal there also.

Thanks, I did check into that.....after they had done the implants already, they have to be out of their system by a certain amount of time before entry into the fair.......these apparently will be.....whew.....I am glad to know that now, but I did have a gut-wrenching feeling for a few days as I checked into it. I didn't think this fella would do anything wrong, but wanted to double check anyway, just in case he wasn't informed.
Thanks for the heads up, though!

 

[ollie]

Sorry about the scare . I was just ignorant not malacious. Now I know why those steers look like they have had a round or two of ralgro.

 

[4-Her Mom]

No problem, this is my life, going from one bit of info. to the next as we learn these things. I just file it away in my brain. Everyone has different thoughts and ideas how to raise animals (so I learned in the market pig experience over the past several years!). We just try to get a big picture of what people are saying and go with that. So far the kids have done really well with their pigs. The judges always say very good things about their pigs. We appreciate help like that and try to use as much as possible. Like I said, this is the very first time with a steer. Right now we have one source of help. Was hoping for more day to day insights from folks who are "old hands" at this. You pros out there aren't sharing your secrets apparently!

 

[D.R. Cattle]

4-H'er...I'm in Vero Beach, whereabouts are you?

 

[ollie]

4-her-mom,
It's hard to give you much help . The feed ration isn't exactly what I would feed but the steer may be doing great on it . Every animal is different. Maybe we could help more if you could post a picture

 

[4-Her Mom]

4-H'er...I'm in Vero Beach, whereabouts are you?

NW Volusia County

 

[4-Her Mom]

4-her-mom,
It's hard to give you much help . The feed ration isn't exactly what I would feed but the steer may be doing great on it . Every animal is different. Maybe we could help more if you could post a picture

Okay, I'll work on that, don't have a digital camera, but I can borrow one easy enough. I'm told the idea with the feed is to get him off the little bit of sweet feed he's on (I think I forgot to tell you that at first!) So, the calf manna/cracked corn mixture is combined with the sweet feed with more of the manna/corn than sweet feed. And then we just throw him some hay in the corner to eat. He's not on pasture. We were told to keep him penned up. My husband made a really nice big pen for him. With shelter from rain/sun. Fresh water all the time. Fed daily and walked daily. He broke so easy to the halter and walking. Like a puppy! Never a moment's problem (I'm sure this isn't typical so we are being realistic!).
We did the wormer (I'm drawing a blank right now on the name)that you mix in with the feed and then we were told to do the down the back stuff instead. Does it really matter? Is one better than the other? Thanks again! I'll get right on that picture.

 

[Beefy]

4-Her Mom,
When the calf gets a little more used to leading, be sure to introduce it to noises (radio), leading around other cattle (if possible), loading onto the trailer, the buzz of clippers, taking a bath etc. some calves that have never been around other cattle or a lot of loud noises and chaos freak out when they get to the show.

 

[4-Her Mom]

4-Her Mom,
When the calf gets a little more used to leading, be sure to introduce it to noises (radio), leading around other cattle (if possible), loading onto the trailer, the buzz of clippers, taking a bath etc. some calves that have never been around other cattle or a lot of loud noises and chaos freak out when they get to the show.

Thanks for that! Should we leave the radio going all the time or just when we are tending to him? My daughter currently takes a radio when she goes out, but didn't know if we should leave one on all the time. She has started the bathing thing-which he loves!-but haven't done the clippers yet. Didn't even think about the trailer. My brother-in-law is bringing his horses to put in our pasture but they'll be separated from each other. He needs the grass for his horses and we thought it might be could for the steer to have them around.
Thanks, I really appreciate your input. Every piece of information helps!

 

[la4angus]

Play the radio all the time. Not just when you are tending him.
Play it fairly loud.

Just take some clippers and run them around his head, face and
neck. You don't have to clip him with them. Yust let him get used
to the feel and vibration.

 

[4-Her Mom]

Play the radio all the time. Not just when you are tending him.
Play it fairly loud.

Just take some clippers and run them around his head, face and
neck. You don't have to clip him with them. Yust let him get used
to the feel and vibration.

Great, thanks! We'll do that. Would you wash him regularly or just wet him down to get used to the water hose, etc.? Will washing him regularly be bad for his coat or his skin? Right now she's soaping him up good and giving him good scrubs....trying to keep his coat pretty white. I wondered if they were more sensitive to that than you and I. (Assuming you bathe regularly! ;-) )What about his feet? How to clean and care for them?
Thanks so much.....you guys are great out there! The panic is beginning to lift. Our first weigh in with the fair is June 5. This will be our first look at him with other steers and how he'll behave. We are probably more nervous about this than the actual steer show at the fair! I know it'll be fine, but just the same.......
Thanks for your input....it's appreciated more than you'll know!

 

[la4angus]

I wouldn't wash him with soap more than once a week. Be sure to rinse all the soap out of his hair then brush him until completely dry. Be sure to use a good quality shampoo. Some of the better fitters use a mild people shampoo. The other days just rinse him down good and brush him dry. This will keep the hair healthy and he will have a natural bloom.

You will want to have his hooves trimmed fairly soon, so that if they would be trimmed to close they would have time to heal.

Good luck.

 

[4-Her Mom]

What do you think of those shampoos at the farm supply store that "whiten and brighten" the hair? Would you steer clear or is close to show time okay? My husband has horse-hoof trimming kit, can we use that to do the cow? I really have no clue!

 

[la4angus]

I would stay clear of the shampoos at the farm supply store.
Horse hoof trimming kits, I know nothing about.
A horse killed me when I was 20 and now all I know about horses
is which ones to bet on at the track.