Steer Feed---need suggestions!!

RoyalValley · #1 02/04/12, 12:12 PM

Just got back from 4-H weigh in with our first steer. He is going to have to gain 500# to be in the more competitive class at fair (meaning this is the range that most of our grand/reserves come from) he is currently 585.

I'm thinking if he needs 20 lbs. of grain a day, that is going to be $30 a week for feeding him and that is just the regular 14% sweet mix. For 27 weeks that is over $800. I don't know what he needs to be getting instead or how to mix something myself that is not going to be so pricey, but still effective.

Any thoughts on this would be very appreciated, as I want to do this right, but it can't cost half the farm to do it

Thanks in Advance!
Juli

kycrawler · #2 02/04/12, 01:30 PM

call around to your local feed mills ' co-op and see if anyone can get soy hull pellets and ddg pellets for you . I get 9 ton at a time delivered with 25/lb of balancer and 30lb of mollasses per ton mixed in runs right at 230 per ton delivered 20 lb per day with free choice hay i get about 2-3 lb gain per day on well started holstiens

RoyalValley · #3 02/04/12, 03:17 PM

Thanks so much! What are ddg pellets?

That would certainly be more cost effective. I'll look and see what is available here.

A friend in another county is using Purina Show Chow and it runs around $33.50 per 100, your mix, would be around $9 per 100.

G. Seddon · #4 02/04/12, 03:52 PM

DDG = Distillers Dried Grains

rancher1913 · #5 02/04/12, 04:07 PM

do you have a feedlot or dairy close by, maybe you can buy silage or a ration from them.

RoyalValley · #6 02/04/12, 06:22 PM

G. Seddon, we have a distillery that we got grain from to feed our pigs, what is the difference I wonder between that and the pellets? (other than it being wet)

Rancher1913....We have a dairy that borders our property. He probably would never miss a couple ton of ration...great idea! Do you think a dairy ration would be comparable to a market steer ration?

sammyd · #7 02/05/12, 07:31 AM

straight whole shell corn and Tend R Leen pellets put a RalGro hormone in him and stand back cuz he's gonna grow......

kycrawler · #8 02/05/12, 09:09 AM

he will grow good on the wet gluten too , you have to start him on it slow and work the amount up slowly to about 10-12 lb per day , make sure he has access to long stem hay feed the gluten in the morning and some grain mix at night that way he has all day to clean up the gluten as some dont like to eat it at first . then the grain in the evening will go right down

genebo · #9 02/05/12, 12:29 PM

You can get away with feeding a steer an incomplete ration because he's only going to be living on it for a few months. Dairy ration is a complete and balanced feed intended to keep the cow alive and healthy for years.

RoyalValley · #10 02/05/12, 02:33 PM

All good suggestions! I think I may ask the Dairy, because even if it is more complete, it might be cheaper since they buy in so much bulk.

I'll check on the other things too. I think I can figure out this to keep me busy to find feed this week.