Grass Fed over 30 months

[Paxton-Powhatan]

I am processing my steers soon and this is first time I've done this. I'm getting conflicting information about the quality of meat on steers at 30 + months old. They have only been fed grass during their lives. In the last couple days, I fed them some grain to get them used to being in the loading area. What will the meat taste like? Will it be fit for steaks, etc... or for hamburger only? Thanks, Paxton

 

[dun]

Personally I like the beef from older cattle, has much more flavor. Tenderness not so much

 

[Dave]

Like Dun I prefer the taste of older beef. How well they are on the gain has a lot to do with tenderness. I prefer to slaughter grass fed cattle in June as that is sort of the peak of grass in my area. As long as grass is green and plentiful they should be on the gain.

 

[HDRider]

I'd be very interested in hearing how the steaks turn out..

 

[angus9259]

I'd be very interested in hearing how the steaks turn out..

As will I. I always get spooked on older grass fed beef but would sincerely like to know how it works out.

 

[TexasBred]

Have posted it several times but some of the best beef I ever ate came from a 1400 lb. holstein bull. He was breeding cattle everyday but also got 30 lbs. of grain every day. Meat was awesome. Just way too much of it at one time.

 

[HDRider]

I'd be very interested in hearing how the steaks turn out..

As will I. I always get spooked on older grass fed beef but would sincerely like to know how it works out.

I don't know, but someone said it earlier, and I have read the same in multiple places, harvest time is key. It should be harvested while it has been eating lush grass for a while. Not sure how long a while is.

 

[boondocks]

We are having a grass fed steer (about 27-28 mos or so) butchered this weekend. He probably should have gone a month or two back, as we have been having to give them some hay the past week or so (and although he has grazed for the past few months, the really lush stuff has been gone for weeks).
Would it help to get him back on grass for the next few days, prior to butchering? (We have one small plot I could move him and a buddy to, if 2 or 3 days on grass would make a difference). Alternatively I could give them some more fresh grass clippings (I gave them a bunch 2 days ago. Untreated, nice lawn clippings).
Our cow we had butchered last year (at about the same time and the same age) was lean. She was hung for a week, flavor good but mild. Should we have this one hung a few more days? 2 weeks too long?

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Over 30 months they won't cut the spine.

 

[angus9259]

We are having a grass fed steer (about 27-28 mos or so) butchered this weekend. He probably should have gone a month or two back, as we have been having to give them some hay the past week or so (and although he has grazed for the past few months, the really lush stuff has been gone for weeks).
Would it help to get him back on grass for the next few days, prior to butchering? (We have one small plot I could move him and a buddy to, if 2 or 3 days on grass would make a difference). Alternatively I could give them some more fresh grass clippings (I gave them a bunch 2 days ago. Untreated, nice lawn clippings).
Our cow we had butchered last year (at about the same time and the same age) was lean. She was hung for a week, flavor good but mild. Should we have this one hung a few more days? 2 weeks too long?

Not sure about hanging time, but I don't think an extra day or two of grass is gonna matter much.

 

[Muddy]

Yucky. Should had been butchered few months ago while the grass is still lush and green.

 

[boondocks]

Yucky. Should had been butchered few months ago while the grass is still lush and green.

I hope you are wrong that it will be "yucky" :shock:
We had a late spring here, so didn't get greened up until well into June. We scheduled to butcher him in mid-July, but 3 of our 4 customers cancelled 2 days before he was to be butchered. Unfortunately, they were spouse's co-workers, so (against my judgment), we had not required deposits. It took us a week or two to find good replacement buyers, then 2 weeks before the butcher could fit us in.

So, while it is not ideal timing, we will have to hope for the best.
Last year, our meat was prime, and it was about the same time of year, so I surely hope you are wrong--no offense.

 

[angus9259]

Last year, our meat was prime, and it was about the same time of year, so I surely hope you are wrong--no offense.

I have a hard time squeezing "grass fed" and "prime" into the same sentence, but I hope you're right. I haven't found anyone that can pull that off yet..... :hide: