Nutrition for Show Steers
American Hereford Association
Jim Sprinkle
Area Extension Agent, Animal Science
University of Arizona
Growth Curve for Cattle
Bulls
Maturity
Steers
Heifer
Puberty
Castration
Window of Acceptability. For cattle
this is meat with a fat content of
3.0 to 7.3% or Select- to Choice+.
Time Units
USDA Quality Grades
Prime
Choice
Select
Show Animal Nutritional Requirements
Starting
Weight
Finished Weight
Days on
Feed
Grain %
Steers (Med.
Frame)
750 lbs.
1100 to 1150 lbs.
140
** 70
Steers (Lg.
Frame)
850 lbs.
1250 to 1350 lbs.
140
** 70
**A 40 day adjustment period is required to bring to full finishing ration.
For more information on Feeding Management for Show Steers, see
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/animal/az1054.pdf
http://cnrit.tamu.edu/ganlab/filecabinet/64
http://cnrit.tamu.edu/ganlab/filecabinet/64
Receiving Period
• Shots: 4 Way Respiratory (IBR, BVD,PI3, BRSV)
7 Way Clostridial
• Monitor Feed and Water Intake (get up to 2% of body
wt. intake)
• Grass hay only for 3 days (unless used to alfalfa)
• Change over to alfalfa hay (if desired) over a week
 After 3 days, 25% alfalfa, at 5 days, 50%, at 7 days, 75%, at 9 days, 100%
• 2 lbs. grain on day 4, feed for 3 days
• 3 lbs. grain on day 7, feed for 3 days
• 4 lbs. grain on day 10, feed for 3 days
Watch for off feed
Droopy ears
Eye and nasal discharge
Fever
Blood in manure
Goal for Growing Ration
• Get up to 50% grain/50% hay ration
– Stepup Rations: After eating well the receiving
ration (slick feed bunk) then increase grain in
ration by no more 10% per week until 50%
grain growing ration is being fed.
• Allow at least 40 days from the time calf is
received to get to the finishing ration (70%
grain diet).
Watch for off feed
Droopy ears
Eye and nasal discharge
Fever
Blood in manure
Finishing Rations
• Feed for 140 days to get proper finish
• For 4-H steers, 70% grain in diet is usually
adequate.
• If more grain is needed to get gain
desired, then need to add RumensinR or a
similar product to the ration
• If a steer goes off feed, reduce the grain
and evaluate for sickness
Which feed intake
history is best?
Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN)
10 lbs. hay
4 lbs. manure
10 lbs. fed - 4 lbs. manure = 6 lbs. digested
6 = 60 % TDN
10
What do I feed?
See page 4 of “Feeding Management for Show Steers and Tables 1 and 2. Available at:
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/animal/az1054.pdf
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What does your steer weigh now?
What will the steer weigh at the fair?
How many days until the fair?
Is the steer a large or medium frame breed?
How much weight does the steer need to gain? How many lbs. per day?
How many lbs. per day will your steer eat (adjust for moisture in feed)?
– 2.0% of body weight?
– 2.5% of body weight?
– 3.0% of body weight?
What TDN % needs to be in the ration to gain the weight desired (Table 2)?
What percentage grain do you need to get the TDN% desired (Table 1)?
What percentage protein should you have in the ration (Table 2)?
How much will it cost you to feed your steer out?
Can you estimate weight of the steer with a tape measure?
Estimating TDN and CP for a ration
• TDN for a 50% grain, 50% hay ration:
 .50 portion grain x 74% TDN =
 .50 portion hay x 50% TDN =
Total
• CP for a 50% grain, 50% hay ration:
 .50 portion grain x 12% CP =
 .50 portion hay x 16% CP =
Total
Determining a daily ration
• How much does the steer weigh?
Example 750 lbs.
• How much will it eat (Table 2)?
• What percentage of grain (Tables 1 and 2)?
• Calculate the ration:
Example 70% grain, 30% hay
20 lbs. feed intake x .70 portion grain =
20 lbs. feed intake x .30 portion hay =
Total
Measure length and heart girth in inches.
Wt. In lbs. = (HG x HG x BL)/300
Speeding Up ADG
• Increase the grain %
• Add higher energy grains (corn)
• Increase the amount fed
Slowing Down ADG
•
•
•
•
Decrease the grain %
Substitute lower energy grains (oats)
Reduce the amount fed
Exercise
Adiabatic Bomb Calorimeter
1 calorie = heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree C.
Energy Content of Different
Feeds
Feed
• Alfalfa Meal
• Oats
• Barley
• Corn
• Animal Fat
kilocalories/lb. feed*
1020
1220
1275
1500
3550
* 1 human calorie = 1 kilocalorie or 1000 calories
USDA Yield
Grades
Quantify the ratio of fat to lean
YG 1 Lean & heavy muscled
YG 5
Fat & light muscled
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
USDA Yield Grade
Step 1:
• Determine back fat – starting point for determining
Y.G.
12th rib depth inches
Preliminary Y.G.
.0”
2.0
Most desirable
.2”
2.5
.4”
3.0
.6”
3.5
.8”
4.0
1.0”
4.5 Least desirable
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
USDA
Quality
Grades
Prime
Choice
Select
Standard
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Visual Indicators of Finish
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Visual Indicators of Finish
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Visual Indicators of Finish
x
x
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Visual Indicators of Finish
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Visual Indicators of Finish
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Visual Indicators of Finish
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Visual Indicators of Finish
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Practice Comparisons
1100 lbs
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Practice Comparisons
1330 lbs
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
USDA Quality Grades
Prime
Choice
Select
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Practice Comparisons
Heifer – 1365 lbs
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Practice Comparisons
Steer – 1350 lbs
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Practice Comparisons
Heifer – 1365 lbs
DP % - 60.6
HCW - 828
Back fat - .90” (PYG 4.3)
RREA – 13.7
AREA - 10.8
(add .9)
KPH fat – 3.5% (no adjustment)
Final Y.G. 5.2
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Practice Comparisons
Steer – 1350 lbs
DP % - 64.0
HCW - 864
Back fat - .30” (PYG 2.7)
RREA – 14.2
AREA – 16.2
(subtract .8)
KPH fat – 2.5% (subtract .2)
Final Y.G. 1.7
ars.sdstate.edu/ classes/AS101/01%20Beef%20Evaluation%20and%20sheep%20eval.ppt
Mar.
Feb.
9 1215 18 24 2
Mar.
1
Buy steer
Steer must be purchased to
MF= 575 lbs.
meet Co. date req.
LF = 775 lbs.
220 days before show
Clostridum shot at
purchase & 2 wks. later
Apr.
17
May
24 1
May
10
140 day feeding
period begins
Weigh steers 45 d before show
to plan weight gain needed
Steers should be eating 2.5 to
2.6% of body wt. (as fed basis)
70% grain ration
MF steers weigh 700 lbs.; LF steers 900 lbs.
(If already on grower by Nov. 31, could
begin feeding step-up on Dec. 7)
60% grain step-up ration
Absolute Latest to begin
50% Grower Ration
50% grain grower ration
MF steers weigh 600 lbs.; LF steers 800 lbs
6 lbs. grain MF; 8 lbs. LF
Steers should be eating 2.7% of body wt.
2 lbs. grain
3 lbs. grain
4 lbs. grain MF; 5 lbs. LF
Fall Show Steer Timeline
Aug.
4
Sept. 18
Weigh-in
1050-1300 lbs.
Monitor weight on a regular basis.
Need 2.7 to 3.0 lbs. av g. daily gain.
Adjust lbs. f ed and hay :grain as
required f or gain needed.
Questions?
For more information about feeding show steers, see:
http://www.unce.unr.edu/4H/programs/stem/files/pdf/BeefCattleProjectTexas.pdf
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/animal/az1054.pdf
http://cnrit.tamu.edu/ganlab/filecabinet/64