Question: I am trying to make the hair on my steer pop before we go to fair. I was wondering if you had any helpful tips.
Answer: Ashley,
Thanks for the question. If you have some hair to work with we will use Sullivans foam or shaving cream to help hold the hair up and we will do this every day after rinsing. If the hair is shorter then we use the Sullivan plastic scrub brush and work the hair with that. Showday, keep your product light ok the body. Good luck!
Question: I feed my bull Fitters Edge around 20 lbs a day with free choice hay and a Wind & Rain mineral tub. My question is, would too much show feed ruin feet and fertility in him? His breeder said that a lot of show bulls are ruined by the feed practices required to get them show ready. Thanks!
Answer: Thank you for contacting the Better Animals Website! This is a large GRAY area in my opinion!
If you are going to exhibit in the showring, the cattle must look the part if you are going to use it as a marketing tool. Many cattlemen are not supporters of the show industry, so as you can imagine they have different thoughts when it comes to feeding and body condition of their cattle.
I would not completely disagree with the information you received from your breeder contact. Bulls that are fed excessive amounts of a high concentrate diet to maximize gain could have negative effects on fertility and structural soundness. I think a person must also consider the breed and genetic factors of this also.
We would not have recommended this feeding program if we were not comfortable with the results you are seeking. Fitters Edge would not be considered a “hot feed.” This product is designed to promote growth, and is an excellent product for both bulls and heifers. The Availa 4 trace minerals used in the Fitters Edge will also help with both feet and leg soundness and semen quality. If you monitor body condition to prevent “over-conditioning,” I think you will be very pleased with the performance of your bull, his success in the showring, and his longevity as a future herd sire.
To be completely satisfied, when your bull is of the appropriate age (12 to 14 months), work with your local veterinarian or AI stud and have a complete breeding soundness exam performed. This will give you the best answer to your question. However, you must realize the breeding soundness can change over a period of time, and can be affected by stress, weather, nutrition, etc.
Please let us know if you have any additional questions. If it were me, I would rock on!
Steven E. Myers, Ph.D.
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC.
Consulting Beef Nutritionist - Mountain States and Pacific Northwest
Question: Does the use of shampoos on show steers help or hinder when used daily? We rinse 2 times a day, but dont use shampoos all that often. Just wondering if it would help stimulate hair growth, or is it best to just rinse the steers daily with water. Thanks.
Answer: Logan,
Thank you for your question and we appreciate your involvement on the Better Animals Website. The use of the right shampoo’s is okay, because the hide and hair need to be clean but to not strip the oils away. The natural lanolin and oils can build-up with the modern sprays over a period of time. We also think cleaning the animal also helps the hair pop and keeps them cooler. We use EZALL Total Body Wash and wash the animal when we feel it is necessary. We have no skin problems and it removes the food source for fungus everytime you use it. One reminder I would recommend the foamer for application. The difference in this process is that you foam them with the hair dry as to wetting them down first as with the traditional method. The hair and coat will be shiny and not lifeless compared to strong detergents and soaps. We have cut way back on oils and other sprays trying to get the body of the hair back. Sheen and Ezall is all we use primarly. We love it and we think you will to. Good luck and hope this info helps!
Question: Hey! This year is my first year to show anything and I am showing a heifer! I have had lots of help but she still gets away from me when I walk her and I am taking her to be a champ camp in about 2 weeks. So how could I help her not get away any more?
Answer: Thanks for the question. I would lead her in small pens at first. Try leading to water and feed. Good luck!!!
Question: I weaned a group of calves two weeks ago. They are currently being fed Precon at a rate of about 12 lbs per head per day. I intend to start about 4 of these calves for show steers. Can I acheive the same results feeding limiters as opposed to fitter’s edge?
Answer: Brandon,
Thank you for contacting the Better Animals Website!
When is your target show?
What are the four steer prospects weighing at this time?
What is your experience with the limiters (I assume you are referring to Purina Mills Intake Modifying Technology)?
The short answer to your question - maybe.
The long answer to your question - The Accuration feed with Intake Modifying Technology (Cattle Limiters, Impact Starter Complete) has been formulated to be self fed from a self feeder. Depending on the product you use, you could obtain an average daily gain of 1.5 to 4.5 pounds per day. If you feel you are working with some steers that have a great deal of show potential, I would strongly recommend that you stick with the products formulated for show cattle. It sounds like you have followed the program to this point by getting them weaned on our Preconditioning/Receiving Chow. I would transition them over to the Fitters Edge product at this time. Depending on your desired gain and days on feed, I would plan to move them over to the Finishing Touch in the next 30 to 45 days. Once you get the steers to a satisfactory point, you can always move them back to the Fitters Edge later in the year if needed.
Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss your question in more detail. Regardless, I would recommend that you work with your local dealer and Purina Mills representative.
Thank you for your business, and best wishes!
Steven E. Myers, Ph.D.
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC.
Consulting Beef Nutritionist - Mountain States and Pacific Northwest
Question: I have a show steer that needs more hair. I have two weeks to grow as much hair as possible. I have a cooler but it only keeps him cool. Is there any way he can grow hair in two weeks? If there is please tell me how. Thanks!
Answer: Thank you for your question! Yes you can see hair growth in that time. Keep brushing and make sure you rinse him for 15 to 20 minutes each time. If you are rinsing once a day go to twice and if it is twice I would rinse three times a day . Three times a day for two weeks can stimulate hair. Good luck!
Question: We just had a 1340 lb show heifer start bloating on the left side this week. She remains bloated most of the day and does not want to come down and stay regulated. Her feed consumption is 20 lbs fitters edge along with 12 lbs of wet beet pulp per day. She also gets all the grass hay she wants at night and a flake in the pen during the day. What is your recommendation to this bloating problem?
Answer: Stu,
Thank you for contacting the Better Animals Website! It was sure nice seeing you and your family at the Show Feed VIP.
Have you recently increased the amount of feed she has been getting? The amount of Fitter’s Edge that you are feeding does not seem out of the ordinary. 20 pounds divided by 1,340 is 1.5% of her body weight. That amount of feed should not be creating an excessive amount of rumen gas to yield any bloat conditions. I would encourage you to completely remove the beet pulp. I am hoping that will help to reduce the extra fill you are observing. If things seem to return to normal, I would then gradually introduce the beet pulp again. You just may not be able to feed this quantity of beet pulp to this heifer with the amount of show feed and hay she is also consuming.
Please let me know if you continue to have some trouble after making these changes. You may also consider moving this heifer over to our Full Control product (if she is in good body condition).
Thank you,
Steven E. Myers, Ph.D.
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC.
Consulting Beef Nutritionist - Mountain States and Pacific Northwest
Question: I show a steer and my friends heifer. I was wondering when I should switch them from calf starter to a cattle feed.
Answer: Cody,
Thank you for contacting the Better Animals Website!
What product are you currently using? If your could provide me with the name on the TAG, that would be helpful.
What is the date of birth of the calves you are feeding?
What do these calves weigh at this time?
Are these calves weaned?
I am going to assume that these are young calves (60 to 80 days of age). I think you could start feeding them our Show Chow Fitters Edge. You may need to spend 12 to 15 days transitioning them to the new product (75% of the calf starter:25% of the Fitters Edge for 3 to 5 days; 50:50 blend; 25:75 blend; 0:100% Fitters Edge). You should be able to feed 2.0 to 2.5% body weight as a general rule of thumb, plus some medium quality grass hay.
If I made the wrong assumption, and these are 400 to 500 lbs instead, you should be able to use the same approach.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions, or if you need to provide me with additional information.
Thank you!
Steven E. Myers, Ph.D.
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC.
Consulting Beef Nutritionist - Mountain States and Pacific Northwest
Question: We are showing a heifer this year in our FFA program in school and we are feedig her HI Pro 288 Show Feed. She is about 8 months old and weighs about 650 lbs. At the shows we have been the judges really like her. The only problems they see is she needs filling out behind the front shoulders and she toes out in the front. I am willing to change feed if you think it will help with the filling out problem. On the toe problem, what do you think will help?
Answer: Richard,
Thank you for contacting the Better Animals Website! I appreciate your questions, and your desire to be as successful as possible.
Both of these questions are somewhat difficult to answer without seeing the heifer in question. What is her breed? What is her structural design? Considering her current weight and age, maybe she is just a bit more immature at this time versus the other heifers you have been showing against. Granted, additional bloom/condition will help to fill in any holes. Is the heifer more prominent in her shoulders, thus making her look somewhat tight in the heart? If you choose to make a feed change, I would recommend our Show Chow Fitter’s Edge for a breeding heifer project. You would need to feed her based on your desired gain and condition objectives, but I would say somewhere between 12 to 17 lbs should be sufficient (along with free choice grass hay).
On the front legs/hooves. How much of a problem is this? If it is somewhat minor, you or someone you trust, may be able to correct this with proper hoof trimming over time. If it is truly a major structural issue (maybe above the pastern, knee or into the shoulder design), I think you might be asking for more than any person or product could deliver?
Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns. We would appreciate your business so you can witness first hand the quality, consistency, and nutrition difference in our products and programs.
Best wishes,
Steven E. Myers, Ph.D.
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC.
Consulting Beef Nutritionist - Mountain States and Pacific Northwest
Question: I curently have two show steers weighing 1050 lbs each, and I’m planning to show in two months at my state fair. They live at 50 degrees in a cooler and are fed twice a day. They each are eating 14 lbs of finishing touch, 2 lbs of beatpulp, 2 lbs of milk plus pellets, and 3 lbs of rolled corn a day. I am also adding 3 oz of Shag, 2 oz of electrolytes, 2 oz of probiotics, 2 oz of salt and minerals, and 2 oz of soybean oil a day. They also have free choice grass hay at night and always have clean fresh water. I have also wormed them twice in the past two months. But they are only gaining 1.5 lbs a day which is not nearly enough. How can I get my calves daily gain to increase?
Answer: Cody,
Thank you for contacting the Better Animals Website!
I’m going to make a few assumptions, but your steers need to gain 250 in 60 days. That would be a 4.17 lb/d average daily gain.
I am going to cut to the chase on this subject Cody. FEED THE FEED. You are purchasing a research supported, balanced, COMPLETE FEED with the Finishing Touch. If you are wanting to do your own mixing, you should be using the Show Chow Grand 4T Fyer product. I would recommend removing the following immediately:
beet pulp (you need energy to promote gain, not fiber)
milk pellets (added protein is not needed when you are wanting to encourage maturity/fattening)
rolled corn (Finishing Touch is 5% fat, you don’t need more energy)
salt and minerals (Finishing Touch is formulated with Zinpros Performance Minerals/Availa 4; this one is not a major issue for me)
soybean oil (Finishing Touch is 5% fat, you don’t need more energy. Adding additional energy sources to this feed, that is already using our extruded nugget technology, may reduce feed intake)
Reduce the amount of hay offered to 2 to 4 lbs/head/day (NOT FREE CHOICE at night). The more hay you feed, the more you are diluting their total dietary energy intake.
Try to increase the feed intake to 20 to 23 lbs/head/day over the next 10 to 12 days. You may need to feed them on the schedule of morning, noon, and night. Your needed gain is not out of the question if you follow these recommendations.
Please call me if you have any concerns, or if you continue to have any issues over the next 20 to 40 days.
THANK YOU,
Steven E. Myers, Ph.D.
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC.
Consulting Beef Nutritionist - Mountain States and Pacific Northwest
