J & B Farms
Member
Just wanted other peoples thoughts on this. I have one I am feeding now its a 12% ration i think. 1/3 cracked corn 1/3 corn glutin and 1/3 alfalfa pellets. Along with good orchard grass and clover hay. Is this a good mix?
What do you feed your butcher beef?
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novaman
Well-known member
Its hard to tell for sure without numbers but to me it sounds like 12% protein is a conservative estimate. Corn gluten and alfalfa are both high protein. I'm curious as to what your plans are for this critter. Do you plan on keeping him in a lot until he goes for slaughter or will he be out grazing on pasture during the summer?
J & B Farms
Member
I plan on keeping him in a lot until slaughter. I'll check tonight on the protien, I am going off memory for that. Is there something that I should change? This calf is just for us, we are not selling it.
We feed a mixture of 28 pounds shell corn and 1.5 pounds of 40% protien per day and 4 to 5 pounds grass hay per day. All of this feed is free choice. Seems to work real well. They yield very well. Meat is marbled well. We like it so do our local customers as well as IBP.
novaman
Well-known member
What do you start the animal on? There is no way you go straight to feeding them a ration that hot and not have major problems.somn":lnri4iwe said:
novaman":16zybmeb said:
We start them on free choice alfalfa and 5 pounds shell corn per day and over a time period of three weeks increasing 1 pound of corn per day they will eventually leave corn in the feed bunk then we switch them over to a self feeder. The 28 pounds is the feed consumption when animal weighs 1400 pounds. The cattle weigh anywhere between 250 and 400 pounds when coming on the farm the lighter ones are easier to get started. Those bigger cattle have usually been left on grass way to long they have big frames and skin. Just doesn't work as well.
Bama
Well-known member
I'm trying something differant this year. I'm feeding one out now. I started on 1/2 13% cattle pellets and 1/2 corn. 5 pounds a day. Now I'm at 18 pounds corn and hay only. In addition to this I have been pouring a beer over the feed everday. I'll see if the beer done anygood in about a month. I was told the beer would help digest the corn better. We'll see.
Hey, I wanna try that ! beer here!
On a serious note.. I got a nice steer I am feeding for butcher, and I feed him 14% creep each day, and free feed hay, with mineral block salt, and fresh water. Watching him grow and grow! Gooood eatin later.
On a serious note.. I got a nice steer I am feeding for butcher, and I feed him 14% creep each day, and free feed hay, with mineral block salt, and fresh water. Watching him grow and grow! Gooood eatin later.
Farminlund
Well-known member
Bez!":3iqftkqq said:
I know we might be in the minority here - but I second you Bez.
andybob
Well-known member
I'm with Bez too, grass/browse free choice minerals and water.
Even during the years of trade sanctions against Rhodesia, our trademarked "Rhodesian Beef" was available in Switzerland!
Even during the years of trade sanctions against Rhodesia, our trademarked "Rhodesian Beef" was available in Switzerland!
Mister Bez i tend to go your way with my killen beef. my sons have took ta pennen up a bull an puten the corn to em a few months ahead of butcheren day. i aint got no use fur all that extra fat my self. Miss Bama save the dang beer for yur man! ifen he dont take kindly to it give it to the hands theyl thank ya fur it!
Susie David
Well-known member
We like to add cracked corn to the diet for the last 45-60 days of finishing IMO it gives a bit more marbling.
The two we did today were fed differently for the only reason that the angus was on hay all winter and the lim on feed. The fat difference was quite noticable, the angus on hay had a light layer of yellow fat while the lim had a nice 3/8" layer of white fat. We fed the lim corn a month longer than the angus but both were getting 7lbs twice a day.
My two bits worth...Dmc
The two we did today were fed differently for the only reason that the angus was on hay all winter and the lim on feed. The fat difference was quite noticable, the angus on hay had a light layer of yellow fat while the lim had a nice 3/8" layer of white fat. We fed the lim corn a month longer than the angus but both were getting 7lbs twice a day.
My two bits worth...Dmc
