Nutrition and Feeds for Growing Finishing Cattle

1
Nutrition and Feeds for Growing Finishing
Cattle

• Starting calves on feed
• 1. Provide sufficient bunk space for all calves
  to get
• to bunk (i.e. 18-24)
• 2. Better to give dry feed before water,
  especially if
• long haul
• 3. If not preconditioned

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• Feeding schedule for 450 lb. calves during
• first week

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Nutrition and Feeds for Growing Finishing
Cattle

• Starting yearlings on feed
• Much easier than starting calves
• Day 1 hay or corn silage
• 2 about 4 lb. corn plus hay or corn silage to
  appetite
• increase corn about 1 lb. every other day
  and lower hay or corn silage accordingly
• continue to desired CR

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Nutrition and Feeds for Growing Finishing
Cattle

• Feeding programs

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• Performance of yearling steers fed ad libitum
  levels of energy

aOn a 1 to 8 scale 1 extremely dry,
undesirable flavor or tough 8 extremely juicy,
flavorful or tender
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• Performance of steer calves fed ad libitum levels
  of energy

aOn a 1 to 8 scale 1 extremely dry,
undesirable flavor, tough or unacceptable 8
extremely juicy, flavorful, tender and acceptable
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Nutrition and Feeds for Growing Finishing
Cattle

• An ideal feed for feedlot cattle is ground whole
  ear corn
• Coproducts can be used up to 40-50 of the ration
  without detrimental effects on performance
• Feeding calves vs. yearlings