Gave steer his first ration of cracked corn (5 lbs). Talked with farmer who said if he had any corn i could get it for $ 6.70 a bushel. Had to pay $ 10 for 50lb bag of cracked corn. Whole kernel was $ 18.65.
I know paying even $ 10 a bag that I am not going to make money off this steer. I am doing this one because i want to learn how to finish a beef. So i am being out the extra exspense with intentions of knowing how to finish this coming fall.
I have a 6 ton grain Ben that I can store whole kernel corn for around $ 6.75 a bushel this fall. I will have a dozen calfs that were born in February and calfs still being born. So i should have more calfs to finish at about the right age and be a little more knowledgeable about what I am doing. I am going to start feeding a flake of hay along with the calfs ration each day. Has plenty of grass but was told that green grass tends to go right through the calfs digestive system.
If you don't balance the calfs rufoge diet to keep its digestive system working right it could kill it by putting it on a diet of grain only. Read that increasing the grain to fast sometimes kills calfs at feed lots.
Said I would update this as i am learning how to do this so that others that might be interested in trying to learn how to do this.
And hopefully all of you that already know how will till what I am doing wrong or right. Need all the advice I can get.
I know paying even $ 10 a bag that I am not going to make money off this steer. I am doing this one because i want to learn how to finish a beef. So i am being out the extra exspense with intentions of knowing how to finish this coming fall.
I have a 6 ton grain Ben that I can store whole kernel corn for around $ 6.75 a bushel this fall. I will have a dozen calfs that were born in February and calfs still being born. So i should have more calfs to finish at about the right age and be a little more knowledgeable about what I am doing. I am going to start feeding a flake of hay along with the calfs ration each day. Has plenty of grass but was told that green grass tends to go right through the calfs digestive system.
If you don't balance the calfs rufoge diet to keep its digestive system working right it could kill it by putting it on a diet of grain only. Read that increasing the grain to fast sometimes kills calfs at feed lots.
Said I would update this as i am learning how to do this so that others that might be interested in trying to learn how to do this.
And hopefully all of you that already know how will till what I am doing wrong or right. Need all the advice I can get.