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The four R’s of nutrition are a good guideline to making sure you meet your project

goals.

Feeding the Right Animal the Right Feed at the

Right Time in the Right Amount.

Selecting the Right Animal

The goal of a market project is to raise a steer or heifer that meets industry

standards. See Table 1. If your project is close to these standards, it will be more

competitive in the show ring. In addition, the carcass will be more valuable when

harvested at the end of your project.

Table 1 Beef Industry Standards for Market Cattle

Trait Range Ideal Live Finish Weight 1065–1325 lbs 1250 lbs Carcass Weight 650-850 lbs 750 lbs Fat Thickness 0.2-0.8 inches 0.4 inches Ribeye Area 12-16 square inches 15 square inches Yield Grade 1.5-3.5 2.0

Quality Grade Low Choice – Prime Average Choice

In order to have your project meet these standards it is important to start with the

right type of animal. There are several factors to consider when selecting an animal that

will fit your project.

Size

You must plan ahead and start with a calf that has the ability to grow enough to

meet standards. The average calf should gain 2.5 – 2.8 pounds per day. Using this

guideline and the number of days until your fair, you can calculate about what your

animal will weigh. See Example 1. Although it is not necessary to buy that exact size of

a calf, this calculation will help you in managing your project.

Example 1. Purchase Date: November 1 Average Daily Gain: 2.5 lbs Show Date: August 15 Total Gain: 288 x 2.5 = 720 lbs Days on Feed: 288 End Weight: 1250 lbs

Starting Weight: 1250–720 = 530 lbs


This example is based on estimates. Your animal’s actual gain depends on its genetics and how it is fed and managed. Type

When selecting your animal, it is important to learn about the type of program the

animal comes from. Different breeds have different strengths. Therefore, each animal

has to be fed and managed differently. Talk to the producer to learn more about the

animals.

Once you have learned about the genetic background of the animals, look at

physical traits. These are the traits, which will ensure your animal is able to reach the

carcass goals outlined earlier. The most important traits are muscle, finish, structure,

balance and eye appeal.

Muscle – Muscle is MEAT. The amount of muscle you can see visually in an

animal is a hint to what its carcass will be like. The most obvious indicators of muscle on

cattle are: forearm, top and rear quarters. Animals are similar to humans in the way they

display muscle. Think about a body builder versus a couch potato. The body builder has

shape in his biceps while the couch potato’s arm is flat and flabby. Look for an animal

that has shape in its forearm, top and quarters.

Finish – Finish is the amount of fat cover an animal has when it is harvested.

Fat adds flavor to the meat of a carcass. However, too much fat is undesirable. It is

important to know the right amount of finish your steer needs. Current industry standard

is .4 inches over the 12th and 13th ribs. Fat indicators are the brisket, ribs, flank, tail

head, and cod/udder. A carcass with the correct amount of finish is worth more money

than a carcass that is too thin or too fat. Talk to the producer about the way his calves

put on finish. Make sure the calf will fit in your project.

Structure – Structure is the skeletal make-up of an animal. The skeletal make-up

of a calf can affect how he/she is able to move. In order to grow and survive, an animal

must be able to move to its feed and water. Study the picture of a cow skeleton. See

Figure 1. This will give you an idea of the angles and lines that are proper for correct

structure. You may not be able to see the actual skeleton of an animal. However, you

can get an idea about its structure by seeing how it moves. A good indicator in cattle is


whether or not that calf fills its tracks. Does your steer or heifer place its rear foot where

its front foot left a track?

Balance and Eye Appeal – How an animal’s different parts fit together is

referred to as balance. For example, does the length of his front end fit with the length

of his body and hip? Or, is the depth of his body proportionate to his height? Eye appeal

refers to how pleasing the animal is to the eye. When determining eye appeal ask

yourself, is that animal going to look good in a picture.

Figure 1.

Skeleton of a Beef Animal

Figure 2. Characteristics of an Ideal Market Beef


Selecting the Right Feed

Feeding your market animal correctly is one of the most important things you can

do over the course of your project.

Before you can decide what to feed your calf, you need to understand how your

animal digests feed. This will help you understand why you feed the way you do, how

feed affects his growth, and the importance of certain feeds in his diet.

Your calf’s digestive tract is very different from your own. Cattle are called

ruminants because they have a stomach with four different compartments. Your

stomach only has one compartment. See Figure 3.

Figure 3. Digestive System of Cattle

Your steer has the ability to digest feed you cannot, because of his special

digestive system. Table 2 outlines some of the feeds used in cattle rations.

Table 2. Example Ruminant Feedstuffs.

Feed Type: Examples

Forages Alfalfa hay, Grass hay and Oat Hay

Fermented Feeds Corn Silage, Alfalfa Haylage, Oatlage

Crop Waste Straw, Cornstalks

Processed Food By-Products Beet Pulp, Brewers Grain, Biomaize, Soybean Hulls

Processed Fiber By-Products Cottonseed Hulls, Soybean Hulls

mouth

esophagus

reticulum omasum

abomasum

stomach

rumen

small intestine

cecum

colon


The main function of digestion is to convert feed into the nutrients needed for

growth, body maintenance, reproduction and finishing. In order to understand, we need

to trace the pathway of feed as it passes through your calf’s digestive system.

The first stop for the feed is the mouth. The teeth are responsible for tearing the

feed and breaking it down into pieces to be mixed with saliva. Glands that produce

saliva are located in the cheeks and at the rear of the steer’s mouth. Saliva helps to

moisten the feed and produces enzymes that help to digest feed later. There is another

special feature about your steer’s digestion process, cud chewing. Cud is a ball of

chewed up feed, mixed with saliva that has been swallowed and brought back up to be

chewed more thoroughly.

Next, food passes down the esophagus into the first compartment of the

stomach, the reticulum. If feed particles are not digested or broken down enough after

chewing, the reticulum stops the partially chewed feed from going further. This is

returned as cud for the teeth to chew and break the feed down more.

The rumen is the second and largest compartment of the stomach. It is nearly full

of liquid, which helps with digestion. The liquid has billions of microorganisms or “bugs”

in it. These are “good bugs” that help the steer use the nutrients in the feed you give

him. In order to keep these “bugs” working well, your steer needs to eat both roughages

(hay) and concentrates (grain). Changes in your steer’s diet have to be made slowly, so

the “good bugs” aren’t harmed.

The third compartment of the ruminant stomach is the omasum. This

compartment works to use nutrients that are in the water of your steer’s feed. The final

compartment of the steer’s stomach is the abomasum. The abomasum is similar to your

stomach, as that is where the feed is finally broken into the nutrients your steer uses to

build cells, grow, and have the energy to walk or run.

After the abomasum, the feed enters the small intestine where it continues to

break down. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fats are absorbed into the blood

stream through the small intestine.

The large intestine is the final stop for the feed before it passes out of the animal.

It is important to observe your calf’s manure to determine if digestion is being carried

out correctly. The manure should be as solid as mashed potatoes. If you see whole


kernels of corn, a lot of undigested feed, the manure is loose or runny, or is too solid,

you need to check what you have been feeding. Make sure there have been no sudden

changes in the amount or type of feed your animal has been getting.

Nutrient Requirements

Your steer’s body requires a lot of nutrients in order to grow and develop

properly. A calf’s stomach can only hold a certain amount of feed. Therefore, it is

important that the feed you give him/her is loaded with the right types and amounts of

nutrients.

Feeds are the source of the nutrients needed by your steer to grow properly. The

six essential nutrients needed by your steer are:

• Water

• Protein

• Carbohydrates

• Fats

• Mineral

• Vitamins

These nutrients are necessary for proper body maintenance, growth and

development, and finishing. It is critical that you make sure your ration meets the

nutrient needs of your calf for the different stages of development.

Water

Water is the most important nutrient your steer needs. Unfortunately, it is often

overlooked. Water is needed for every bodily process. It helps to circulate nutrients,

regulate body temperature, and remove waste. Your steer requires 15-20 gallons of

fresh water daily. It must be clean, and fresh. During cold weather, you must make sure

the ice is taken off the top, so your steer can drink.

Protein

Protein is made up of amino acids. There are many different amino acids. These

different amino acids are called the “building blocks” of protein, which play an important

role in building lean muscle. There are twenty different amino acids that make up animal

proteins. Of these twenty, ten can be formed in the tissues of the animal’s body. The

other ten must be provided in the diet. Table 3 lists the essential and non-essential


amino acids. Essential amino acids must be provided in the diet. The non-essential

amino acids are made in the animal tissues.

Table 3 Amino Acids

Essential Nonessential

Phenylalanine Methionine Alanine Proline

Valine Histidine Aspartic Acid Serine

Tryptophan Arginine Cysteine Tyrosine

Threonine Lysine Glutamic Acid

Isoleucine Leucine Glycine

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the main “energy” source for your animal. The important

carbohydrates in feeds are starch, cellulose, and hemi-cellulose. Stored in plant seeds,

starch is easily digested. Cereal grains are high in starch. Cellulose and hemi-cellulose

are major parts of plant fiber. Carbohydrates play a role in the development of muscle,

growth and maintenance. Therefore, if your steer does not get enough carbohydrates

he will not grow and develop to his full potential.

Fats

Fats or lipids have 2 ¼ times as much energy per pound as carbohydrates. The

main lipids are fats and oils. Fats come from animal sources and oils come from plant

sources. Fats can help control dust in feeds, and enhance the skin and hair condition of

the animal.

Minerals

Minerals are essential in the diet of your animal because they play a role in

development of skeletal structure, regulation of blood and muscle and transportation of

oxygen in the blood. Macro minerals are required in fairly large amounts by the animal’s

body and function as components of bone. Trace minerals are needed in small

amounts. Table 4 lists the macro and micro minerals needed by your animal. It is

important to remember, these minerals can work with each other, or against each other.

If your steer or heifer is lacking, or toxic, in one mineral, it could affect how they utilize


other minerals in the system. Over supplementing minerals is as bad as under

supplementing.

Table 4 Minerals Required by Ruminants

Macro Minerals Trace Minerals

Calcium Phosphorus Manganese Zinc

Sodium Potassium Iron Copper

Chlorine Magnesium Molybdenum Selenium

Sulfur Iodine Cobalt

Chromium

Vitamins

Vitamins are required in the diet in small amounts and are essential for normal

metabolism to occur. Animals do not synthesize their own vitamins so it is necessary to

supplement them. (Except for Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Niacin). If not enough of a

particular vitamin is provided, a deficiency develops and it will affect the growth and

health of your steer. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K. Green forages are high

in Vitamin A. Vitamin D is formed when animals are exposed to sunlight. Vitamin E has

been found to improve the shelf life of meat, and the microorganisms in the rumen

produce Vitamin K.

Feed Ingredients

There are several different grain ingredients used in feeds that help to meet the

nutrient requirements of your market animal. Each ingredient adds something different

to the feed. The following is a list of ingredients found in Ranch-Way Show Feeds.

• Flaked Corn: Corn is the #1 energy feed in ruminant diets. The flaking process

opens up more surface area for rumen “bugs” to work on.

• Soybean Hulls and Cottonseed Hulls: Hulls are the outer portions of the

seeds. They are used as a fiber source in ruminant diets. It takes longer to

digest the hulls. This helps to keep the “bugs” happy in the rumen.

• Rolled Barley: Barley normally has 88-90% of the energy value of corn. Rolling

is another way of opening up more surface area.


• Crimped Oats: Oats are high in fiber. They usually have no more than 85% of

the energy value of corn. Oats are great for starting calves on feed. However,

they are somewhat limiting in the latter stages of the finishing period because of

fiber content.

• Molasses: Molasses is a by-product of sugar manufacturing. It is used to bind a

pellet feed together, reduce dust and make the feed taste better to the animal. It

is also a very available source of energy.

• Cottonseed Meal: An excellent protein source in ruminant diets. It is obtained

from cottonseed kernels after oil has been extracted.

• Soybean Meal: The most widely used protein source. Soybean meal provides

the highest quality of protein. It is also the result of extracting oil.

• Sunflower Meal: A protein source that is easily used by ruminants. Sunflower

meal is another product of oil extraction.

• Wheat Midds: Wheat midds have moderate protein levels and are easily used

as carbohydrates. These consist of fine particles of wheat bran, wheat shorts,

wheat germ and wheat flour.

• Chelated Minerals: These are mineral compounds that are hooked to an amino

acid carrier. By hooking the mineral compound to an amino acid, the mineral is

allowed to by-pass breakdown in the rumen. This enables the calf’s body to get

more use out of the mineral.

• Probiotics: These are naturally occurring microorganisms that aid the digestive

process and decrease the effects of stress.

• Yeast Cultures: These increase digestive efficiency, reduce digestive upsets,

improve bloom, and increase growth rate.

• Growth Promoters: There are several different feed additives that can help your

project grow and gain better.

o Ionophores: These work to regulate how the rumen “bugs” digest feed.

There are several different brands with slightly different characteristics. It

is important to remember to follow label directions when feeding growth


promoters. Ionophores can be deadly to horses and dogs. Do not feed

to animals that are not indicated on the labels. The two most

commonly used ionophores are Bovatec and Rumensin. � Bovatec is a medicated feed ingredient that contains lasalocid

sodium. Bovatec offers increased rates of gain, improved feed

efficiency, and coccidiosis control. Safety trials show that a level up

to five times the recommended rate does not harm the cattle. There

is no minimum body weight restriction or withdrawal time for

Bovatec.

� Rumensin is a medicated feed additive containing monensin

sodium. Rumensin improves nutrient utilization, reduces metabolic

disorders and helps to control parasites in beef cattle. Rumensin

improves the efficiency of rumen fermentation by changing the

“bugs” to enable cattle to get more energy from every pound of

feed. Do not feed more that the amount recommended in the

feeding directions, poorer daily gains might result.

o Gainpro is also a growth-promoting antibiotic. Gainpro is a fermentation

product that improves energy and protein efficiency in animals by affecting

the ruminal and small intestinal “bugs”. Gainpro has been found safe when

fed higher amounts than recommended and is safe to horses if they

accidentally consume it. There is no withdrawal time for Gainpro.

The types of feed you feed your steer can be divided into two categories:

concentrates and forages. Concentrates are grains such as corn and oats. These help

the steer to put on muscle and finish. Forages are hay and grass. Their main role is to

help a steer grow taller and keep the digestive system working correctly. This is why it is

so important to feed the correct balance of forages and concentrates to your steer. In

market cattle rations, grains make up the majority of the diet, because they are high in

energy and protein. Protein and energy play a key role in muscle development and

finishing. However, a small amount of roughage is needed in order to keep the rumen

“bugs” healthy.


Several things need to be considered when deciding which grain ration to use. Make

sure high quality ingredients are used, the feed contains the right balance of nutrients

and that the animal’s system is able to use these nutrients. See figure 4 for samples of

complete rations. It is also important to consider the correct level of nutrients that is

right for your animal. When starting your project on grain, provide a ration with enough

protein and energy for rapid, lean growth. Make sure to monitor your animal’s weight.

When your project reaches the size that it needs to start putting on finish, switch to a

finishing ration. A finisher ration is lower in protein and higher in energy; this ration helps

the animal to start putting on fat in order to reach the target fat thickness. A general

guideline to switch feeds is 750 lbs.

Figure 4


The best type of hay for your market project is alfalfa. Alfalfa hay is higher in protein

and has more nutrients than grass hay. Grass hay is very bulky and lower in protein.

Therefore, it takes up more space in the rumen and leaves less room for the

concentrates your animal needs to gain correctly.

The Right Amount at the Right Time

The amount of feed a market animal needs depends on its age and weight.

Everyday, your project animal needs to eat at least 2.5% of its body weight in the form

of feed. A market steer or heifer also needs a minimum of 2-4 lbs of hay per day to help

keep the rumen “bugs” healthy. Refer to Table 5 for example amounts to be fed at

certain weights.

Table 5 Estimated Daily Feeding Amounts for Market Cattle

Calf Wt Lbs of Grain Lbs of Hay Total Fed

500 lbs 6 lbs 7 lbs 13 lbs








It is important to remember, this table gives general guidelines. You need to

watch your calf to see what he or she is comfortable eating.

In order to make sure that the rumen stays healthy, it is critical that you introduce

your calf to a grain diet slowly. If you change your calf’s diet too quickly, it will upset the

rumen and your project may quit eating or get scours (diarrhea). If you are purchasing

your calf, ask the producer what the animal has been eating. If it has been on a grain

diet, ask the producer how you can get some feed to mix in with your feed. The

following is a sample of how you can work your calf onto feed slowly.


Sample Feeding Schedule

Day 1 – Your project should have free choice grass hay, salt and all the fresh

water they want. Also offer the animal free choice of a complete mineral.

Ranch-O-Min Summer and Fall mineral is a complete source of micro minerals.

The time when your calf first arrives, is stressful on them, and can reduce their

resistance to disease. Therefore, it is important to keep a close eye out for signs

of sickness. Let the animal adjust to its new home slowly without adding any

more stress than necessary.

Day 2 – In two separate feedings (morning and evening) top-dress the grass hay

with ½ pound of grower ration for each animal. That is 1 pound total daily.

Introduce the calf to a small amount of alfalfa hay (1-2 lbs).

Day 3 to 7 – Increase the amount of grain by ½ pound per feeding while

decreasing the hay by about the same rate. By day 7 the calf should be adjusted

to feeding rates recommended in Table 4.

Throughout the Project – Track your project progress by weighing often. If you

do not have access to a scale, you can purchase a weigh tape. These tapes are

a good tool for estimating weight and are inexpensive. As the animal gains

weight, increase the amount of grain by ½ pound per day, to match the

recommended 2.5% of their weight.

When making the transition from a grower ration to a finisher ration, do it

over a week’s time. Mix the products by gaining ratios until the steer is

completely switched over.

If your animal is not adjusting to the feed you have chosen, check with your

project leader, extension agent or feed dealer or veterinarian. Each of these people may

provide you with information or solutions to your problem. Make sure to use the

resources available to you in order to learn as much as possible about your project.




The following is a checklist to help make sure your animal’s basic needs are met.

_____ Does my animal have access to clean, fresh water at all times?

_____ Is my project in a clean and comfortable environment?

_____ Have I weighed my market animal to make sure that he/she is gaining

properly?

_____ Does the amount of feed reflect my animals current weight, finish and the

number of days till show time.

_____Did I follow withdrawal recommendations on the label while treating for

illness?

Documents

1-800-333-7929 [email protected] the Right Animal the Right Feed at the Right Time in the Right Amount. ... Yield Grade 1.5-3.5 2.0 Quality Grade Low Choice – Prime Average