# Year old calves not eating grain



## Cjaypaul (Jan 20, 2015)

Hi, I have 3 year old calves and they have stop eating their grain. I have had oil added to their feed and now have added extra molasses. They will eat their hay but not grain. I have pumped them with vitamins last night and wormed them last week. Does anyone have any other idea of what I can do? Our weather in northern Indiana has been cold then warm from day to day. I have also checked their temperatures and it is normal. Thank you for your help!


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Welcome. How do you feed hay salt and mineral? What does their waste look like? Maybe back down the the feed and ramp it up slowly.


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## Wanda (Dec 19, 2002)

Did they stop eating before you added the extra oil and molasses? What type of grain are you feeding, corn.oats,barley? Is the grain crimped or ground? Have you changed suppliers? Could the grain be moldy or have an off flavor? Make sure you remove ALL of the refused grain before you put more out for them.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Buy grain somewhere else and I'll bet you'll be amazed with the result....Topside


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## Cjaypaul (Jan 20, 2015)

I completely cleaned out their feed bunk. I didn't mess with their feed until they stopped eating it. I am feeding corn and oats. This is my feed mill recipe. I didn't have problem til now. They have a mineral block in their pen. And the mix that I have has minerals, medication and vitamins in it. The mill said maybe they need a boost of Vitamin B12.


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## Cjaypaul (Jan 20, 2015)

These 3 boys are my son's 4-H steers.


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## M5farm (Jan 14, 2014)

they need loose mineral and loose salt. They will not get enough out of a block. Get a bag of commercial beef feed or sweet feed and see what happens.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

How are you feeding them, daily limited amount, or keeping the grain in front of them at all times? How long have you fed them this way and how long have they not ate?


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Also as a test, dump some of the won't eat grain mixture into a different feeding container, like a clean trash can lid........Topside


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## Cjaypaul (Jan 20, 2015)

Okay thank you all for your help. They get feed in morning and then in the evening. The grain has vitamins and minerals in it. They have been on this feed for about 10 months and just stopped two weeks ago.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

If you provide loose minerals AND salt, omit the separate salt; they should get whatever salt they need in the minerals.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Cjaypaul said:


> Okay thank you all for your help. They get feed in morning and then in the evening. The grain has vitamins and minerals in it. They have been on this feed for about 10 months and just stopped two weeks ago.


 
New batch of grain, or new hay?

My first guess was they had either over loaded or you was increasing the grain and they had filled up. If you know any one else useing feed from the same source check and see if they are having problems.


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## Cjaypaul (Jan 20, 2015)

Allen W okay thank you for your help. I will check it out. Thanks!


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

Change half the equation. If nothing changes, then change the other half. If everything stays static, you are getting nowhere. Force a change to find the cause. Cut off the hay, change the type of feed, or add loose minerals but make a change somewhere.


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## billinwv (Sep 27, 2013)

How is their water consumption? lack of water consumption will greatly decrease feed consumption.


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## Cjaypaul (Jan 20, 2015)

My calves are eating grain again slowly.  I am thinking the hay was just to rich for them and that's all they wanted to eat. So I changed the kind of hay. But not sure. I also added a little more molasses. And pumped them with vitamins.


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## Cjaypaul (Jan 20, 2015)

Thank you all for your help! Now I have another question. I need to bulk them up for our farm end of June, 1st of July. Someone told be they are eating to much oats.
Should I back them off of oats in exchange for more corn? Just want them looking nice for our fair and my deep freezer.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Oats are far superior to corn and so is the price. Look up the nutrient values of each, I'd feed a blend if the price was right....Topside


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

In many areas, 4H shows are very competitive. Recently, a father paid $25,000 for a young steer for his son's 4H competition. Asking a group of Homesteaders about feed rations for cattle we've never seen, preparing for a Show we know nothing about is pointless. Who is the 4H leader? There are many "tricks of the trade" that get beef ready to show. 
My guess is that the feed mill got a batch of moldy corn and your steers knew it. But, I'm just shooting in the dark.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

If you pushing much grain to the calves things need to stay consistent, same grain mix, same hay, even feeding close to the same time every day.

If your grain just consists of corn and oats your lacking protein in your overall ration.


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