Proper nutrition is a building block of any successful show program.
by Lisa Bryant
You’ve found the beast of all show calf prospects — truly a LeBron James on four legs. You’re visualizing yourself with a banner at the backdrop, but wait ... how do you feed it to get to the championship? Exhibitors need to start with crude protein and energy content, according to Mark Johnson, Ph.D., and extension beef cattle breeding specialist for the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal and Food Science. In addition to feeding and showing his own youth projects, Johnson has overseen the feeding of cattle at the OSU Purebred Beef Cattle Center and has helped his daughters successfully show multiple breeds in youth programs. “If we think about when crude protein needs to be the highest, typically that’s when we’re feeding young calves or as creep feed for a set of young growing calves at the side of their mother,” Johnson said. “That creep feed needs to be 14% crude protein. 8
“As they get older, we can back off that level of crude protein, and it becomes less significant.” As cattle reach the point of yearling age or bred heifers, Johnson added that a 10 to 12% crude protein level might be satisfactory at that point. “The big thing about cattle creep feed and show feed is the crude protein needs to be appropriate, and then the energy content needs to be appropriate relative to our feeding goal,” he added. “We need to keep fat below 5% because they are a ruminant animal, plus maintain a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 2:1 as a general rule of thumb for a growing or developing ration for beef cattle.” Johnson said we need to remember that beef cattle are ruminant animals, so they need fiber. “Cattle need to eat things like dry hay and grass as they get older. Feeding them a good quality hay free choice is fundamental to feeding show cattle.” Although hay choice varies by region, Johnson recommends a good
BUCKLE & BANNER | WINTER 2021-2022
quality native grass or prairie hay, if available. If you can’t find a good quality grass hay, Johnson said to look for something that is a midpoint between alfalfa and straw. “The whole point of feeding hay to a ruminant is to keep their digestive system, and in particular the rumen, healthy and functioning like it should to break down fiber. “A good quality grass hay has a rate of passage that we are looking for to keep them full and happy,” he added. “When we avoid things like alfalfa or straw and get to that happy medium, then we are giving them what they need to suit the digestive system that nature gave them.” A good quality hay could be the key for exhibitors who are trying to reduce costs due to rising feed prices. “Feeding grass and hay, almost always without exception, is more cost effective than a feed that has cereal grains. As cattle get old enough, it takes a lot less feeding and you can become more dependent on
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