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Started By
Message
Fattening Calves
Posted on 10/9/24 at 11:00 am
Posted on 10/9/24 at 11:00 am
What are y’all finding as the best feed to finish feeder steers? Trying to pack on some fat the last 6 or so weeks before I slaughter.
8
Posted on 10/9/24 at 11:02 am to Slickback
Corn
Posted on 10/9/24 at 11:05 am to bovine1
Deer corn? Performs better than a feeder/finisher pellet?
Posted on 10/9/24 at 11:28 am to Slickback
You want a finisher ration. Whole corn is less digestible because of the husk and they'll end up shitting out most of it if fed straight.
Honor Show Chow if you want a professional blend.
Stocker grower plus some cracked corn for a cheaper option.
Local feed mill may have their own blend as well.
Honor Show Chow if you want a professional blend.
Stocker grower plus some cracked corn for a cheaper option.
Local feed mill may have their own blend as well.
This post was edited on 10/9/24 at 11:30 am
Posted on 10/9/24 at 11:34 am to Piebald Panther
I’m going pick up a pallet of corn from the Kentwood Co-op this weekend for the deer camp. I bet they have a finisher mix.
Posted on 10/9/24 at 12:09 pm to Slickback
Mix of alfalfa hay, cracked corn, soybean meal, molasses, and DDGS.
Posted on 10/9/24 at 1:25 pm to Slickback
I've spent years tweaking feedout programs with my own cattle. Spoken to and hired nutritionist over the years. I've found that if I feed the steers the last 3 months (until age 18-24months) with this finishing feed its really helps push marbling. I use a more standard grower feed 6months leading to this grain bill. Typically i have them on feed 9months in Total.
Ingredients -- lbs/Ton
Corn, rolled -- 489
Corn, grd.-- 489
Cottonseed hulls -- 300
Soyhull flake pel -- 200
D.D.G. --250
Cottonseed whole -- 100
Molassees -- 60
Soybean Meal (48) -- 50
P-6 Mineral -- 20
Calcium carb. -- 20
Soy oil -- 15
Salt --5
Vit DE -- 2
Minimize soy as much as possible the last few weeks (soy hulls are ok). Do your best to eliminate Vit A the last 3-4 months. Your steers still need to consume approx 3-4lbs hay or pasture per day so don't give them unlimited supply of this feed during the last couple months. They need to be forced to supplement some effective fiber. Cattle folks don't like to share but I take a more open approach to managing beef cattle. Hope this helps....I could have used it 10 years ago.
Ingredients -- lbs/Ton
Corn, rolled -- 489
Corn, grd.-- 489
Cottonseed hulls -- 300
Soyhull flake pel -- 200
D.D.G. --250
Cottonseed whole -- 100
Molassees -- 60
Soybean Meal (48) -- 50
P-6 Mineral -- 20
Calcium carb. -- 20
Soy oil -- 15
Salt --5
Vit DE -- 2
Minimize soy as much as possible the last few weeks (soy hulls are ok). Do your best to eliminate Vit A the last 3-4 months. Your steers still need to consume approx 3-4lbs hay or pasture per day so don't give them unlimited supply of this feed during the last couple months. They need to be forced to supplement some effective fiber. Cattle folks don't like to share but I take a more open approach to managing beef cattle. Hope this helps....I could have used it 10 years ago.
Posted on 10/9/24 at 1:49 pm to Slickback
paging Kieland Williams.
Posted on 10/9/24 at 2:12 pm to mthorn2
Thanks man, that’s pretty detailed. You mix it yourself or have a co-op do it?
We always had cows when I was a kid, but our pasture has sat dormant the last 20 years. I just got it back useable and am starting slow with 4 steer. May go back to cow/calf eventually but I’m just breaking myself back in right now.
We always had cows when I was a kid, but our pasture has sat dormant the last 20 years. I just got it back useable and am starting slow with 4 steer. May go back to cow/calf eventually but I’m just breaking myself back in right now.
Posted on 10/9/24 at 5:09 pm to Slickback
I thought you meant a specific ingredient. Yes you need some protein and yes you need cracked or rolled corn. I finished one with ground milo instead of corn because I had a bunch of it and you could really tell the difference. Use corn for your grain/energy source. The last 6 weeks that's a lot more important than the other ingredients. You're finishing at that point not growing them.
Posted on 10/9/24 at 5:53 pm to Slickback
quote:
mthorn2
^This fella gets it.
Posted on 10/9/24 at 6:38 pm to mthorn2
An impressive spread and I like to hear how others are doing it. What is the feed costs per cow per day on that? Direct market afterwards?
< into low-input cows, probably dumping the herferd/brahma mix because we like what we see in south polls and red angus. We want a smaller frame, so the brahma line has to go.
< into low-input cows, probably dumping the herferd/brahma mix because we like what we see in south polls and red angus. We want a smaller frame, so the brahma line has to go.
Posted on 10/10/24 at 7:58 am to Slickback
Posted on 10/10/24 at 9:20 am to Slickback
quote:
You mix it yourself or have a co-op do it?
I saw you posted about Kentwood CoOp. They can definitely make this mix but will probably only do it if you buy a ton sack or bulk delivery.
Posted on 10/10/24 at 9:33 am to Junky
quote:
What is the feed costs per cow per day on that? Direct market afterwards?
Not sure I've ever evaluated the cost per day but its approx $1K per cow to feed out for 9 months. I sell 1/2 and whole cows ONLY but 78% of my steers meet Prime classification. I run Angus/Brangus cattle, cow/calf through feedout. Any calves that don't meet my standards just go to auction at weaning. Cows never leave our property until delivered for Slaughter/Butcher.
You do this and educate people on importance of knowing everything about the animal, including what meds the animal has ever had, and they understand the animals have been cared for on one property their entire lives....the beef sells itself. But it takes 3-4 years to get to that point.
This post was edited on 10/10/24 at 9:40 am
Posted on 10/10/24 at 10:21 am to mthorn2
What price per lb live weight do you charge?
Posted on 10/10/24 at 10:28 am to WeagleEagle
I charge per hanging weight lb. Typically between $5.65- $6.00 per lb hanging weight depending on feed cost and rye/fertilizer cost year to year. That covers the steer, slaughter, butcher, vacuum seal, and flash freezing. All my clients have to do is pick up from butcher.
Posted on 10/10/24 at 11:04 am to mthorn2
I most certainly prefer grain fed over grass fed beef every day of the week. Where are you located? Do you have beef available year round? A couple of friends and I split a whole cow. We will be interested in a couple of months as we finish our current beef.
If you can let me know how to contact you, I would appreciate that.
If you can let me know how to contact you, I would appreciate that.
Posted on 10/10/24 at 11:55 am to Piebald Panther
Research shows there is only a 15% waste in whole corn versus cracked. The difference is worth the expense of cracking it!
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