Update on my show steers!

[4-H_Kid07]

I don't think that 900lbs is enough to 'make weight' at most fairs. To me it looks like they need fat. Don't put them in any bigger of a pasture. In fact, i would proabably bring them in into a smaller pen, but that's just me. Cattle should be eating at least 2 if not 3% of their body weight. So that means that a 900 lb calf should be eating at least 18 lbs of grain/day.

Good Luck

They will make weight. I dont know what the minimun is. But they will, my dad's friend is the superintendent and he has come over a couple of times and he said that they will make weight. I am feeding my 2 steers and a year old hereford bull a 5 gallon buckets twice a day. I want to give them one more if they will eat it. Should I?

 

[aplusmnt]

Do you think that it would help if I open them into a bigger pasture? Right now they are in a...acre pasture And I would be putting them into a 15-20 acre pasture. I will try to get pics tomorrow when I have them out.

I am bad at guessing weights especially from pics, but I think these calves need a bunch more weight on them. They look like some good calves that might have been raised on the farm, but I do not think there is any purple there even with more weight.

Purple? What? They weight 900+. They were raised on the farm. I this my first year so I really didnt get to pick which ones I wanted. They were born right here on our farm. That is what I said to my dad "dont give them any hay, just feed, but he put another round bale in last night. ( we dont do square bale buit we are going to do some this year). He is just want to give them hay because of the price of feed. But I want them to weigh more, so...just give them feed and little hay?
Thanks Justin

Purple Ribbons for Grand and Reserve Grand. It looks like you guys have some nice cattle. They might not be super show steers but still nice commercial calves and a lot to be said for raising your own. Next year will be our first year to show a steer off the place, we have showed heifers before and the kids like watching them go from babies to the ring.

I have did free choice hay and a flake a day hay both for show steers. Had equal success both ways, but the genetics have to be there either way you go. I would want them to eat as much feed as possible at this moment, I would probably dry lot them and give a flake of hay a day and get them eating all the feed they can, somewhere between 20-30 lbs or so. And I would make sure it was a quality show feed ration not just some all purpose feed.

What are you feeding them? Is it a custom mix or a branded feed?

I know feed is expensive now, in future it might be better to show less calves and spend more on feed or on buying a good steer.

Either way have fun, and take some pride in some nice calves off the farm.

 

[aplusmnt]

Do you think that it would help if I open them into a bigger pasture? Right now they are in a...acre pasture And I would be putting them into a 15-20 acre pasture. I will try to get pics tomorrow when I have them out.

I am bad at guessing weights especially from pics, but I think these calves need a bunch more weight on them. They look like some good calves that might have been raised on the farm, but I do not think there is any purple there even with more weight.

Purple? What? They weight 900+. They were raised on the farm. I this my first year so I really didnt get to pick which ones I wanted. They were born right here on our farm. That is what I said to my dad "dont give them any hay, just feed, but he put another round bale in last night. ( we dont do square bale buit we are going to do some this year). He is just want to give them hay because of the price of feed. But I want them to weigh more, so...just give them feed and little hay?
Thanks Justin

Purple Ribbons for Grand and Reserve Grand. It looks like you guys have some nice cattle. They might not be super show steers but still nice commercial calves and a lot to be said for raising your own. Next year will be our first year to show a steer off the place, we have showed heifers before and the kids like watching them go from babies to the ring.

I have did free choice hay and a flake a day hay both for show steers. Had equal success both ways, but the genetics have to be there either way you go. I would want them to eat as much feed as possible at this moment, I would probably dry lot them and give a flake of hay a day and get them eating all the feed they can, somewhere between 20-30 lbs or so. And I would make sure it was a quality show feed ration not just some all purpose feed.

What are you feeding them? Is it a custom mix or a branded feed?

I know feed is expensive now, in future it might be better to show less calves and spend more on feed or on buying a good steer.

Either way have fun, and take some pride in some nice calves off the farm.

 

[L Weir]

Have you been tying them and working with their hair? Like rinsing them and brushing them at least once a day. Others I've read on here do it twice a day. You have a month, so if you do that everyday you can get their hair in good shape.
Don't forget to get them used to a show halter as well. Good luck with your show. Let us know how you do. They look nice.

 

[aplusmnt]

Have you wormed them lately? We worm a lot more aggressive with show animals than we do with cows in the field.

I would hit him with some wormer just to be safe.

 

[4-H_Kid07]

I am feeding them 20% all-purpose feed. It is a custom mix, but the guy who made it showed cattle since he was 9 and has been around them all his life. He is 20 something. Me and my dad were going to wowrm them this weekend. Yeah I have been tying them up. I havent got the show halter on them yet. I was going to do that this weekend too. I rinsed them today and brushed them. But I am not sure how to brush them? Now that I am out of school I am going to start rinseing them and brushing them everyday. I took hopefully better pics of them. I will try to post them later today. Oh I and I will post pics of 2 potential show steers for next year. And of their sire. I like the sire ALOT. :lol: Justin

 

[Ryan]

you say you feed them a 5 gallon bucket twice a day. do you know how much feed that is, weight wise? feeding by weight and not volumn is a lot more affective. I would recommend feeding them more. If you have the option, i would feed them as much as they will eat. The more weight you can get on them the better they will look come fair time.

As far as brushing goes... is your show a haired show or a slick show? that will make a difference on grooming them.

Good luck with them.

Ryan

 

[Colorado2008]

Me and my dad were going to wowrm them this weekend.

Since there is only a month until your show, you need to watch the withdrawl dates on the wormer you use. (At least if your show is terminal and you plan on selling them in the market sale)

 

[4-H_Kid07]

you say you feed them a 5 gallon bucket twice a day. do you know how much feed that is, weight wise? feeding by weight and not volumn is a lot more affective. I would recommend feeding them more. If you have the option, i would feed them as much as they will eat. The more weight you can get on them the better they will look come fair time.

As far as brushing goes... is your show a haired show or a slick show? that will make a difference on grooming them.

Good luck with them.

Ryan

I have no clue if it is a haired or slick show. I know that I AM going to clip them before a week before fair.

 

[4-H_Kid07]

Me and my dad were going to wowrm them this weekend.

Since there is only a month until your show, you need to watch the withdrawl dates on the wormer you use. (At least if your show is terminal and you plan on selling them in the market sale)

Yeah I know!

 

[CPL]

Ok here I go again with my "links". I was a beginner once (no family had shown) and all I did was READ READ READ.

1st one is a guide from the JR Limi Foundation (no dont raise limis but a great link). Covers everything from halter breaking, clipping, and I think it does some fitting too.
http://nalf.org/programs/nalja/createwinnerfinal2003.pdf

This one again comes from the NALF website. Has decent information about feeding and rations and all that good stuff.
http://nalf.org/programs/nalja/feedwinnerfinalJune2003.pdf

Next is a great one for clipping, fitting, showmanship, supplies, etc.
http://dallas.tamu.edu/fitandshow/

Those should put you in the right direction.

 

[Moocow11]

When do they have to be ready, they still look a little green.

Green? My fair is Jul;y 16-21.

`green is when they are not finished. my fair is july 16-22. i would start trying to work with them every single day. keep working with the show stick and tye them with their heads up for at least 1 hour if not 3

 

[4-H_Kid07]

Ok here I go again with my "links". I was a beginner once (no family had shown) and all I did was READ READ READ.

1st one is a guide from the JR Limi Foundation (no dont raise limis but a great link). Covers everything from halter breaking, clipping, and I think it does some fitting too.
http://nalf.org/programs/nalja/createwinnerfinal2003.pdf

This one again comes from the NALF website. Has decent information about feeding and rations and all that good stuff.
http://nalf.org/programs/nalja/feedwinnerfinalJune2003.pdf

Next is a great one for clipping, fitting, showmanship, supplies, etc.
http://dallas.tamu.edu/fitandshow/

Those should put you in the right direction.

Yeah I have them under my favorites. But thanks for the help.

 

[4-H_Kid07]

When do they have to be ready, they still look a little green.

Green? My fair is Jul;y 16-21.

`green is when they are not finished. my fair is july 16-22. i would start trying to work with them every single day. keep working with the show stick and tye them with their heads up for at least 1 hour if not 3

yeah I am going to try to.

 

[cowgirlxupx1034]

When do they have to be ready, they still look a little green.

Green? My fair is Jul;y 16-21.

Green means they aren't all the way finished yet.

 

[cattleluvr18]

i dont know exact weight for five gallon buckets cuz it varies, but we feed with five gallon buckets and two a day for two steers and a bull is not enough. what exactly is all in it?

 

[4-H_Kid07]

But I dump it and they eat and walk away and come back and eat. They dont eat it all at once. IDK what is in the feed. All I know is that it is 20%. It is a custom "show" mix. My dad's friend who has showed since he was 9 or so made it purposly for his show cattle.

 

[aplusmnt]

A 5 gallon bucket of our feed that is 60% corn is about 18 pounds or so. I know a 50 lb bag fills 3 buckets about 3/4 or so.

With steers this size and this close to show if they would eat a 50 lb sack of feed a day themselves I would give it to them. Basically meaning feed them all they will eat, maybe 30 lbs each. Low amounts of hay and large amounts of grain.

Maybe try feeding them 3 times a day with smaller amounts, might stimulate them to eat more. And take away what they do not eat, don't let them have it free choice.