# Corn/Grain finishing a steer



## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

I am getting a steer to finish out. Probably this weekend or so. He is a 20 month or so Dexter who has been on pasture with unlimited hay until now. When you grain finish or corn finish a steer - what do you feed? I need specifics because I have never done this before and am abysmally ignorant of finishing... Do you feed as much as he will eat of the corn/grain? Or "x" number of pounds per day? Obviously he will need hay as well, and I have a relatively unlimited supply of that for him. Please help, guys. Once again I jumped in with both feet before determining how deep it was!:lookout:

Mary


----------



## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

Give him all the good quality hay he can eat; this will help clean him out and de-intensify the grass fed flavor, which is an acquired taste. To me, the grass fed beef is a stronger, more intense flavor; it's not a bad flavor just takes some getting used to if you're used to grain finished beef. I usually do 30-45 days of cracked corn, or dairy chop, which is a finer ground corn mixture with molasses in it; they LOVE it! I usually feed 15-20 pounds a day. Be sure to raise him up to the 15-20 lbs over a few days because he's not used to it and it will be quite a "hot" feed to transition him from being totally grass fed. If you don't titrate him up to that you'll give him a belly-ache and run the risk of scours and bloat. 

Good Luck


----------



## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

What a shame to take all that healthy meat and turn it into something unhealthy. As long as he's in good condition I'd just take him to the processor now. If he's thin I'd carry him over and probably butcher him in early summer.
Dexter is one of the breeds that grass finishes well.


----------



## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

I've just used pelletized bulk beef cattle feed 2 coffee cans a day for the last month along with hay. Tastes great to me.


----------



## Welshmom (Sep 7, 2008)

Grass finished is more healthy, but if you wan to grain finish him, you can use corn (cracked is better than whole), soybean meal, or a combination of them. There are also some mixes avail. from feed mills. However, bloat is a very real risk in intorducing an all grass or hay fed animal to grain. And bloat can and will kill an animal in a matter of hours, so you need to be carefull and introduce it to him very slowly, so that his gut bugs can adjust to the grain.

Check through the cattle section here or just google bloat in cattle.


----------



## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

Cliff and Welshmom: Why would giving him some grain be unhealthy? I understand that purely grass fed beef can taste very "gamey" as well as having very little in the way of marbling? I am not that fond of gamey flavor - even on venison - and while I don't want a plate full of fat I **do** want some marbling through the meat. I appreciate your insights

I do understand about bloat, thanks. I do intend to have hay available at all times and to start slow with the grain.


----------



## oneokie (Aug 14, 2009)

If you are going to feed some type of grain, and not a prepared feed, you need to add some type of calcium to the ration to prevent acidosis. Helps reduce the chance of bloat also.


----------



## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Start slowly, or he may get scours. They can only handle so much at once! I know this from doing it wrong.


----------



## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

CountryWannabe said:


> Cliff and Welshmom: Why would giving him some grain be unhealthy? I understand that purely grass fed beef can taste very "gamey" as well as having very little in the way of marbling? I am not that fond of gamey flavor - even on venison - and while I don't want a plate full of fat I **do** want some marbling through the meat. I appreciate your insights
> 
> I do understand about bloat, thanks. I do intend to have hay available at all times and to start slow with the grain.


I don't know where the idea that grass finished beef tastes gamey came from. In fact I've never had beef of *any* kind taste "gamey" unless it was a dark cutter. Those are fairly rare, and since dark cutters are associated with squirrely temperaments I don't think a dexter would ever turn out to be one.
As far as the health benefits, of course there's less saturated fat with grass finished, but there's also a good ratio of fatty acids instead of a bad ratio which is good for your heart instead of bad for it. I don't remember the numbers but that's the bottom line. Google grass fed or grass finished beef if you care for more info.
Like I said on another thread, feetlot beef has a greasy taste and texture to me now, whereas grass finished has a clean taste and texture.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Here is another vote for pastured beef. The time to use grain is when the calf is young, to get him bigger. The grain you give him now is going to fat. The fat the cow is carrying now contains enough CLA (conjugated linolec acid- sp) to turn the fat into energy when you eat it. The extra fat is not going to contain extra CLA. The extra fat in your steak will head directly to your hips/thighs/waist. Butcher him now.


----------



## MaineFarmMom (Dec 29, 2002)

Keep the size of the animal in mind when you start doling out grain. Dexters are much smaller than a Hereford or other beef breed. Fifteen or 20 pounds of grain on an animal that size is a lot. When we use to grain our Dexters they got a big coffee can morning and night. You're shooting for an animal that tastes good, not one that's fat.


----------



## indianheadranch (Sep 30, 2008)

if your worried about bloat you can use one of these,

http://www.hubbardfeeds.com/beef/ProdInfo/easylixpressedbloat.aspx?menu=Stocker&item=Pressed Blocks


----------



## copperhead46 (Jan 25, 2008)

the last Dexter I finished was fed about 4 lbs of "sweet feed" twice a day and lots of good hay. He was way fatter that the ones I usually finish out, and the steaks had a lot of marbling. I fed him for about 45 days. I don't usually feed that much grain, but the buyers wanted a grain finish to him, so thats what I did. One of them did call and say that the hamburger meat was a lot fatter than what she'd bought from me before, but what she'd bought before was grass finished.
P.J.


----------



## Welshmom (Sep 7, 2008)

At 20 months, your Dexter should be close to being finished. By that I mean, he should be close to ideal slaughter weight. I would advise taking a good look at him, and see if he seems "finished", or close to "finished". You are looking for a full-looking, filled-in animal, one that has an adequate fat cover to him. If you are unfamiliar with these terms and with eyeballing cattle, ask someone who raises cattle for slaughter to tell you how close to finished they think he is. You may not need to feed him too much more.
As to the health issue, as others have mentioned, many studies have shown that the fat and cholesterol that comes from a grass finished (no grain) animal is good fat, and good cholesterol, in a nutshell. They say that feeding corn to a beeve changes the characteristics of that fat and cholesterol to the kind that we don't tolerate as well. The kind that supposedly leads to heart disease, etc.

That being said, everything is relative, right? I'm sure if you grain this animal, the meat will still be a far sight healthier than that which comes from a huge feedlot, and then your supermarket. You will have very little risk of taking in the bad e.coli bug. You will know whether the meat you are serving your family was dosed with growth stimulants or antibiotics. Some people's systems naturally handle cholesterol and fat better than others. If you are on a strict heart healthy diet, I think it makes sense to seek out grass finished beef. 

If you just want some good, juicy, tender beef that doesn't taste too different from that which you could get in a restaurant, say, then by all means go ahead and give your steer some grain! Some people don't notice the difference in taste. Some people prefer the stronger taste of grass fed beef. They may say it doesn't taste gamey, and maybe that is a bad term for the flavor. I understand that it can be an acquired taste, but in my experience, I think folks that are used to eating lamb and venison (I'm not, for instance,) accept it more readily. 

In the end, it is totally a matter of personal preference. It might be worth your trouble to find and buy a cut of grass finished beef before you decide to grain your steer. If you decide you really like the flavor, you are way ahead of the game with your new Dexter! I think it's the best way to know for certain which way you want to finish your beef.


----------



## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

"Some people prefer the stronger taste of grass fed beef. They may say it doesn't taste gamey, and maybe that is a bad term for the flavor. I understand that it can be an acquired taste, but in my experience, I think folks that are used to eating lamb and venison (I'm not, for instance,) accept it more readily."


FWIW I *hate* lamb and venison. I don't think of the taste of grass finished beef as strong at all, just a real beef flavor not diluted by grease 
Our tastes change pretty quickly when we change our eating habits, store beef was nasty to me only a year after we started eating grass finished exclusively.
This thread is making me hungry, gonna go scrounge in the freezer for some meat lol.


----------



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Once again, it is all personal preferance, If he wants to grain feed this beef he can. 45 to 60 days on grain should be enough. And start feeding him grain slowly and work him up, you can work him up to full feed and leave grain in front of him at all time then. But start him out slow!!!!! I have never bloated cattle on grain, we call it foundering them if they over eat. I must say a little grain will make the meat more tender, at least it did my angus. Some cattle breeds are more suited for grass fed and some are not. I like mine grain fed some. Thanks Marc


----------



## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

I was always told you have to grain them for 45 days, etc. My own calves that I raised were usually fed hay and pasture, a coffee can of sweet grain mix just to keep them easy to handle. Fantastic meat every time. Last year I decided to buy one rather than raise our own. Bought it from a friend that farms, feedlot raised. Looked great on the hoof. Good flavor to it, BUT Toughest steaks I have ever tried to eat. I am back to raising my own. The farmers around here think I am crazy. I don't care.


----------



## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

We have always grass-raised our butcher beeves, feeding a little grain toward the last couple months. But just 4-5 lbs a day.....nothing like 15-20 lbs!


----------



## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

springvalley said:


> Once again, it is all personal preferance, If he wants to grain feed this beef he can. 45 to 60 days on grain should be enough. And start feeding him grain slowly and work him up, you can work him up to full feed and leave grain in front of him at all time then. But start him out slow!!!!! I have never bloated cattle on grain, we call it foundering them if they over eat. I must say a little grain will make the meat more tender, at least it did my angus. Some cattle breeds are more suited for grass fed and some are not. I like mine grain fed some. Thanks Marc


I agree. Its all a preference thing. Around here even the deer are grain fed, everyone hunts near corn or bean fields. Why would I accept less with my beef?


----------



## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

I have my steer right now on 100% grain. very little hay once in awhile some alfalfa pellets but that is it.
ALL he wants to eat. I have built him up to what is called "total feed" in other words he has feed (grain) in front of him 24/7. My own receipt also is used, so I can feed the same "sweet feed" to the horses I have had over the years.
And that grain feeding makes the best dern tender meat imo.
I only raise Jersey calves too, that meat is so sweet it is unbelievable.
Been doing it this way now for over 25 years one every 2 years. Early spring this one will be ready for the freezer.
Yummy in the tummy for sure.


----------



## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

arabian knight said:


> I have my steer right now on 100% grain. very little hay once in awhile some alfalfa pellets but that is it.
> ALL he wants to eat. I have built him up to what is called "total feed" in other words he has feed (grain) in front of him 24/7. My own receipt also is used, so I can feed the same "sweet feed" to the horses I have had over the years.
> And that grain feeding makes the best dern tender meat imo.
> I only raise Jersey calves too, that meat is so sweet it is unbelievable.
> ...


How long will they live when fed that way? Supposedly the feedlot beef are fed like that for almost as long as their bodies will tolerate it, if left much longer they die from fatty liver.


----------



## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

You can raise them from wean to finish like that if you care to.
We did a pair of holstein steers on straight corn for the last 6 months that came out quite tender and tasty. But corn was closer to 2 bucks a bushel then.


----------



## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

I'm with Arabian Knight, I like to pour the feed to them. I gradually work them up to full feed and keep it in front of them until they're finished. I don't go by weight or age to determine finishing. I go by fat deposits around their tailhead, scrotum, and 13th rib area. Once you can feel about 1/2 fat cover on their 13th rib it's time to schedule an appointment with the butcher. 

As far as why I put them on grain versus grass. Well, I don't have that good of grass. I've grass fed one a few years ago and just fed him corn for a few weeks before the slaughter and he was very "twangy". It may have to do with the fact that at that time I wasn't actively trying to eradicate bitter sneeze weed and ragweed from my place. The next one we did happened to be a 4-H steer that was on a rate-of-gain contest and he was fed full feed for the entire time with access to loose minerals and just enough hay to keep his rumen active. I would definately prefer the grain fed in that scenario. Maybe though I'm comparing apples to oranges but it's a personal preference. 

These days, with grain being very expensive, I'm letting them gain all they can off of grass and only feeding them 10-15lbs. per day for about 60 days before the slaughter. 

To each his own. Only do what the pocket book can afford.


----------



## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Grass or grain fed an animal needs to be putting on weight to make good meat when butchered. If your going to feed him for 30 or 45 days slowly work him up to 8 - 10 pounds of grain a day split into two feedings. Starting with a couple of pounds twice a day slowly working up over a couple of weeks keepping plenty of hay out too. If your going to feed longer you can feed more grain but slowly increase it, stretching out the times between increasing grain.


----------



## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Cliff said:


> How long will they live when fed that way? Supposedly the feedlot beef are fed like that for almost as long as their bodies will tolerate it, if left much longer they die from fatty liver.


 Remember now I am putting them in my freezer. And I most always butcher at around 18 months,, something like that. So they living a length of time is a none issue.
And with grain prices getting way down in price now way down from where it was just a year ago it is most effective to grain with very little hay.
Last week i picked up 500 pounds of my sweet feed mixture and was only 49. Bucks~!!! 
Where I had been paying around 85 at the high end of grain prices a few years back..
So at 500 pounds for 50 bucks, that is 10 cent a pound~!!!! Can't beat that price at all. Cool


----------



## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

Thanks, folks, for all your input. I had kinda hoped it would be a consensus but what was I thinking? LOL. I have been reading up on the Omega factors, so I can see where some of you are coming from. 

I have decided on a middle course. I will go with minimal (4-6#/day) sweet feed plus alfalfa pellet mix along with as much hay as he cares to eat, and re-evaluate as I see how he is looking.

As it is November there is almost no grass left here so hay it has to be

Mary


----------



## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

What is everybody referring to as sweet feed? What we get here I call junk in a bag. Basically molassas coated grain and grain products, 10% protein half again higher in price then rolled corn. Not any extra value for the price.


----------



## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

The "dairy chop" I buy is from my local mill just a few miles up the road. They make it themselves and it has no animal by-products in it. It's corn, soybeans, molasses, minerals, and a few other things. They grind it fine, and it comes in 100 pound bags. My cows about jump the fence for it; I guess it's the molasses in it that makes them go crazy over it. I finished a Black Angus steer on it last year, which produced some of the best meat I have ever eaten.


----------



## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

TSYORK said:


> The "dairy chop" I buy is from my local mill just a few miles up the road. They make it themselves and it has no animal by-products in it. It's corn, soybeans, molasses, minerals, and a few other things. They grind it fine, and it comes in 100 pound bags. My cows about jump the fence for it; I guess it's the molasses in it that makes them go crazy over it. I finished a Black Angus steer on it last year, which produced some of the best meat I have ever eaten.


Cool and what I get is a receipt that my friends have been feeding for many years now complete with even vitamins added, (cattle Lac), and yes it has molasses in it as most sweet feeds do that is what makes then "sweet" and horses and cattle love sweet feeds. I get 500 pounds at a time and even with the grinding cost the final cost is still under 50 bucks for that 500 pounds.


----------



## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

We would finish out cattle on almost a bu of ground feed per head, 1/2 in the morning, 1/2 in the evening. They had hay available, but didn't eat a whole lot.

Mind you tho, this is not solid corn kernals.  This is a mix of oats and whole ear corn ground together with a little mineral added. The cobs of the ear corn & the hulls of the oats would be adding a lot of roughage one normally gets from the hay. Perhaps 2/3-3/4 ear corn, 1/4 oats. Silage can also be a good portion of a finishing mix, or earlage. But that's not a typical thing a person with one or 3 critters can have around.

It's good to do something to the kernals of corn - the seed coat protects the kernals and the critter might pass a lot of them through without getting anything from them. Cracked or crushed, so the starch is available. You do _not_ want it ground to a fine flour, just so each kernal gets broken a little bit somehow. Some say crushed is better for calves/ young stock, don't think it should matter either way for older critters.

These were bigger cattle, typically Holstien cross. A smaller breed would use a lot less amount of course.

--->Paul


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I like marbled meat so I'd pound the cracked or ground corn to him! 30 pounds split into two feedings a day would be normal here. We're new to Dexters and they do seem to gain well on much less, so I might cut that more than in half for size so maybe only 10 pounds? I'd appreciate updates as you go and how he finishes out.


----------



## FL.Boy (Dec 17, 2007)

Allen W said:


> What is everybody referring to as sweet feed? What we get here I call junk in a bag. Basically molassas coated grain and grain products, 10% protein half again higher in price then rolled corn. Not any extra value for the price.


That's what it is here too junk in a bag and no cheaper than good feed.


----------



## Razorback21 (May 13, 2003)

Growing up, my family would bring the steers off pasture for the final 90 days and feed them out. Today, my wife and I feed only a small amount of corn to keep them tame and they are on grass until October when we bring them in. I have had no complaints from my customers yet!!!! When I say small amount, generally we put about 2 lbs of feed per animal out there.


----------

