Grass Fed to slaughter timing?

[Kell-inKY]

Not sure how many have experience in this, but the plan is to sell grass fed halves or quarters this fall. That is what the market in my area is calling for so that's what we are shooting for. I have 2-4 that will be 15-18 months old at the time. I have quite a bit of clover and fescue, and a mixture of summer grasses and weeds.

1. I have read here and there that for the best flavor to slaughter while they are good and fat on fresh grass and not to wait too long into the fall or the fat won't be as desirable. Is this a good rule of thumb?

2. I have a runt that we are going to kill for ourselves to try it out and see how it tastes before trying to sell to others. He was born 7/15 of last year, going to be pretty young and smaller than typical, any thoughts on this? What disadvantages are there to killing too young? lack of flavor?

Any other advice? Thanks in advance. If the experimental one doesn't work out I will finish one on corn and put him in the freezer, been 3 years since we've been able to afford freezer beef.

 

[Jogeephus]

Here its just the opposite. Here you want to sell them in the late winter or early spring when the grazing is at its richest but this is due to our climate so what you are saying makes sense. You definitely don't want to sell them when the grass nutrition declines or it will taste like .....well ..... very undesirable. Most people I know who are doing this cheat and have creep feeders with grain in them to add a little extra calories to the diet but who am I to judge and the people buying this "grassfed" beef don't mind paying a premium for this feeling.

Edited to remove brain fart. Changed to early spring.

 

[M.Magis]

I would think the amount of fat on a grass fed animal 15-18 months old is going to be minimal. I was always under the impression that most grass finished cattle are closer to 24-30 months old? I guess it depends on whether you just want them big enough, or actually "finished".

 

[M-5]

I would think the amount of fat on a grass fed animal 15-18 months old is going to be minimal. I was always under the impression that most grass finished cattle are closer to 24-30 months old? I guess it depends on whether you just want them big enough, or actually "finished".

YEP 24-30 months for one to be "really Grass fed" and "finished" . Now that response is from research I have done and it seems to be a consensus. I have not tried it because I don't care for strictly grass fed. But the folks buying it don't know the difference anyway. you could tell them you fly the hay in from Antarctica every winter and they would pay more and believe it.

 

[Kell-inKY]

That's what I'm looking for, thanks.

I did not wean anything so they got pretty fat off of milk, don't know if that will help but they are a bunch of butterballs. If I have to wait another year I'm going to go nuts, I started off all wrong with young heifers. I'm now over 3 years into it with nothing but expenses to show for it.

 

[Nesikep]

I had 2 steers that were grassfed and slaughtered at 30 months.. the first was a BIG boy, 950 lbs hanging weight, 650 in the freezer.. Second was 650 hanging and 390 in the freezer.. Also had a 30 month old bull. All 3 were excellent eating.

 

[Jogeephus]

That's what I'm looking for, thanks.

I did not wean anything so they got pretty fat off of milk, don't know if that will help but they are a bunch of butterballs. If I have to wait another year I'm going to go nuts, I started off all wrong with young heifers. I'm now over 3 years into it with nothing but expenses to show for it.

That's why so many cheat. One of my customers insists that I'm a grassfed organic operation. I've argued with him to no avail and tell him I'm doing nothing different than what other cattlemen are doing but he insists that all of you guys are bad and inhumane. Now I just let him think he is buying what he wants and he can brag to his friends and neighbors how good my grassfed organic meat is.

 

[SJB]

I think that for the home-grower (as opposed to feedlots), it's at least 18-24mos even for grain finished cows, unless you like your beef sloppy fat.

That's a different conversation, but everything I have read also points to 24-30 mos as the right age for grass finished.

I can't wait to see for myself.

 

[Son of Butch]

I think that for the home-grower (as opposed to feedlots), it's at least 18-24mos even for grain finished cows, unless you like your beef sloppy fat.

Cows? What are you talking about grain finishing cows at 18-24 months?
At what age would you calve them to be finishing them at 18-24 months?

 

[SJB]

Sorry, I misspoke. I meant steers. Most folks around here that sell freezer beef try to finish steers at 12-18mos by just pouring feed to them and they aren't as good (to me) as the ones I've seen that were finished slower and slaughtered at 24-30mos.