why wont she eat?!?! GGGRRR!!

[cattleluvr18]

ok i got my shorthorn 2 days ago. (if you might have noticed shes the on ive talked about in my halter topic) we have a feed that has corn, oats, and these protein pellets in it. all our other calves go hog wild over it but my shorthorn wont eat it. i kno shes new to the enviornment and what not but all the other calves ate it right away. all she eats is some alfalfa hay we give her and shes drinks water so shes not sick or nothin. i put some molasses on the top of it but she just ate that and left the rest. so tonite i decided not to give her the hay and so when she gets hungrey enough she has to eat her grain. i have a show in a month and they like them fat so i really need her to start eating....NOW! any suggestions?

 

[*Cowgirl*]

Mix in the molasses. Give her some pro bios.

 

[Kelly]

I second the Probiotics! You could try to sprinkle some Calf Manna over the top until she starts eating the grain mixture you have. It seems to have a stronger smell that gets their attention.

 

[*Cowgirl*]

I second the Probiotics! You could try to sprinkle some Calf Manna over the top until she starts eating the grain mixture you have. It seems to have a stronger smell that gets their attention.

stay away from her face after she eats calf manna. even a little will give them the nastiest smelling breath/burps in the world. :secret:

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Patience!
Was she on grain before?? What was it??
Cattle do not like CHANGE. Just because you have a show coming up, doesn't mean you should try to push feed to her too quickly. If you do get her started, go slow, if she gets sick from overeating - trust me - you will lose more weight than if she just ate hay.
And I would NOT take her hay away - that's the best way to get her stomach "off". The more hay the better, but it should be grass hay.

 

[cattleluvr18]

thanx guys!! i dont kno what she was gettin fed from where we got her. im not pushin her feed i just want her to eat! i will give her some brome hay tonite. and i shall mix in the molassas instead of just puttin on top...that was kinda dumb on my part anyway. my dad got some different feed made. he got the "recipe" from a guy who has EXCELLENT show cattle. it has beet pulp, corn, oats and some soybean stuff. hope she does well on it.

 

[mnmtranching]

She will take to the feed in time, be patient. Give up on the idea of getting her fat in a month, not going to happen.
Not good to cut back on hay.

 

[Susie David]

She probably doesn't know that she is supposed to eat it.
Happens alot with the steers that we bring in from pasture of if we buy a steer from a ranch that hasn't fed...the animals don't know what the feed is. Won't take long to catch on.
DMc

 

[cattleluvr18]

yeah its been 4 days and shes eatin alot better. i still mix in the molassas and she eats good until i give her some alfalfa hay. i give her that b/c its what she was fed in her last home so i decided it would be best to give her it. once i give her the hay tho she stops eatin the grain and goes and eats her hay. so she finishes her grain would it be ok to wait an hour or so until i get bak down there to give her the hay then? cause it would give her time to finish her grain. and she is already fat i just dont want her to loose to much weight from not eatin her grain. ill try and get a pic of her tomarrow nite to show ya'll.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Actually, I make sure our show cattle have GRASS HAY in front on them 24/7. Steer jockeys may not do this, but we do for all our breeding stock.

 

[Susie David]

Jeannie.....steer jockies? Feeling a little fiesty today?
Been a lifetime since I've attempted to ride a bovine and it sure wasn't a steer.
Dave Mc

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Jeannie.....steer jockies? Feeling a little fiesty today?
Been a lifetime since I've attempted to ride a bovine and it sure wasn't a steer.
Dave Mc

Never thought of that term in that way! very witty!
Steer Jockey - people showing steers in a "big way" - jockey them from show to show. Just the term we use for "intense" steer showers. whole different world than our show world.