Grassfed Strockers

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My family and I are in the process of setting up a small (150-200 head) 100% grassfed cattle operation, with eyes on the gourmet market. My question is which breed of cattle would be most profitable? (Fastest weight gain / highest finish grade) There are many opinions depending on who is giving the advice and what organization they are assosciated with.
 
JohnP":eim59gfp said:
My family and I are in the process of setting up a small (150-200 head) 100% grassfed cattle operation, with eyes on the gourmet market. My question is which breed of cattle would be most profitable? (Fastest weight gain / highest finish grade) There are many opinions depending on who is giving the advice and what organization they are assosciated with.


In my point of view and if you will be in charge of the final sale and it's specifically for the gourment market I will choose fastest weight gain with less waste (back fat), why? gourmet beef is usually cooked medium rare so you won't need to much marbling to give tenderness.

I will consider some English with Continental and Brahman blood influence, maybe Brangus X Limousin or Tigerstripes X Charolais or Baldies X Romagnola any cross available with the max heterosis.
 
For grass finished beef, I would probably lean towards the British breeds. Specifically Shorthorns, Herefords and Angus seem to do very well on a straight grass diet. I've found the bigger framed continentals can be a little tougher to fatten without any grain. Highland and galloway produce an excellent quality of beef, but are comparitively quite slow growing although I've found the GallowayxAngus gives a nice balance of quick growth and excellent beef.
 
I would have to agree. It takes a bit of corn or barley to properly finish the continentals. The other advantage of grass finishing is that you can quite easily tap into that big organic market.
 
if you're north of the mason dixon line you probably don't need any "ear" in the cattle. I agree with evrybody that prefers a moderate framed animal, some old style angus,(did I just say that?) baldies, or herfords, crossed by a Murray or shorthorn bull would probably give you the easiest way to collect that many cows with a terminal cross that would finish up fast on grass. I question the extra size that most continental cattle would give you to support versus the hybrid vigor gained.
 

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