Question: I am feeding Finishing Touch and am trying to feed a 900 lb steer to finish for a target weight of 1280 Lbs for the third week of August. Is there a way that I can hold him that long? Where can I get cottonseed wholes and how will I feed them? How long prior to shows should I feed beet pulp, wet or dry and in what amounts?

Answer: Nathan,

Thank you for contacting the Honor Show Chow Website!

1,280 lb to 900 lb = 380 lb/190 days = 2.0 lb/d average daily gain.

Depending on the frame size of your steer, I would recommend feeding him our HSC Fitters Edge plus free choice medium quality grass hay. This will be a lower energy product that will still get you the needed gain. Once the steer is 1,240 lb or so, I would then feed our HSC Full Control. Feed 12 to 14 lb/hd/d plus free choice medium quality grass hay. He should maintain his weight or gain less than a pound per day. Even at that feeding rate, he will stay full and fresh looking.

In your part of the country it may be very difficult to find cottonseed hulls. I have copied two Land OLakes Purina Feed team members on my reply that live in your part of the country. They may/may not have some ideas on where to purchase cottonseed hulls if they are available.

You can feed beet pulp whenever you want. It is a source of fiber. Hay is also a source of fiber! If you want to feed it, it will depend on your preference on feeding it wet or dry. The calf in question may help you with that decision also (if he will not eat it one way or the other). When feeding it dry, I would start at 0.5 to 1.0 lb/hd/d. Monitor the stool quality, fill, and feed consumption. Increase the amount fed in 0.5 increments up to 2.0 to 3.5 lb/d (or whatever you think).

I hope this helps.

Thank you,

Steven E. Myers, Ph.D.
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed LLC
Consulting Beef Nutritionist