Protein % Questions in Varying Stages

[trnubian]

For beef calves that are going to be shown.
What percentage of protein in concentrates do you feed your:

nursing calves (in creep feed),
weaned calves (that are weaned at 6 months),
and finishing calves (how soon do you start them on this feed?)

[JeffNY]

The key to feeding any type of calf, is not to overdo the energy, and protein. If you over feed protein, you will get a beefy, squaty animal. If you feed excess energy, tall and skinny. Most feeds I see for calves to 12 months is around 20% protein. The mix that seems to work is a soybean, cornmeal, distillers (I like distillers), wheat midds. You dont need to get fancy, because many grains have similar properties to others. Corn meal is high in energy, soybean meal is high in protein. Wheat mids is quick energy (corn meal lasts longer, its a starch energy). Soybean meal also has good energy as well. Distillers has some protein, and energy, it also has higher fat levels. Also take into account their forage. If its high in protein, feed more energy (more corn meal in a mix). Like I said, keep it simple, but on average 20% seems to do animals quite well, with good energy levels.


Jeff

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

PM me and I'll gladly sell you my extra copy of Morrison's Feeds and Feeding which will answer all of your questions about what to feed. I'll sell the book for $10.00 plus postage.

[trnubian]

YuccaFlatsRanch- I can go tp my library and check out the books there. Just wondering what real world people use. Not necessariy a book. this is due to the fact that I rasied dairy goats and the feed mixes I see in the dairy goat books (quite extensive) are just not adequate for a high producing, healthy show animal. percentages are just too low. But thanks for offering.

JeffNY-
I can very easily make up a protein percentage feed. What I have to work with is cracked corn, whole oats, and 34 Baby Beef (it's a supplement pellet that I can add to the feed.) Here is a link to some information about it. http://www.kentfeeds.com/Product-Sel...llets-(1).aspx

However, I don't really understand about the energy. I know that the corn provides quite a bit of energy. It is a "hottter" type of grain. So I would want to feed less corn and more oats and baby beef at first? (For creep feed and weaning feed.) And then slowy add more corn to the diet within the last 3-4 months before the county fair show to finish him out?)

We want this steer to be beefy. Not too tall and leggy, but not overly finshed and fat either. The steer was just born 2 days ago. We are planning on starting to creep feed him at about 1-2 months and then weaning him at 6 months. (That would be in mid August.) That leaves us 10 months to work with him before the fair. He is a composite steer (ok a cross steer since we don't have papers.) I know he has AT LEAST 1/4 shorthorn in him (his dam's sire was PB Shorthorn) and his sire's sire was Ali (the composite bull). The rest of him is Angus/Maine/Chi. So he has a little bit of everything. His dam is a rather moderate framed cow, but she is very nice. Good bone to her and is nice a thick throughout with a good deep rib. So we think he should be a good little steer. (Young brother is planning on showing him next year if all works out.)

The cows are currently on grass hay. Come spring (When there is enough grass) they will be on entirely pasture (and there is plenty) It is basicly Kentucky blue grass with a few other grasses mixed in. So it's not too high in protein.

[francismilker]

I have found that no matter what kind of fat\protein mix you feed, excercise plays a keen part on getting a steer fit for the show. I personally went to my local ag coop and talked to the feed specialist and had him mix me something that would do the trick. Then, a few months before the show I start mixing a small amount of milk replacer pellets in with the feed and this helps him finish better.