I am looking to feed out some holstein steers any body have any good self feeder rations for holstein steers. I looking at a ration of 800 pounds corn, 800 lbs corn gluten pellets and 400 lbs oats with some grass hay. anybody have an opinion on self feeder rations. I am also looking at implanting 3 times I have been out of the holstein steer buisness for about 5 yrs looking to get back in.
self feeder rations for holstein steers
- Thread starter skip7879
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Dixieangus
Well-known member
i would change it up maybe half the corn and make it chopped (unless you are feeding them out for your own use) knock out the corn gluten and oats (both around here are expensive as he!!) but whatever you want im just saying what id do......so if you leave the chopped or crushed corn in then id do something like this.
40% soy hulls
25% or less of cotton seed meal (they are pricey but have 40% protein)
35% of corn (you can do a little adjusting on the corn and soy hulls just depending on what you want)
And add salt depending on how many you have and how much you want them to have
40% soy hulls
25% or less of cotton seed meal (they are pricey but have 40% protein)
35% of corn (you can do a little adjusting on the corn and soy hulls just depending on what you want)
And add salt depending on how many you have and how much you want them to have
TexasBred
Well-known member
skip7879":3nj1p38d said:
What size are these steers now Skip?
I went with the corn gluten (I work in a feed lab with corn gluten as one of the main products I work with in a wet corn mill) because its got 18 percent protein on average 4 percent fat, and 13-15 percent starch. I like the cottonseed meal idea just pricey in Iowa. The steers will be around 3-400lb calves. I thought about soy hulls but didn't think of them in a finishing ration. As far as the oats they provide good scratch in a ration and keep them from bloating. I always worry about bloat and acidosis those two things make me antsy.
TexasBred
Well-known member
skip7879":1rocbn8p said:
I don't think you need a "finishing" ration for 3-400 lbs calves. I'd use the soyhulls, delete the oats and cut $25-$30 a ton off the feed cost. You'd not have quite as much protein but more energy, more digestibility and more fiber in the diet and bloat and/or acidosis shouldn't be a problem as I'm assuming you plan to feed some long stem roughage also.
Fair enough I thought about the soy hulls they are cheap enough how about replacing the cotton seed meal with bean meal. Yeah I like feeding long stem hay increases cud chewing and keeps them from eating the fence posts.
Thanks for your replies it helps to have someone to bounce ideas off of.
Thanks for your replies it helps to have someone to bounce ideas off of.
TexasBred
Well-known member
You can certainly replace CSM to bean meal. It's a little higher quality protein but is awfully expensive right now. Cud chewing produces huge amounts of buffers which should negate any possibility of acidosis.skip7879":2knhiaeq said:
novaman
Well-known member
I just wanted to comment on the oats in a self-feeder. I used to have straight whole oats in a creep feeder for beef calves and that was bloat city.
I live in eastern Iowa figured it out to be at a cost of around 280-290 per ton of mix using the formula of 35% corn 25% bean meal and %40 soy hulls. I was doing some research on soy hulls they were saying I could creep feed streight soyhulls to weaned calves on grass (grass hay) up to 500lbs that would be some cheap feed priced it out at about 160/ton. anybody have any experiance with this?
Self feeding Soyhulls on pasture has been done with good results (google search Matt Poore NC State)
Bloat was an issue
That experiment had better results with CGF(need to balance out Ca
hos) and pasture.
With high feed prices are you sure you can pencil out Holsteins?
Bloat was an issue
That experiment had better results with CGF(need to balance out Ca
hos) and pasture.With high feed prices are you sure you can pencil out Holsteins?
TexasBred
Well-known member
Free choice soyhulls have been used for grower rations which is basically what you're doing at this point. As we discussed earlier keep the hay out for them too and you shouldn't have any problems with stomach upsets, etc. AND the price is right. I can't think of anything else right now of equal quality at that price. Adequate protein, good energy, high fiber...great ingredient. I would keep out a good mineral, preferably with Bovatec or Rumensin in it.skip7879":yp8qqg9e said:
So I bought the calves and they are doing good feeding 1/3 corn 1/3 soy hulls 1/3 gluten. I peg the calves at 900 to 1000 lbs for the bigger ones. Looking at doing it again I have looked at some of these programms that feed companies have for dairy beef like Tend R Lean, Hormel, Alliance nutrition, what have you. Any body have any experiance with these programms how long does it take to finish a steer on them? Cost comparisons. I am just interested in trying to get better more efficent cattle feeder.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Will raise your feed cost but I'd kick the corn up to 60% and lower the hulls and CGF down to 20% each. Will lower your protein and raise your energy level. Continue to keep the hay available.
larryshoat
Well-known member
TexasBred":1wc614eo said:
This sounds more like it to me. The implants are a good idea Revalor S is a good one, Revalor XS will last for 200 days.
Larry
I did implant them and I think that really helped, I am going to do it one more time probably tomarrow actually. What about corn processing a neighbor was talking about selling his roller mill the other day at church and I thought maybe I should try that instead of just shell corn. Texas Bred I will change that corn amount I think your right about the energy level soyhulls just don't have the energy i need right now
larryshoat
Well-known member
If you could pick that roller mill up reasonable I would do it.
Larry
Larry
