Feeding out a freezer steer.

[roujesky]

I am a newb, so bear with me. I have a pasture with 4 heifers. I am thinking of buying a steer and slaughtering it this winter. Someone on the board mentioned just figure your desired slaughter weight and then back off 90 days and buy a steer at that weight. Does anyone know of a chart that shows growth rate for a steer? I realize that there are a lot of variables like breed, feed rate, etc... But just a rulie of thumb would get me close enough.

My second question is a bit more complicated. Say I bought a steer that I wanted to feed out for 90 days or so. How much feed do you give him a day. Also, I have one pasture and I am, God forbid, a weekend rancher. My land is 30 miles from my house., so I only get there once or twice a week. How can I feed out the steer and not also feed out my heifers? Is there a smart way to do this or does it require me to cross-fence and buy a creep feeder for the steer? Sounds hard and expensive...
thanx

 

[msscamp]

My second question is a bit more complicated. Say I bought a steer that I wanted to feed out for 90 days or so. How much feed do you give him a day.
Also, I have one pasture and I am, God forbid, a weekend rancher. My land is 30 miles from my house., so I only get there once or twice a week. How can I feed out the steer and not also feed out my heifers? Is there a smart way to do this or does it require me to cross-fence and buy a creep feeder for the steer? Sounds hard and expensive...
thanx

Well, when we feed out a steer for slaughter he is worked up slowly to around 15-20 pounds of corn a day in addition to his roughage. In your situation this would be impossible due to the frequency of your visits and it would also be impossible to just feed the steer since he is in the same pasture as your heifers. I believe I would give up the idea of feeding out a steer until you are living on-site and can feed daily. The only other thing I can think of would be to cross-fence your pasture, put out a tub or small feedbunk with some type of shelter over it to keep out the rain, and check into some kind of limiter so he doesn't eat a whole weeks worth of corn at one setting (likely results of that would be a very sick steer, if not a dead one, due to acidosis). Keep in mind that should the heifers/steer go through the fence and the heifers get into the feed they will be very sick heifers because they are not used to that amount of grain and acidosis will likely result. Do you know your neighbors at your farm? Might it be possible to hire someone or work out some kind of an arrangement that, in exchange for feeding the steer the days you cannot be there, they get X pounds of beef come slaughtering time?

 

[roujesky]

I was afraid of that answer I suspected there was no easy answer.

thanx for the info

 

[msscamp]

I was afraid of that answer I suspected there was no easy answer.

thanx for the info

No problem. Unfortunately, in your situation there are no easy answers.

 

[Lammie]

Yes, I would get with my neighbors and see if they weren't willing to help you out. You buy the feed and they make sure he's fed. See what you can do.

 

[Chris H]

Or another option... with plenty of grass most of our heifers would be an acceptable weight and condition to butcher at about 18-20 months.

What do your heifers look like? Are they thin, medium, or roly-poly? If they're doing well and you still have excess grass then you could grass fatten a steer.

 

[roujesky]

my heifers are very healthy on grass. I have a 15 acre pasture. Down here on the gulf coast, we have had plenty of rain. Grass is green and my ponds are full. I only feed my heifers a little feed every time I go out there just to make it easy to gather them, if necessary.

Hmmm....... maybe I should think about that....

 

[Stocker Steve]

I was afraid of that answer I suspected there was no easy answer.

Easy answer #1 is to shoot one of the heifers. Nothing give more grilling satisfaction than up a critter who had a poor disposition.

Easy answer #2 is to butcher a cheap steer that is not finished - - taking a few cuts like tenderloin, pot roast... and then grinding the rest.

Easy answer #3 is to ask a neighbor to finish the animal after you grow it out on grass.