this is what I feed mine?

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leisurlee

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I am a novice in the cattle business. I have three cows (1 steer and 2 Heifers) bought them in May at about 325 lbs each they are a cross bred short horn so I 'm told. I am just trying this for the first time a friends and freezer thing. They are contained in a 8 acre pasture, just dropped a round bale of hay from McCracken, I also have an old truck bed trailer with cap that I go to the Chattanooga Oklahoma CO-OP and purchase their bulk creep feed, I use a 5 gallon bucket to feed them. So they have free choice hay, I feed them a five gallon bucket of the feed daily and they also have free choice mineral and a few of the compressed mineral licks in the field and they have access to good water. I have a neighbor that helps with the vaccinations, tagging and other thing (helped band the bull calf). I am in the Cache Oklahoma area. Any input from those close would be greatly appreciated.

Leisurlee
 
Welcome!
Like Jeanne, I'm not too close to you either, but you've come to a good place to look for info.
Tell us more about your feed, and just so I understand, you have all 3 of these animals with the intention of feeding them out for beef, correct?
 
sounds like they are feeding 7 or 8lbs a hd plus free choice hay.an whatever grazing there is.
 
The feed is a combination of cracked corn, cotton seed hulls, molasses and some sort of pellet an I may have left something out, it is listed on the feed board as 14% protein. I only feed the grain in the evening after I get home, it ran in December from the CO-OP $165.00 a ton, $40.00 a round bale. They are being feed for beef, I have all 6 sides reserved.
 
Do you have any idea how much they weigh now? Could you post a picture?
If, they have been gaining #2/day, you have had them about 8 months, so they should weigh about 800#??
So, as said, they are probably getting about 7-8#/hd/day. Depending on how fast you are trying to get them to a finished weight, this is not very much feed. They could easily eat twice that much if they are weighing around 800#. You can "start" cattle on grain at 1% of their body weight, but after they have been on grain for some time, you can gradually increase them to 3% of their body weight. If they weigh 800# x 3% would be 24# of grain EACH DAY PER HEAD. Or you can continue feeding the smaller amount, but it will take longer - the more they eat, the faster they gain. They have to gain weight to reach a point of growth that they start putting on a layer of fat and marbling.
If they are cleaning up everything you are feeding, I would think they are ready for more grain. But, I would not add more of the 14% sweet feed that you are buying. I would start mixing/adding whole shell corn to the mix they have been getting. A little at a time, increasing every few days.
At 800# (that's an assumption that may not be close to what they are), they don't need 14% protein. Protein makes them grow bone - not meat. Corn is more carbs. Just like with people, protein keeps you lean - carbs puts on fat.
But, as I said, they may not be 800#. A picture with something to in the pic to let us see how big they are would help. Or, you or a friend might have a good idea how much they weigh.
Also, do you know what breed they are? Are they all beef breed/s or dairy?
 
I would feed them more than what you are: free choice hay is good, and gradually up their feed to all they will clean up and leave the trough slick by the next feeding. You could also gradually add a bit more corn to that mix to bring down the cost of feed, assuming you can get the corn cheaper than your current feed mix. And I wouldn't think you need two different mineral options.
I don't know anything about short horns as far as size and rate of maturity, but I still think you could be more agressive in putting the size/weight on them.
Just my two cents. Somebody else might do things differently. Do you have a goal in mind of what size you want them to be at slaughter?
 
leisurlee":25l4cmpr said:
The feed is a combination of cracked corn, cotton seed hulls, molasses and some sort of pellet an I may have left something out, it is listed on the feed board as 14% protein. I only feed the grain in the evening after I get home, it ran in December from the CO-OP $165.00 a ton, $40.00 a round bale. They are being feed for beef, I have all 6 sides reserved.
Next time you fill that bucket up get a weight on it...you need to know how many pounds each is getting rather than the volume.
 
I weighed the bucket and it weighs almost 30LBS.

FARMWRITER, I only have the 2 minerals out ther because I bought the blocks first and then it was sugested thatthe free choice was a better plan, so when the blocks are gone i will not replace. I would like to acheive 1100 before slaughter. Should I break this amount up into 2 feedings? I am having a good time with this venture and am looking to continue withthis also. Plain and simple I enjoy feeding them and watching them do nothing.
 
leisurlee":mz5tcn5r said:
I weighed the bucket and it weighs almost 30LBS.

FARMWRITER, I only have the 2 minerals out ther because I bought the blocks first and then it was sugested thatthe free choice was a better plan, so when the blocks are gone i will not replace. I would like to acheive 1100 before slaughter. Should I break this amount up into 2 feedings? I am having a good time with this venture and am looking to continue withthis also. Plain and simple I enjoy feeding them and watching them do nothing.

30 lbs. about right IF that didn't include the weight of the bucket. Ordinarily the more meals you can give a cow during the day the better it is for the cow. Will give you more enjoyment times too. ;-)
 
So, you are feeding 9.3#/hd/day. They need to be increased slowly and yes, twice a day is better.
but, you haven't indicated what you think they weigh NOW.
1100# might be too light. You really don't want a finish pound figure - you need a "finished" "look" (fat/finish). They should have fat pockets on each side of their tailhead. Their brisket should be filled, and their flank should be dropped with fat deposits. They should have a "smooth" look to them - no ribs showing.
 
I did zero the scale before weighing the feed, so the 30LBS is pretty accurate. I will have my neighbor look at them and get a close weight and I will post pics. I have been reading and looking at the BCS threads that Dun and others have posted, not wanting overstep my area of expiretise but I'll go out on a limb and say the are a 6-, I also know from reading this and other forums that good pics will tell you a lot which enables those who wish to chime to give better advise.

Why is feeding in day time better for the animals?
 
I take it as feed in the day from Texasbred above. If this is not what you are saying please point me in the right direction.
 
leisurlee":s671oype said:
I take it as feed in the day from Texasbred above. If this is not what you are saying please point me in the right direction.
Sorry if I mislead anyone....maybe "feed twice daily" would have been a better way to put it. And as I said, 2 or 3 small meals are always better than one large one. time doesn't matter and as you said you enjoy it....that was also one of my dad's favorite things to do...feed cattle and just sit in the door of the truck and watch them enjoy it. I enjoy it as well.
 

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