3 Weeks To Fatten A Cow

[chownah]

I've got three weeks to fatten a cow for a wedding....it will be eaten, not married. What's the good advice?

Chownah

[MrSquigle]

Germans seem to know the recipe well.

Soy beans, peanuts, a corn meal of any description, lucerne if you can get it, lotsa mollasses, silage if you make it.

But doubt 3 weeks is enough to get much on, might bloat it and make it look fat, but good increase in fat not sure if the extra cost would be worth the gain.

Edited November 18, 2007 by MrSquigle

[tim armstrong]

Germans seem to know the recipe well.

Soy beans, peanuts, a corn meal of any description, lucerne if you can get it, lotsa mollasses, silage if you make it.

But doubt 3 weeks is enough to get much on, might bloat it and make it look fat, but good increase in fat not sure if the extra cost would be worth the gain.

Good advice above especially the lucerne. Also look for anywhere where the grass or shrubs have gone to seed and brown looking, to graze your cow as there is more value in this type of fodder, or dry hay with plenty of seed in it. The green grass in Thailand is all water and does nothing for weight gain. If your cow starts to get the shits on all this intensive input, stop it as she will lose weight quickly. Brahman type cows are slow weight gainers once they are adult. Young animals around 6 months are the best to try and grow on quickly

[chownah]

Germans seem to know the recipe well.

Soy beans, peanuts, a corn meal of any description, lucerne if you can get it, lotsa mollasses, silage if you make it.

But doubt 3 weeks is enough to get much on, might bloat it and make it look fat, but good increase in fat not sure if the extra cost would be worth the gain.

Good advice above especially the lucerne. Also look for anywhere where the grass or shrubs have gone to seed and brown looking, to graze your cow as there is more value in this type of fodder, or dry hay with plenty of seed in it. The green grass in Thailand is all water and does nothing for weight gain. If your cow starts to get the shits on all this intensive input, stop it as she will lose weight quickly. Brahman type cows are slow weight gainers once they are adult. Young animals around 6 months are the best to try and grow on quickly

Do you have any information about lucerne in Thailand?

Chownah

[C-sip-degree]

I've got three weeks to fatten a cow for a wedding....it will be eaten, not married. What's the good advice?

Chownah

Chownah,

I find the triple seven cattle feed mixed with the rice rum (soft fine one) works well @ a 50/50 mix.

If you want you can add an extra scope of the harder rice husk which is available at the local rice mill, I normally buy both rice-rum/rice-husk separate in 80kg sacks.

Mix the two or three together with water until its like ‘porridge’ in the bucket.

2-3kg in the morning 2-3kg at night.

Plenty of Jumbo glass during the day, Rice hay or ‘far-ng’ at night with molasses/water mix to soften.

Regards

C-sip

[MrSquigle]

No advice from me re lucerne, but I am not in the scene here in Los....but I have seen bales of lucerne hay around on upcountry trips. So if you can get lucerne hay, you should be able to also get lucerne chaff which is even better.

[tim armstrong]

No advice from me re lucerne, but I am not in the scene here in Los....but I have seen bales of lucerne hay around on upcountry trips. So if you can get lucerne hay, you should be able to also get lucerne chaff which is even better.

Lucerne chaff tends to breakdown if its stored too long. Lucerne hay is probably better for the cow's digestion. But don't know where you can get it either. I would grow some if anyone has some plant/seed suppliers.

[MrSquigle]

Ask at the racecourses, the horse stables/studs and trainers must be using it........just a thought, I do know a friend who has a friend in the horse feed business here. If you are serious I can make some enquiries for you.

I thought chaff because it is already chopped up, kinda like half digested, easier to digest for the quick gain required. Kinda like bruised oats are easier to digest than whole etc. But yes, needs to be fresh as it can become old and mouldy after some time.

[rice555]

Pacific Seeds (Thai) Ltd.

Pacific Seeds (Thai) Ltd.

P.O. Box 15

Saraburi 18120

Thailand

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel +66 (36) 26 63 16

Fax +66 (36) 26 65 08

Website: www.pacificseeds.com

Sunflower, grain sorghum, forage sorghum, corn, canola, oats, chickpeas, soybeans, temperate pastures, alfalfa.

I buy Lucy seed downtown Korat at a farm supply store

rice555

[chownah]

I've been asked for an update on the cow's progress. Inspite of the good advise given here I have not had the time to get together an advanced feeding scheme because it is rice harvest....and......because my wife for some reason has decided that it is not necessary to buy feed for the animal. Now normally I would not let my wife deter me in a project like this but the combination of being busy with the rice and the fact that only three weeks would not make a too terribly spectacular result AND my wife's bad attitude have cumulatively led me to just graze the cow on some fairly premium grass which I've been growing as a learning project for raising cow forage (para grass).

The cow we got is smallish, male, and is probably 1-1/2 to 2 years old (no way to know for sure)...it was fairly skinny but not to the point of seeming illness. It has been eating the premium grass and some lush ungrazed strips of native plant mix on the road going out in our rice fields for about a week and it has noticeably filled out some. I borrowed a cow from my uncle so it would have a friend and wouldn't get lonely. This is turning out to be a good trial run for having cows. When we're done I'll ask the wife (who has been doing at least half of the work with them) if she still wants to have a couple of cows of her own (something we have been planning for awhile).

Chownah

P.S. We paid 4,900 baht for the cow.

Chownah

Edited November 26, 2007 by chownah

[MrSquigle]

But did you sell it as a fat cow or skinny cow ?

Will the guests be going hungry ?

If it does not get fat, how about stuffing it with somtam, surely that will make them happy.

[Beardog]

I've been asked for an update on the cow's progress. Inspite of the good advise given here I have not had the time to get together an advanced feeding scheme because it is rice harvest....and......because my wife for some reason has decided that it is not necessary to buy feed for the animal. Now normally I would not let my wife deter me in a project like this but the combination of being busy with the rice and the fact that only three weeks would not make a too terribly spectacular result AND my wife's bad attitude have cumulatively led me to just graze the cow on some fairly premium grass which I've been growing as a learning project for raising cow forage (para grass).

The cow we got is smallish, male, and is probably 1-1/2 to 2 years old (no way to know for sure)...it was fairly skinny but not to the point of seeming illness. It has been eating the premium grass and some lush ungrazed strips of native plant mix on the road going out in our rice fields for about a week and it has noticeably filled out some. I borrowed a cow from my uncle so it would have a friend and wouldn't get lonely. This is turning out to be a good trial run for having cows. When we're done I'll ask the wife (who has been doing at least half of the work with them) if she still wants to have a couple of cows of her own (something we have been planning for awhile).

Chownah

P.S. We paid 4,900 baht for the cow.

Chownah

Sounds like you lucked out not having to stuff it to get it fat & save a little baht.

That is pretty good idea at least your cow gets some company before the time of offering. Your a good man!

Beardog

[Gary A]

I don't know how much weight it will gain but it may improve the flavor of the meat. I'd give it healthy rations of ground corn every day for a couple of weeks. Grain finished beef has a MUCH better flavor than grass fed regardless of what the Aussies say.

I used to grind a lot of hamburger for a Bangkok bar and I could easily smell the difference between Thai French beef and range Thai beef.

[sbk]

Off topic and trollish posts have been deleted. If you can't post about the topic then please don't bother. Further such posts will result in deletion and a warning.

[ozzydom]

I don't know how much weight it will gain but it may improve the flavor of the meat. I'd give it healthy rations of ground corn every day for a couple of weeks. Grain finished beef has a MUCH better flavor than grass fed regardless of what the Aussies say.

I used to grind a lot of hamburger for a Bangkok bar and I could easily smell the difference between Thai French beef and range Thai beef.

This Aussie agrees with you Gary,But grain finished beef is normally for the top end market,a slab of grain fed Angus is hard to beat.

Problem is the cost factor,with feedlot stores cattle currently bringing a top of $1-70 pkg live weight you soon end up in the red feeding premium grain.

[chownah]

Sorry, no photos.......remember this is just meat that is walking around still and is not a pet to be swooned over or to be remembered when viewing an album.....no name either....

Should we have a "name the cow contest"? Evidentally GreenPeace is naming some whale by taking votes on the internet and so far the likely winner is "Mr Splashy Pants".

Chownah

[MrSquigle]

So is that official...a name contest...have to ask first so I not get in trouble.

You should take a photo, like a before and after shot to see if she put on any weight, like wedding pictures.

For the record, if you are starting a name contest...I would like to submit.... "podgy"

Reminds me of someone.

[chownah]

I think a naming contest would be acceptable....it is good that you ask first I guess but I'm pretty sure we could have the contest here...if not then maybe in another thread.

First, do we need prizes?...and if so who will provide them because it certainly won't be me....I guess just knowing that your name has been chosen will be reward enough and no prize is needed.

Rules:

0. No pictures will be made available as this is a double blind contest.

1. A maximum of three entries will be allowed for each member.

2. All entries become property of me.

3. I will choose the winner.

4. Others may make disparaging remarks about my decision with the poviso that said remarks must fall within ThaiVisa posting guidelines.

5. In the event of a tie then both/all of the tieing parties can feel good that their name was chosen.

6. The name will be chosen and announced on the day of the wedding so it may be a posthumous name designation in which case the letters "R", "I", and "P" shall be annexed to the chosen name.

7. Void if and where prohibited.

8. All liabilities incurred by any entry or entrant shall be born by the entrant making the entry....entirely.

OK. Suggestions for additional rules will be considered and the first name entered is "podgy" which is entered by Mr. Squigle

[MrSquigle]

Excellent.... my second name is..... 'quarter pounder'

have to think a bit for the third...when is the wedding date ?

[MrSquigle]

Okay...thought about it, third name is.... 'destiny'

[MrSquigle]

geez....nobody got any fat cow names....nobody want to win a prize of nuttin....maybe thats the problem, remuneration for creative writing just aint the same around here as at my old employer...Penthouse.

[Gary A]

I don't know how much weight it will gain but it may improve the flavor of the meat. I'd give it healthy rations of ground corn every day for a couple of weeks. Grain finished beef has a MUCH better flavor than grass fed regardless of what the Aussies say.

I used to grind a lot of hamburger for a Bangkok bar and I could easily smell the difference between Thai French beef and range Thai beef.

This Aussie agrees with you Gary,But grain finished beef is normally for the top end market,a slab of grain fed Angus is hard to beat.

Problem is the cost factor,with feedlot stores cattle currently bringing a top of $1-70 pkg live weight you soon end up in the red feeding premium grain.

If you are going to be selling the beef, I agree that finishing them out on grain would most likely be a losing proposition, BUT, you forget that we are talking about a wealthy farang who wants to make an impression and have a decent steak.

[chownah]

The chosen name for the cow is "QUARTER POUNDER KAMMA". There are two lucky winners; one being Mr. Squigle and the other is an anonymous entrant. Congratulations to you both. Although my ability to judge a cut of beef has been severly blunted by my long stay in Thailand I would have to say that the premium grass feeding regimen turned Mr. QPK from a skinny underweight wannabe into a nicely rounded contender in just three weeks. I would not say the Mr. QPK was "well fattened" but he did make a nice Lab Dip and some choice parts roasted up quite nicely with enough fat content for some tender moistness. Tomorrow we'll see how he does in the Geng Om and Phla Jin Woowa.

Congratulations to the winners,

Chownah

Edited December 6, 2007 by chownah

[MrSquigle]

I would like to thank the establishment, my piers...or peers...or pears...however...and the cow for making the ultimate sacrifice.