#2’s (or worse) for beef

[Hpacres440p]

In the price world that exists today, if you had a beef buyer specifically looking for more burger than steaks, would you give $600 for a Jersey/LH 9 mo old bull calf? 450 lbs, would still need to be steered, do something with horns, etc. anything in that weight range is $3-4/lb around here. Or wait for the October sell-off and take my chances that prices will drop?

 

[kenny thomas]

Worth about $1 here if that much. A 450lb jersey LH cross isnt gonna yield very much meat. Or are you planning on feeding it until next spring?

 

[4hfarms]

So they will pay you to drive it to the stock yard? 450lb x $3 - $650 =

 

[Travlr]

In the price world that exists today, if you had a beef buyer specifically looking for more burger than steaks, would you give $600 for a Jersey/LH 9 mo old bull calf? 450 lbs, would still need to be steered, do something with horns, etc. anything in that weight range is $3-4/lb around here. Or wait for the October sell-off and take my chances that prices will drop?

There won't be anything wrong with the meat you get, but it's likely that it won't dress out with a very high carcass/live weight ratio. Jerseys might dress out 50 percent and longhorns might be a little more, so a cross isn't likely to be very meaty. Personally, I'd not bother cutting it as long as you can contain it so it doesn't breed any cows. Bulls generally grow better than steers and the burger will be the same.

And it's likely to be very lean. Lean is fine for some people but if you need more fat in the burger you can usually get some excess kidney fat from the processor to mix in.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I'd be inclined to look over the pound pen for something young but already grown. Prices being what they are... even those are getting expensive.

There were 120 head of cows at Greeneville this past Saturday, total of 700 head I'm guessing. There won't be many to breed with here soon.

 

[bird dog]

I would look for a big cripple. Thats what I have in my freezer at the present time.

 

[Hpacres440p]

So they will pay you to drive it to the stock yard? 450lb x $3 - $650 =

Not for dairy-actual beef calves yes

 

[Hpacres440p]

Worth about $1 here if that much. A 450lb jersey LH cross isnt gonna yield very much meat. Or are you planning on feeding it until next spring?

It would be a feed-out

 

[Dave]

You will spend a lot of the money you save on the purchase price on the extra feed it will take to grow/ fatten it up. Here fall is starting to arrive. This last week nothing hit $3. #1 steers weighing 520 sold for $2.85. About 3 weeks ago I got $3.10 for steers weighing 560. Kill cows are off a good solid 15 cents too.