The Best Ways to Help Weaned Holstein Steers Gain Weight

Rearing Holstein steers has typically been considered a supplementary operation, but dairy farmers can make profit by rearing their steers for beef production. According to Dan Schaefer, an animal sciences professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2.35 million Holstein steers are marketed each year in the U.S. Rearing Holstein steers for beef represents a way of generating additional income without having to milk additional cows. Holstein steers, being large framed, deposit fat differently when compared with many other breeds and have a different finish weight than many British cattle breeds.

  1. Two-Phase Program

    • Holstein steers are bred for a large adult size and tend to have lean muscle mass, as opposed to other breeds of cattle, which deposit large amounts of fat in their bodies. Holsteins also require higher energy maintenance than other types of cattle and should be fed a high concentrate ration after weaning. A two-phase feeding program is typical, in which the steer receives a high roughage diet initially. This diet is fed to steers up to 750 pounds, and replaced with a high-energy finishing diet until the animal is ready for slaughter. This two-phase program allows for compensatory growth in the finishing stage prior to slaughter.

    Rations Offered

    • The principle of a two-phase ration program is to use a higher forage diet after weaning and during the first stage, which is then replaced by a high-energy diet, which compensates for the initial period and allows for faster growth just prior to slaughter. During the first phase, Holstein steers weighing 400 to 700 pounds are fed a diet made up of 75 percent alfalfa hay or silage and 25 percent corn grain. From 700 pounds to slaughter, the steers eat a diet of between 7 percent and 10 percent alfalfa hay. The concentrate finishing diet consists of between 90 percent and 93 percent of their rations.

    Advantages of a High-Energy Diet

    • Holstein steers have a higher energy requirement than many other cattle breeds, including the low-milk breeds. The growth rate of these steers is determined by the amount of energy they are able to consume, in excess of their maintenance needs. The high-energy diets encourage a maximum growth rate in the shortest period of time. These diets therefore minimize the time needed to reach the required slaughter weight.

    Components of a High-Quality Finishing Diet

    • High-quality finishing diets, including corn grain, should contain potassium, trace-mineral salt and calcium. This diet must also provide the Holstein steer with vitamins A, D and E. Rumensin, to improve feed efficiency, can also be added to the rations.