dun":24zxlw54 said:
I think Kit Pharo pushes the FS 4-5 for his ideas of grass finsished beef.
dun
From the bit I've discussed with Kit via e-mail, he likes 2-3 frame cattle. They just put down a herd bull that walked their pastures for 10 years. He measured 51 inches at the hip, being a frame score 2.5, and weighed 1800 lbs. I think we need to be careful what we're guessing at for frame scores. 6 frame cattle are darn big. Lots of folks say they want a 1200 lb cow herd that's easy fleshing and raises a calf with minimal input. YOU WILL NOT GET THAT WITH A FRAME 5 BULL.
Most commercial cowherds in Western Canada would average 1400lbs OR MORE. Most bulls that are considered popular are a frame score 5-6 OR MORE. So do you think it's coincidence that the average carcass size in Canada according to Canfax has steadily increased for 10 years?
If you want moderate framed cattle, they're out there. Look at rkaiser's bulls - THEY ARE OUT THERE. Those type of bulls will leave 1200lb daughters with flesh and function. They'll sire herd bulls who will walk pastures for 10 years without losing condition or needing their feet trimmed annually, settling cows and passing on that tremendous depth, thickness and muscle.
GET OVER YOUR IDEAS THAT GOOD CATTLE HAVE TO BE THE ONES THAT OUTGROW EVERYTHING ELSE. GROWTH IS GOOD, PROFIT IS BETTER.
I personally think that folks like Kit Pharo, Dennis Wobeser, Don Campbell and many others are on the right track as far as grass-based genetics. 2-3 frame cattle with thickness and flesh are the MOST ideally suited to sustainable profit. They have proven it for themselves, I've proven it for the sake of my own operation. The smaller I've bred my cows - WHILE MAINTAINING STRUCTURAL QUALITY - the better they've done. I'm going to get rid of the last of my 1500lb cows once we've weaned the calves next week.
As for beef, check out
http://www.cambrianmeats.co.nz
That's the site for Ewan Campbell's company in New Zealand. They sell grass-finished beef, lamb and other stuff, and because of the balanced structure of their soils, they say their beef is very high in Omega-3 fatty acids. I met Ewan last fall when he came here, and I believe him in what he says. There is nothing healthier than that which comes from healthy soils. It has alot more to do with that than any breed or animal. With that said, I will stand firm in my opinion that smaller, thicker bovines are still best suited to harvesting that grass and turning it into healthy food.