steer wont eat

[mom-from-missouri]

We have a steer, 3 years old, weighs around 1400 lbs. who won't eat. We wanted him in the deepfreeze by now, but.....

He kind of fell thru the cracks and didn't get cut till about 4 months ago. Until then, he was a nice Charails bull, friendly and normal acting. When we loaded him up to take him to the vet, we went nuts. Kicked down fence panels, about killed a couple of people, charging at them....and he has acted like this ever since.

When we brought him back, we put in in the feedlot (alone). He has totally moved the feedlot, but kicking the panels (portable ones) to a different part of the pasture. He is scared of birds that land on his feed trough, and continutes to try and charge us when we feed him. We are feeding him the same feed mixture he ate before the vet trip--half corn and half sweet feed mixed in with beet pulp. He has plenty of fresh water, and access to good hay.

He eats good for 2 days, then won't eat for 2-3 days. We need to fatten him up to butcher. Any idea why he goes 2-3 days without eating???

 

[Howdyjabo]

You've got a mess--- get him some company even if its some goats. After four months his hormones(if he was cut right) are gone. So waiting for him to calm down won't help anymore.
Might need to consider- wether hes fattened or not- he ought to be in the freezer before he costs you a fortune in bills(property and human repairs).
The on and off feed- and lack of fattening makes me think of acidosis swings.

 

[Gwenhwyfar]

If he is That Stressed Out ..... wont his meat be tough ?
or do you intend to make it all into mince etc?
Just curious

 

[dun]

The on and off feed- and lack of fattening makes me think of acidosis swings.

I think the same thing.
May be time to cut your losses and just buther him or haul him to the sale barn for someone else to butcher. If he's 3 years old and only 1400 lbs he probasbly isn;t going to much good eating other then burger.

dun