SHOW HEIFER NUTRITION: 10 TIPS TO HELP MANAGE YOUR SHOW HEIFERS' NUTRITION

Written by: Beth Keene

The summer show season is in full swing, with youngsters exhibiting their 4-H projects at county and state fairs nationwide. It doesn’t end with the 4-H season, however. There are shows throughout the year that require lots of work for kids and parents alike, ensuring those heifers look their best when they get in the ring. While there are many factors that go into making sure a heifer is wearing her “best dress” on show day, nutrition is near the top of the list. For a heifer to look its best, it needs to be in proper condition — not too fat, not too thin. Also, the size of the heifer is important, and the correct nutrition program in the weeks and months before the show will help her frame grow to its genetic potential.

Here are 10 tips to help manage the nutrition of your show heifers:

1. Once you have selected an animal, have a nutrition program in place. Feed your heifers the same amount at the same time each day so they get used to a consistent routine. You can not start good nutrition too early.

2. Keep things clean. Make sure her environment is clean, that feeding tubs and troughs are clean and waterers are free of debris.

3. Feed your heifers individually, if possible, so you can monitor intake and ensure she gets all the feed she needs to maintain growth. And be consistent – feed the same amount each time, adjusting based on the heifer’s intake.

4. For younger heifers, select a calf starter that supports adequate nutrition. Aim for a 20 percent crude protein starter that has enough fiber and other nutrients to stimulate rumen development. It should be balanced for proper levels of minerals and vitamins if it's a good starter.

5. Make sure your heifers have plenty of fresh, clean drinking water. This helps with starter intake and rumen development.

6. Start feeding a 40% protein concentrate. Gauge feeding levels are based on the heifer’s age and weight. Based on her body condition, either back off on the concentrate if she starts to carry too much flesh or add concentrate if she needs more condition. Make any adjustments gradually to avoid throwing off her appetite.

7. After four months be sure she has as much hay as possible. Good quality grass hay is fine – it doesn’t need to be high-powered alfalfa hay.

8. Like with feeding concentrate, back off on hay feeding if your heifers start gaining excessive weight or the manure seems too loose. This is especially true if you’re feeding a high-protein hay.

9. There is a long list of supplements on the market, with an even longer list of perceived benefits. While a good supplement is important and beneficial to the nutrition of your heifer, be sure you’re getting one that works. Talk to a nutritionist or other producers who have had experience using a product before making the investment.

10. You can learn a lot from an experienced and successful show person. Go visit their farm and see if they will give you advice about what has worked well for them.

Above all, remember that show day is about the experience, not necessarily the result. There are many positive lessons for young people to learn in the process of working with an animal to help her look her best when it counts. An understanding of the right steps in the process will go a long way toward a positive and successful outcome.