Ration question

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TLM1988

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I have 6 steers that average 4-450. I have been feeding a 14% commodity feed at 7 lbs/head a day. Free choice mineral and are on a 1.5 acre lot with grass. Had the calves for 2 months and I don't know that there gaining (no scale to know for sure). I feel that I'm doing somthing wrong in my feed rations. Any advice would be appreciated greatly. This is my first jab at backgrounding
 
Are they eating all you are giving them? Would they eat more grain? You are at less than 2% of their body weight. They can be eating 3%. So if they are now 500#, that would be twice as much as you are feeding.
Have they been de-wormed? Calves are very susceptible to heavy worm load and they won't grow.
Are you trying to background them or finish them? Two different things. In my mind, backgrounding you are trying to grow frame and put on a little weight (to me that is a waste of time). Finishing, you want to gain as much weight/daily as possible. To me, time is money.
 
Get a beef weight tape. While not totally accurate, they can give you an idea how much weight they are gaining.
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":5uqh180o said:
Are they eating all you are giving them? Would they eat more grain? You are at less than 2% of their body weight. They can be eating 3%. So if they are now 500#, that would be twice as much as you are feeding.
Have they been de-wormed? Calves are very susceptible to heavy worm load and they won't grow.
Are you trying to background them or finish them? Two different things. In my mind, backgrounding you are trying to grow frame and put on a little weight (to me that is a waste of time). Finishing, you want to gain as much weight/daily as possible. To me, time is money.
I wormed them when I received them, going on 2 1/2 months. Should I worm again? I feel like they would eat more if I put more on them. They demolish the ration I'm giving them now. My initial goal was to take them to 850-900.. I have 2 that are sold for freezer beef.. the other 4 I'm not sure how far I will take them.. guess it depends on how the market goes
 
At their weight and your feed I would have them on full feed with some hay thrown out. Keep it that way till they reach 650.
 
sim.-ang.king":l11927x9 said:
At their weight and your feed I would have them on full feed with some hay thrown out. Keep it that way till they reach 650.
Then sell? Or put em out to grass
 
Either sell or start adding corn and get the feed down to 12% pro, and about 15 pounds a day with free choice hay.
 
TLM1988":1e1tvqbz said:
I have 6 steers that average 4-450. I have been feeding a 14% commodity feed at 7 lbs/head a day. Free choice mineral and are on a 1.5 acre lot with grass. Had the calves for 2 months and I don't know that there gaining (no scale to know for sure). I feel that I'm doing somthing wrong in my feed rations. Any advice would be appreciated greatly. This is my first jab at backgrounding
What is your definition of a commodity feed and what feed ingredients are in it??
 
are the gentle and calm? stressed calves won't gain weight.. even if 1 is stressed the rest will be as well.
 
TexasBred":1o6rt2sg said:
TLM1988":1o6rt2sg said:
I have 6 steers that average 4-450. I have been feeding a 14% commodity feed at 7 lbs/head a day. Free choice mineral and are on a 1.5 acre lot with grass. Had the calves for 2 months and I don't know that there gaining (no scale to know for sure). I feel that I'm doing somthing wrong in my feed rations. Any advice would be appreciated greatly. This is my first jab at backgrounding
What is your definition of a commodity feed and what feed ingredients are in it??
It's a 14% grower blend
14% crude protein
3% crude fat
28% crude fiber
.50% calcium
.30% phosphorus
1% phosphorus
 
ddd75":1f2ewzmz said:
are the gentle and calm? stressed calves won't gain weight.. even if 1 is stressed the rest will be as well.
They are calm as can be can
 
TLM1988":uc1v5bww said:
TexasBred":uc1v5bww said:
TLM1988":uc1v5bww said:
I have 6 steers that average 4-450. I have been feeding a 14% commodity feed at 7 lbs/head a day. Free choice mineral and are on a 1.5 acre lot with grass. Had the calves for 2 months and I don't know that there gaining (no scale to know for sure). I feel that I'm doing somthing wrong in my feed rations. Any advice would be appreciated greatly. This is my first jab at backgrounding
What is your definition of a commodity feed and what feed ingredients are in it??
It's a 14% grower blend
14% crude protein
3% crude fat
28% crude fiber
.50% calcium
.30% phosphorus
1% phosphorus
ummm I don't think that was his question
 
ez14.":1v50fm4d said:
TLM1988":1v50fm4d said:
TexasBred":1v50fm4d said:
What is your definition of a commodity feed and what feed ingredients are in it??
It's a 14% grower blend
14% crude protein
3% crude fat
28% crude fiber
.50% calcium
.30% phosphorus
1% phosphorus
ummm I don't think that was his question

Oh well..what the heck...got a lot of fiber which in a mix like this means "Filler" to me. Don't expect too much out of them. As someone said, add corn, will dilute the crude protein but increase the energy increasing potential for weight gain. Almost any high fiber feed sold in a bag is little more than a maintenance feed.
 

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