Feeding out heifers

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Ky cowboy

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I know they won't hang as well and they take longer to finish but I've been thinking of feeding out a few and selling my steers bc heifers aren't bringing squat here. The bred heifer market isn't the best either so that isn't really an option either.

Ive never fed any heifers for butchering out what should I expect?

Thanks
 
A guy just sold a load of heifers this week weighing 710. They had gained 3.1lb a day. Hard to beat that when load lots are bringing 10 cents more than the heifers cost weighing 450.
 
When the market is down, the buyers get picky, and the discounts can get bigger.

We take some heifers back to grass every spring. Should re run the numbers and sort before turning out the bull.

We feed out a couple heiferettes each spring. Seems to be a lot of variation in how sort offs finish. but they make money when sold for freezer beef. I don't see how you can compete with the feedlots when selling a couple fats in the sales barn.
 
I don't know how they do dumping feed in them but if you have time and cheap grass they seem to do well as grass fed beef. The ones here that dont breed get recycled into that program. Seems to take about 30 months to get them to a good spot. Works out to about the same money/ little better per day on the farm as selling them at 5-600 lbs. but you come out better than dumping them after they come up open at 8-900 lbs. IMO. That's all based off direct marketing not barn sale also.
 
When the market is down, the buyers get picky, and the discounts can get bigger.

We take some heifers back to grass every spring. Should re run the numbers and sort before turning out the bull.

We feed out a couple heiferettes each spring. Seems to be a lot of variation in how sort offs finish. but they make money when sold for freezer beef. I don't see how you can compete with the feedlots when selling a couple fats in the sales barn.
I'm not selling them at the sale barn they'll be sold as freezer beef. I've got 6 spots reserved for next October. They'll weigh anything from 4-600 right now some were born late.
 
When the market is down, the buyers get picky, and the discounts can get bigger.

We take some heifers back to grass every spring. Should re run the numbers and sort before turning out the bull.

We feed out a couple heiferettes each spring. Seems to be a lot of variation in how sort offs finish. but they make money when sold for freezer beef. I don't see how you can compete with the feedlots when selling a couple fats in the sales barn.
I'm not selling them at the sale barn they'll be sold as freezer beef. I've got 6 spots reserved for next October. They'll weigh anything from 4-600 right now some were born late.
 
I think an advantage for retaining is you can sort off the ones that work best for your system. Like they say - - 50% are below average.
I'm getting ready to lose a lease and will have to down size. I've been keeping some old not so good cows just bc they were paid for and dropped calves and I knew I would have to downsize soon anyways. Might try to purchase some better replacements with money from this calf crop.
 
I know they won't hang as well and they take longer to finish but I've been thinking of feeding out a few and selling my steers bc heifers aren't bringing squat here. The bred heifer market isn't the best either so that isn't really an option either.

Ive never fed any heifers for butchering out what should I expect?

Thanks
We feed hfrs and strs. You need to grow hfrs longer before you turn them on. Hfrs will put on fat quicker than strs do. So if you push them to early you end up with 1,000lb yield grade 4's & 5's.
Other things to consider; feed mga so they don't cycle. Make sure their open, you don't want to end up with an unexpected oops calf.
Other than a once in a while vaginal prolapse from riding to much. Hfrs are about the same to feed as strs.
 
@SBMF 2015 gave you good advice. The MGA is a hormone feed that keeps them from cycling. I am currently feeding a heifer that had a bad temperament (spooky) and I needed another carcass animal. I am not feeding MGA, but if you aren't "organic - natural - blah, blah" it is a great product.
 

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