Pros and cons to raising jerseys for freezer beef....

[inbredredneck]

ohiosteve

I think someone should lend you a calculator.

400 / 1050 = 38%

500 / 1300 = 38.4%

[ohiosteve]

Like I said my memory of #'s is terrible but I can assure you the yield from the jerseys were considerably less than the angus. I will try to dig up the butcher slips and give some exact #'s. I still wouldn't give up the idea of raising jersey steers. Especially if it helps to get some one started.

[Flatbroke]

What about a Jersey cross with Red Angus? The steer looks a lot like a Jersey but he seems to be growing about the same as the other steers Will he still take longer to finish like a straigt Jersey steer? .

[VanC]

What about a Jersey cross with Red Angus? The steer looks a lot like a Jersey but he seems to be growing about the same as the other steers Will he still take longer to finish like a straigt Jersey steer? .

If fed the same, the Jersey/RA cross should finish in less time than the straight Jersey.

One other thing: Jerseys generally marble better than any beef breed yet some say it is lean beef. I've always thought high marbling and lean were pretty much opposites. Someone help me out here.

[hooknline]

The one jersey we finished out was very lean. And he gobbled up a bunch of grain. He was tasty and tender though

[inbredredneck]

What about a Jersey cross with Red Angus? The steer looks a lot like a Jersey but he seems to be growing about the same as the other steers Will he still take longer to finish like a straigt Jersey steer? .

If fed the same, the Jersey/RA cross should finish in less time than the straight Jersey.

One other thing: Jerseys generally marble better than any beef breed yet some say it is lean beef. I've always thought high marbling and lean were pretty much opposites. Someone help me out here.

Fed correct they will marble well and have little backfat. Fed wrong they will be ultra lean. Now my idea of right and wrong are completly opposite of lets say a health food fella. I tend to like meat that will self cook once you get the fat dripping. Saves on wood pellets.

[Kathie in Thorp]

The one jersey we finished out was very lean. And he gobbled up a bunch of grain. He was tasty and tender though

One of the steers we butchered a few months ago was Jersey. He was on about 12 lbs. of grain a day, just like the beef-type calves, for finishing. He, of course, wasn't as big at slaughter, but his buyers are really happy with the meat. We also bought a finished Jersey bull (young one) a year or so ago for our own consumption, and he was very tasty.

[vclavin]

Are we talking about the little Jerseys' or the bigger Jerseys'? I understand they come in 2 sizes?
Valerie