Grain Finishing

[JCarter]

In your opinion whats the shortest amnount of time calves can be fed grain to achive the (Grain Finished Flavor)???

 

[bigbull338]

depending on their start weight anywhere from 90 to 150 days.the more they gain in a day the less days on feed it takes.

 

[msscamp]

In your opinion whats the shortest amnount of time calves can be fed grain to achive the (Grain Finished Flavor)???

I think that is going to depend on the individual calf, the breed, the feed to weight conversion, as well as whether the calf knows what grain is, has been taught to eat it by his mother, and will actually eat grain(yes, we've had a few who wouldn't). I would say a minimum of 60 days, assuming all other factors are in place. If not, probably 4-6 months, depending on the calf.

 

[Dixieangus]

Depends on how much you feeding them

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

In your opinion whats the shortest amnount of time calves can be fed grain to achive the (Grain Finished Flavor)???

What do you mean by grain finished flavor - is it something extra that's there or something specific that's not? Is it the fattier more marbled consistency? I'm just wondering because our grass fed that we corn finish for only 30 days is not heavily marbled but it's juicy and tender and doesn't have any detectable grassiness or any yellow fat. It doesn't taste like the grass finished beef I've had from stores but it's also not heavily marbled throughout like those giant delicious rib eyes they have at the Costco's here. We don't mind that it's leaner because it's still so good, so 30 days works for us.

 

[grannysoo]

We start finishing ours at around 6 months of age. The diet we use is mostly grass (or quality hay when needed), along with free choice minerals, and a limited amount of grain feed. At most, ours will not get over 8 pounds of grain per day and we have great taste and good fat.

Nothing disappoints a customer more than throwing a hundred pounds or so of fat away from the rail weight.

 

[edrsimms]

First thing-- if you say you are "grass fed" and put them on grain for 1 day they are no longer grass-fed-- call yourself "all natural" Beef instead and don't be giving us grass fed beef folks a bad name.

We wean at 7 months Most of our steers coming off clover in April wean in the 650 lb range ; heifers wean usually 50-80 lbs lighter(May), they go on Millet all summer, limit grazed; and steers gain about 2.7lbs/day and heifers gain somewhat less around 2.4 lbs per day.
Steers 650 beginning weight May June July Aug Sep ~ 350 lb gain (on forage) = 1000 lbs
Oct- clover baleage normally puts about 2.2 lbs of gain/day = 1066 lbs
Nov- clover baleage = 1130 lbs
Dec- Limit grazed on Rye and fed clover baleage 2.5lbs/day gain = 1205 lbs
Jan - Limit grazed on Rye and fed clover baleage 2.5lbs/day gain = 1280 lbs
Feb - 30 days on Clover(fresh) limit grazed to finish = 1350 lbs+

70% Grade High Choice YG 2
18% Grade Med Choice YG 2
2% Grade Low Prime YG 2

Just so you know--- Grass fed beef has 6 times as much Omega 3 fatty acids than does Grain fed beef.
It is this imbalance of the Omega 6 and Omega 3 essential fatty acids that makes the grain fed product less healthy for you
We retain ownership on grain fed cattle through the feedyard and there hasnt ever been a year where 70% of all our grain fed beef steers Graded High Choice YG 2 (but of course "we" weren't feeding them)
Last but not least-- people are willing to pay more money for real grass-fed beef

 

[TexasBred]

I won't :!: ;-) I'd rather take fish oil everyday for Omega 3 and eat my grain fed beef for taste and enjoyment and still put money in the bank.

 

[talldog]

First thing-- if you say you are "grass fed" and put them on grain for 1 day they are no longer grass-fed-- call yourself "all natural" Beef instead and don't be giving us grass fed beef folks a bad name.

We wean at 7 months Most of our steers coming off clover in April wean in the 650 lb range ; heifers wean usually 50-80 lbs lighter(May), they go on Millet all summer, limit grazed; and steers gain about 2.7lbs/day and heifers gain somewhat less around 2.4 lbs per day.
Steers 650 beginning weight May June July Aug Sep ~ 350 lb gain (on forage) = 1000 lbs
Oct- clover baleage normally puts about 2.2 lbs of gain/day = 1066 lbs
Nov- clover baleage = 1130 lbs
Dec- Limit grazed on Rye and fed clover baleage 2.5lbs/day gain = 1205 lbs
Jan - Limit grazed on Rye and fed clover baleage 2.5lbs/day gain = 1280 lbs
Feb - 30 days on Clover(fresh) limit grazed to finish = 1350 lbs+

70% Grade High Choice YG 2
18% Grade Med Choice YG 2
2% Grade Low Prime YG 2

Just so you know--- Grass fed beef has 6 times as much Omega 3 fatty acids than does Grain fed beef.
It is this imbalance of the Omega 6 and Omega 3 essential fatty acids that makes the grain fed product less healthy for you
We retain ownership on grain fed cattle through the feedyard and there hasnt ever been a year where 70% of all our grain fed beef steers Graded High Choice YG 2 (but of course "we" weren't feeding them)
Last but not least-- people are willing to pay more money for real grass-fed beef

I
I totally agree !!!!!!!!!

 

[hayray]

I direct market all my beef and advertise it as corn finished. I usually wean at around 6 months and put them on a 80% whole shelled corn and 20% alfalfa diet for an average of 6 months. In the summer I have had some heifers on more or less of a 40 to 50% corn vs. pasture or hay diet for a minimum of 3 to 4 months and still have dressed out with all white fat but steers usually require a bit more grain in the ration to grade choice. I would be cautious to feed any less then 3 months, I have never tested any of it but as the feeders get closer to yearlings then modifying carcass from grain decreases chances of increasing marbling so how they have been backgrounded inbetween weaning and feedlot has a lot to do with it if wainting to put yearling stockers in the feed lot. I have talked to feedlot operators who have got docked on carcass that had yellow fat from too much corn silage, which is indicitive of too much grass vs. grain finish.