We used to do it a little differently. Maybe this is not what the intention of what a 4H calf is supposed to be, but our sons' steers stayed with the rest of the steers eating out of the self feeder with everybody else until everybody else was sold as a short keep. Then they stayed there by themselves until they were gone. The boys were part of taking care of the bunch of them, and their calves were not treated any differently than the rest, other than the halter breaking adventures we all love so well. LOL.
Back in the day, we worked up to feeding free choice barley with minerals, salt, and buffer added along with free choice hay or straw depending on the hay situation for the year. When the cattle were used to this they regulated their own intake very well, and seemed to manage to express their potential quite nicely.
The one time we segregated a steer for special feeding was when the younger son had caught a calf in the calf scramble at the Winter Fair in Brandon, and had to show a finished animal at the end of March the following spring. That one was fed alone in the barn, and wouldn't you know it, when the cows started coming in to calf he fell in love and went off feed for a whole week. It made the difference between Champion and Reserve according to the judge. He and the other top steer were that close. He still did us proud though, because in the show world, white steers didn't usually top the class. He was only beat by a Limo.
We used to tell the boys, it was only one judges opinion on one day, and that today's winner might be at the bottom of the class tomorrow. We found over the years that come sale time, other than the Champion and bragging rights that went with it, most of the steers did not sell in an order of price that matched the order of placing in class. The size of the cheque is actually the deciding factor of who really wins. Just like in the real world.
grassfarmer, if you have some neighbours and friends who are also interested in grass finished 4H steers, there's nothing to stop the formation of a club dedicated to just that. Nowhere is it written in stone that a 4H steer must be grain fed. That's not the intent of 4H, no matter what some overeager parents might say. ;-)
Back in the day, we worked up to feeding free choice barley with minerals, salt, and buffer added along with free choice hay or straw depending on the hay situation for the year. When the cattle were used to this they regulated their own intake very well, and seemed to manage to express their potential quite nicely.
The one time we segregated a steer for special feeding was when the younger son had caught a calf in the calf scramble at the Winter Fair in Brandon, and had to show a finished animal at the end of March the following spring. That one was fed alone in the barn, and wouldn't you know it, when the cows started coming in to calf he fell in love and went off feed for a whole week. It made the difference between Champion and Reserve according to the judge. He and the other top steer were that close. He still did us proud though, because in the show world, white steers didn't usually top the class. He was only beat by a Limo.
We used to tell the boys, it was only one judges opinion on one day, and that today's winner might be at the bottom of the class tomorrow. We found over the years that come sale time, other than the Champion and bragging rights that went with it, most of the steers did not sell in an order of price that matched the order of placing in class. The size of the cheque is actually the deciding factor of who really wins. Just like in the real world.
grassfarmer, if you have some neighbours and friends who are also interested in grass finished 4H steers, there's nothing to stop the formation of a club dedicated to just that. Nowhere is it written in stone that a 4H steer must be grain fed. That's not the intent of 4H, no matter what some overeager parents might say. ;-)
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