Finishing steers.

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I only feed out a few fall born steers for myself and freezer beef customers.
Hauled 3 steers yesterday to butcher born last Sept and Oct.
Live weights:
1182. 1160. 1160
Carcass weights:
772. 762. 756
That's right at 66%

 

[Dusty Britches]

How much of that will be bones versus edible meat and organs?

 

[shaz]

I only feed out a few fall born steers for myself and freezer beef customers.
Hauled 3 steers yesterday to butcher born last Sept and Oct.
Live weights:
1182. 1160. 1160
Carcass weights:
772. 762. 756
That's right at 66%

Is that the target weight you were aiming for?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Pretty close. Expect about 1200#. Like carcass wt around 750# so got that.
Typically hanging wt to freezer, you lose about 1/3 .

How much of that will be bones versus edible meat and organs?

 

[SBMF 2015]

Those strs must have been really shrunk out.
Why don't you want them bigger? Your cattle should have the frame to make 1,500lb strs easy.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I only have a small window to get them butchered. Deer season starts next month. And a 750# carcass is plenty of meat for freezer trade. They all are finished, will easily go choice.
Time is money. They're ready at 12-13 months.
Fits my program and money makers.
All finished on whole shell corn, grass earlier then hay past 2 months.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Very little shrink. Only a 15 minute ride. Good heavy muscled.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

WSC went from $175/ton last year to $285 this year.
Upped my price to $3.50 hanging wt.
Customer pays cut/wrap fees.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

@SBMF 2015 On the issue of shrink - you might be more right than I was thinking. They had gotten down to the bottom of their hay and we did not give them a "fresh" good bale.

 

[shaz]

I only have a small window to get them butchered. Deer season starts next month. And a 750# carcass is plenty of meat for freezer trade. They all are finished, will easily go choice.
Time is money. They're ready at 12-13 months.
Fits my program and money makers.
All finished on whole shell corn, grass earlier then hay past 2 months.

Do you start on the shell corn at weaning? Reason I ask is I just took 3 1200lb steers in today and they're more like 15-17 months.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yes, I do start them on WSC as soon as they get weaned at 1% of BW. I add a protein pellet, Sure Champ Ration Builder, to the corn for about a 14% ration. I slowly increase corn and leave pellets about the same.
These fall calves usually wean a little lighter than spring born, but I am able to creep them a month before weaning, so they really will take off.

 

[Allenw]

I think 1200 pounds is a good weight for a freezer beef. You feed like I try to, I haven't found access to a protein supplement pellet so I use 38% cubes.

I had a heifer that prolapsed and I couldn't get her to eat shell corn. I ended up having to buy a bag of sweet feed and mix it with rolled corn to get her to eat. Before I was done I was wishing I had took her off the bermuda and butchered her when they called me with the first opening. I did get about 45 days feed on her and had her in good shape when I took her in. Hopefully I can pick her up this week, she is done we've all been sick and haven't been able to get there.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

@Allenw - I use BioZymes' Ration Builder, but Purina, Blue Seal and I'm sure a lot of others have a protein pellet. I like BioZymes' because it has Amaferm in it.
I think the biggest thing is don't feed too high a protein ration. More protein - more skeletal growth. I start off at about 14% with 600+# calves. As they eat more, I keep giving more corn, but not more protein. By the time they are 900#, corn and a good hay is pretty much all they need - although I do keep them on a small amount of the Ration Builder.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Those strs must have been really shrunk out.
Why don't you want them bigger? Your cattle should have the frame to make 1,500lb strs easy.

1200 is easier to sell then 1500 for freezer beef.

 

[SBMF 2015]

1200 is easier to sell then 1500 for freezer beef.

But isn't it harder to get a larger framed are like a sim or a char to grade choice at 1,200lbs?
Or is it like our new local butcher is finding out; most consumers don't really now what a good finished beef looks like? They just "know" that it's farm fresh, home raised, got to be better than you but in the store.

 

[Allenw]

@Allenw - I use BioZymes' Ration Builder, but Purina, Blue Seal and I'm sure a lot of others have a protein pellet. I like BioZymes' because it has Amaferm in it.
I think the biggest thing is don't feed too high a protein ration. More protein - more skeletal growth. I start off at about 14% with 600+# calves. As they eat more, I keep giving more corn, but not more protein. By the time they are 900#, corn and a good hay is pretty much all they need - although I do keep them on a small amount of the Ration Builder.

I feed a pound per head of the 38% cubes and increase the corn as they grow using the manure patties to judge what's going on as far as protein needs.

We're a bit limited on feed brands one product I checked into they were talking a four ton minimum and all I need would be a few bags. I need to do some more checking around and see what I can find.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

@Allenw - that is the BEST way to judge your feed ration!! Watch the manure.

@SBMF 2015 - no, not if you start them right off the cow & just keep pushing.
The biggest problem with growthy calves, is letting them "background" after weaning. They get TOO big. I understand your thought - more # more $ - but, the little extra profit does not compute with the extra labor and screwing up management on my females.
Granted, my steers could easily put on a couple hundred more without getting YG3+, but they don't need it. They marble very easily. Simmental are the best marbling Continental breed. It's more in the management than size.
And, feeding steers after October does not fit my program. 1200# Choice steers are perfect for freezer beef. Steaks are superb!!! Ask my repeat buyers!

 

[FoxRunFarm]

I only feed out a few fall born steers for myself and freezer beef customers.
Hauled 3 steers yesterday to butcher born last Sept and Oct.
Live weights:
1182. 1160. 1160
Carcass weights:
772. 762. 756
That's right at 66%

How old?

 

[FoxRunFarm]

I only feed out a few fall born steers for myself and freezer beef customers.
Hauled 3 steers yesterday to butcher born last Sept and Oct.
Live weights:
1182. 1160. 1160
Carcass weights:
772. 762. 756
That's right at 66%

How old?

 

[FoxRunFarm]

Missed the ... "born last Sept and Oct...