Heavy muscled or easy fleshing cattle for beef?

[Richnm]

I recently processed an easy fleshing type steer. SAV genetics, he was 18 months 1450 pounds. He was had unlimited hay his entire life and was given 20 of 14% finisher a day and dry grass hay for 180 days. The steaks were small , lots of fat was trimmed. I am staring to theorize that heavier muscles cattle will yield bigger cuts of beef ? Or did I do something wrong ? I fed unlimited alfalfa til 12 months.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I recently processed an easy fleshing type steer. SAV genetics, he was 18 months 1450 pounds. He was had unlimited hay his entire life and was given 20 of 14% finisher a day and dry grass hay for 180 days. The steaks were small , lots of fat was trimmed. I am staring to theorize that heavier muscles cattle will yield bigger cuts of beef ? Or did I do something wrong ? I fed unlimited alfalfa til 12 months.

1450 at 18 months doesn't sound bad for an angus.

When you say 20 of 14% finisher do you mean 20lbs of a mix that equaled 14%?

Not to confuse external fat with marbling but I bet if you had a lot of trim then he was marbled pretty well.

Heavy muscled cattle tend to be heavier boned cattle also.

Some heavy muscled cattle don't marble well because their muscles are too tight for them to be able to deposit inter muscular fat .

I'm not a big fan of giving cattle free choice roughage but I don't think that had any effect in this case.
It sounds ( with out pictures) like he had "grown" all he was going to and was at the point where he was just going to keep adding finish. You could have maybe killed him at 16-17mos. The steaks would have been about the same size, but you probably would have had less trim.

I usually figure most angus based steers; hand fed- 18-22mos. Self feeder 14-18 months.

 

[StrojanHerefords]

Did you implant the steer? Modern cattle are bred with the anticipation that they are going to get an implant.

 

[Richnm]

1450 at 18 months doesn't sound bad for an angus.

When you say 20 of 14% finisher do you mean 20lbs of a mix that equaled 14%?

Not to confuse external fat with marbling but I bet if you had a lot of trim then he was marbled pretty well.

Heavy muscled cattle tend to be heavier boned cattle also.

Some heavy muscled cattle don't marble well because their muscles are too tight for them to be able to deposit inter muscular fat .

I'm not a big fan of giving cattle free choice roughage but I don't think that had any effect in this case.
It sounds ( with out pictures) like he had "grown" all he was going to and was at the point where he was just going to keep adding finish. You could have maybe killed him at 16-17mos. The steaks would have been about the same size, but you probably would have had less trim.

I usually figure most angus based steers; hand fed- 18-22mos. Self feeder 14-18 months.

I think the steaks could have been bigger.

 

[Stickney94]

I recently processed an easy fleshing type steer. SAV genetics, he was 18 months 1450 pounds. He was had unlimited hay his entire life and was given 20 of 14% finisher a day and dry grass hay for 180 days. The steaks were small , lots of fat was trimmed. I am staring to theorize that heavier muscles cattle will yield bigger cuts of beef ? Or did I do something wrong ? I fed unlimited alfalfa til 12 months.

Well -- first question -- how did your processor cut the steaks? My processor messed up this year and instead of giving me bone-in cowboy ribeyes they gave me boneless which are very different in size.

But, in my experience -- your issue is probably more genetics -- this animal didn't have the same ribeye size (or whatever muscle cut) as your previous animal. It happens.

 

[Richnm]

Did you implant the steer? Modern cattle are bred with the anticipation that they are going to get an implant.

No I didn't want to eat hormones

 

[NIdahoShorthorns]

What was your hanging weight?

 

[NIdahoShorthorns]

What was your hanging weight?

 

[Travlr]

Did you implant the steer? Modern cattle are bred with the anticipation that they are going to get an implant.

I implanted once and regretted it. I never felt it was something I'd do if I could do it with good genetics and decent management.

@Richnm

 

[CSM]

Isn't that the direction angus genetics is taking?

 

[Travlr]

Isn't that the direction angus genetics is taking?

Are you asking me?

 

[CSM]

No sir my bad had intended it for op.

 

[Travlr]

No sir my bad had intended it for op.

There's a reply feature so people know that you're asking them something. See how you're post appeared above mine and you got a notice? Pretty cool feature. Bottom right...

 

[kdhansen]

I recently processed an easy fleshing type steer. SAV genetics, he was 18 months 1450 pounds. He was had unlimited hay his entire life and was given 20 of 14% finisher a day and dry grass hay for 180 days. The steaks were small , lots of fat was trimmed. I am staring to theorize that heavier muscles cattle will yield bigger cuts of beef ? Or did I do something wrong ? I fed unlimited alfalfa til 12 months.

Just out of curiosity, what were the sire and/or dam ribeye epd's like?? And fat epd's?

 

[jscunn]

Alot to break down here. Most angus even the handfeds will finish way before 18 to 22 months.

SAV genetics make beautiful cattle but if the EPDs are right they dont marble and dont have the Ribeye muscling of the cattle that are just way harder on the eyes. Everything is a trade off in this deal.