Green Cattle

[Iowa77]

What does it mean, when they say the cattle are very green? How do you tell that they are green.

 

[TheLazyM]

i've always taking to be "green" was to be "new". but i'm not so sure if this is the case here. i dont know how cattle could be "new" or how one could tell. so i guess that "green" it limited to just the cowhand lol.

 

[cypressfarms]

What does it mean, when they say the cattle are very green? How do you tell that they are green.

I've only heard that when used in refence to working cattle or new cattle. As in: "Those tigerstripes may be green, but I'm gonna work them today!" The person saying this might well be bodily injured.

"Green" could also mean cows that were just turned out to fend for themselves. We have someone close to home that just turns out all of his cows, and once a year he rounds them up on horses to sell the calves. I would stay away from these type of cows!

Maybe they have a special breed deisgned for St. Pat's Day with green tongues? O.k. bad joke

Seriously I would equate "green" with "wild". If you go to look at them and they all take off running, you should to; away from that farm.

 

[Angus Guy]

Most sale barns use the term green in referring to feeders. These calves usually are coming off grass without to much grain put into them. Also can refer to calves that are just weaned and haven't been creep fed. The calves aren't carring a lot of flesh.

 

[joe]

around here green is light flesh, haven't been pushed feed in the lot. they have lots of room to grow yet. taken off pasture, been running out, etc.

 

[orcow]

Green around here means calves just weaned. Very green just pulled off cow on way to sale barn (within a week).

 

[Beef11]

In feedlot or packing terms green means cattle that don't have adequate finish yet and will not grade as well. When the border closed in 03 the feedlots were shipping alot of green cattle to the packer.

 

[la4angus]

Angus Guy, Joe, orcow and Beef11 are all partially right. Green cattle can be any from calves to cattle that have been on feed but are still not finished enough to grade select or better.
Consider green cattle to be cattle that are thin but thrifty and healthy. They can be cattle that are going on pasture or feed yard for backgrounding or cattle that have come off pasture or background yard and have ample room to put more meat and finish on in the feed yard.
Many cattle that grade select are considered green because they still have room to put on more finish to grade choice without becoming over fat.

 

[Angus Guy]

La

I've never heard the term green used on finishing cattle. Just goes to show different areas have different terms or meanings.

 

[la4angus]

La

I've never heard the term green used on finishing cattle. Just goes to show different areas have different terms or meanings.

This is how it is referred to in the major stockyards by the major buyers, Sioux City, before they burned down and also Omaha and Joliet.

 

[Scotty]

IMO green cattle are immature ready for feed in a lot. young in age.


Scotty

 

[Beefy]

green just means they are young, immature, not ripened.. ready to be fed, either as stockers or in a feedlot

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Consider green cattle to be cattle that are thin but thrifty and healthy. They can be cattle that are going on pasture or feed yard for backgrounding or cattle that have come off pasture or background yard and have ample room to put more meat and finish on in the feed yard.

I agree. It is a term used at many STAGES of cattle growth.

 

[dun]

Consider green cattle to be cattle that are thin but thrifty and healthy. They can be cattle that are going on pasture or feed yard for backgrounding or cattle that have come off pasture or background yard and have ample room to put more meat and finish on in the feed yard.

I agree. It is a term used at many STAGES of cattle growth.

During the spring flush ours are usually half green

dun

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Now you gave me my morning chuckle.

 

[Susie David]

Bought a yearling steer that was brown...really, firm brown manure...after a break-in period he's on alfalfa with the rest and is as green as can be.
I always thought that green was young, fresh off the cow.
Dmc

 

[JAH]

Green cattle have not been pushed. They haven't been fed much or any grain or supplements. What growth they have is going to frame not flesh. They are also refered to as being thin conditioned. Stocker and feeder buyers appreciate green, thrifty cattle because of compensatory gains that are made with a higher plane of nutrition such as grass or concentated diets. Green cattle also refer to cattle in the feedyard that are not carrying enough cover to grade.

 

[Angus Guy]

LA

Use to work in Joliet in college. Had a great time learning about selling fats. Took what I learned ther and sold cattle in Peoria for a few years.