Adding pre-harvest flavor to a butcher cow ??

[Kathie in Thorp]

I've got a 8-yr. British White cow, with an abnormally bad disposition for that breed. We AI'd last year, and she didn't take. AND I don't think I want to pro-create either her disposition or her front end. She's a real big-bodied cow, without heavy-boned front legs to support her, so she's slow and obviously sore. I'd guess her at about 1,600 lbs. right now. So . . . . I'm thinkin she's going to be burger, pot roasts and cube-steaks when we butcher steers in a couple months. The steers are in dry-lot with alfalfa and COB + rolled corn. That big cow is already BIG, so I don't really want her to go on the gain, but would like to do something more than grass-fed, because (personally) we don't like the taste of straight grass-fed beef, and she'll probably be the one that goes into our freezer. Suggestions? :?:

 

[3waycross]

marshmallows........... :hide:

 

[Anonymous]

Sweet feed will do it, but will also add some weight to her. Maybe 30 days at 16 lbs/day

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

Suggestions?

Corn and maybe oats are the two thinks that I know of that will add a little fat (marbling) to a grass fed animal .
I would give her about a lb or 2 twice a day of ground corn for 30 - 60 days before slaughter.
Or a jar of peanut butter per day. Bread is optional. That would do it also!
SL

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

So . . . . I should probably should put her out w/ the butcher steers, me thinks. She'll teach them a lesson or two, but they'll be faster than she is!

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

marshmallows........... :hide:

Cute! Thx. :lol:

 

[Sir Loin]

Or you could do as many people do.

Instead of water, give her coke, put her in a confined area where all she does is eat and lie around all day.
If that doesn’t ’ put some fat on her I don’t know what will.
SL

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

She's already lazy, SL!

 

[dun]

She's already lazy, SL!

Neat avatar

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

She's already lazy, SL!

Neat avatar

Thx, Dun!

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Sweet feed will do it, but will also add some weight to her. Maybe 30 days at 16 lbs/day

That sounds good -- just 30 days. I think we can work with that, but she'll teach those steers a lesson or two in those 30 days. Anytime you did anything with this cow, that caused her angst in any way, the head went down, tail straight up, dig/paw/snort/bellow like a darned bull. She set her boundaries -- PERIOD! Thx, Hooknline.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I agree with Hoolnline. Sweet feed should help, I've done it myself with success, of course there was some hay involved as well LOL.

LIKE that avatar!

Katherine

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Thx, Katherine. Life on the farm . . . .

 

[Jogeephus]

Can you cap her in the pen? I had a nut case a year or so ago and I thought by hand feeding her she'd calm down. She didn't. Got more agressive. After two weeks of a heavy corn diet I decided she was just too dangerous and I'd make things simple and grind her into hamburger. I walked up to the pen with my rifle and she charged and headbutted the bullet and skidded to a halt. When we quartered her I was surprised at how white the fat was so we processed her like any other animal. Wasn't the best but it was far better than I ever expected. About like the normal stuff you buy at the grocery.

 

[Anonymous]

Re:

Suggestions?

Corn and maybe oats are the two thinks that I know of that will add a little fat (marbling) to a grass fed animal .
I would give her about a lb or 2 twice a day of ground corn for 30 - 60 days before slaughter.
Or a jar of peanut butter per day. Bread is optional. That would do it also!
SL

I may be wrong SL, but only 2-4 lbs a day on a 1600lb animal is just a waste of time and grain

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Can you cap her in the pen? I had a nut case a year or so ago and I thought by hand feeding her she'd calm down. She didn't. Got more agressive. After two weeks of a heavy corn diet I decided she was just too dangerous and I'd make things simple and grind her into hamburger. I walked up to the pen with my rifle and she charged and headbutted the bullet and skidded to a halt. When we quartered her I was surprised at how white the fat was so we processed her like any other animal. Wasn't the best but it was far better than I ever expected. About like the normal stuff you buy at the grocery.

I think we can get her moved in with the steers -- she isn't too fast, but I have no doubt she could "get you", if she was so inclined. I'm thinking . . . . put her in w/ the steers the last 30 days of their 60-day confinement. Alfalfa plus the same grain ration the steers are on. No, this witch cannot be bribed/tamed by hand-feeding -- she's a total snot!

 

[herefordlover]

maybe a little pepper and a few other spices would help with the preharvest flavor ???????

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

maybe a little pepper and a few other spices would help with the preharvest flavor ???????

That, too!

 

[dun]

maybe a little pepper and a few other spices would help with the preharvest flavor ???????

That, too!

Seems like that would help more post harvest flavor

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Dun, I know what Herf meant. After the fact . . . .