OT steer feed revisit

pat sublett · Nov 2, 2014

Thanks for answers on feeding a steer with hay and a little pasture. Another question, how much 20% range cubes would I feed him, not for finishing, just for maintenance? Someone ask what breed. He is Angus.

petetx · Nov 2, 2014

watch the 20% unless they are all natural some range cubes have a high urea content easy to become toxic I would feed him about 8# of all stock pellets or horse and mule.

LonM · Nov 2, 2014

Get ahold of Nutrient Requirements for Beef Cattle, published by the National Research Council. Or talk to an Extension agent from a Land Grant College. You will then be able to calculate your steer's needs for maintenance and gain. Having said that, feeding cattle is almost as much art as it is science. When introducing new feed, you need to start them slow and work them up to the performance level you desire, taking clues from the cattle along the way to figure out what they are ready for...

LAA · Nov 2, 2014

If he weighs 500 lbs. he needs approximately one pound of digestible protein per day for maintenance, in addition to his energy requirements, this would be from all sources so the amount of 20% cubes could be calculated if you know the percentage of the hay your feeding and the grass he is grazing, if you are feeding high quality hay free choice he should not need any range cubes or supplementation for maintenance and for moderate growth/gain. You want to keep him gaining all winter, a pound of gain per day is pretty standard to take advantage of the spring grass ''pop'' in weight gain you should get.

Nebraska Cowman · Nov 3, 2014

I wouldn't give him any range cubes. If there is any green grass out there he'll get plenty protein.And my experience calves don't readily learn to eat cubes as their mouth is too small yet. Give him ground feed if you wish, a 14 or 16% growing ration is all you need, start him on a pound or two a day and slowly work him up to 4-5 lbs. He'll grow a lot of frame and be ready to finish later on. A calf will look pot bellied if he gets too much roughage and not enough food. I would give him rolled corn. Same amounts. And give him some kind of salt / mineral free choice and of course make sure fresh water is available at all times. Once the grass greens up in the spring you can graze the calf all summer with no grain. Once the grass starts to loose it's punch, say in Aug or so, you probably want to start graining the calf to finish him to butcher. Again start slow but in finishing in the end you will be giving him all the corn he will eat. he'll get fat.

OT steer feed revisit

pat sublett

Well-known Member

petetx

Member

LonM

Member

LAA

Well-known Member

Nebraska Cowman

Well-known Member

Similar threads