Holstein beef?

[GANGGREEN]

I recognize that I'd never get rich raising Holstein beef. Likewise, I recognize that they probably don't yield as well as many beef breeds. What I'm interested in is raising some steers, primarily for myself and a few friends and family and wonder if Holsteins make any sense. I suspect that they'd be readily available in my area and suspect that they might be a good bit cheaper to buy as feeders than the other breeds.

I'd really appreciate peoples' opinions of Holstein steers as a beef breed if profit, yield, etc. aren't factored in and if my primary concern is availability and beef quality. I suspect that most will advise me to just go get some Angus or Hereford but I'm curious what you all think. I'm also curious what I might expect to pay for weanling Holsteins as compared to weanling Angus or Hereford.

 

[spike]

I know a man who does just what you are thinking about doing. He sells them to individuals who have them butchered at the local locker. He seems to do quite well I don,t know about costs.

 

[Frankie]

I think Holstein beef is good. There's a supermarket chain in CA that uses them for their store branded beef program. They're cheap to buy, but expensive to feed. They're bred for milk, not feed conversion.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

I recognize that I'd never get rich raising Holstein beef. Likewise, I recognize that they probably don't yield as well as many beef breeds. What I'm interested in is raising some steers, primarily for myself and a few friends and family and wonder if Holsteins make any sense. I suspect that they'd be readily available in my area and suspect that they might be a good bit cheaper to buy as feeders than the other breeds.

I'd really appreciate peoples' opinions of Holstein steers as a beef breed if profit, yield, etc. aren't factored in and if my primary concern is availability and beef quality. I suspect that most will advise me to just go get some Angus or Hereford but I'm curious what you all think. I'm also curious what I might expect to pay for weanling Holsteins as compared to weanling Angus or Hereford.

OH - Ka-a-y! . . . .Let's RE - Cap here!

1- You'll never get rich raising Holstein Beef.
RIGHT

2- Holstein's dont YIELD as well as Beef Breeds.
RIGHT

3- Does raising Holsteins for self and family make sense?
Depends upon WHY you are raising them! Also depends on
your SELF and FAMILY.

4- You are wondering about Holstein steers as a BEEF
BREED - but you are not concerned about profit or yield, and your primary concern is 'availability and BEEF quality'?
NO

5- You suspect that most will advise you to go get some
Angus or Hereford.
RIGHT

6- You are curious what I think.
I THINK THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT I THINK.

DOC HARRIS

 

[MikeC]

Holstein and Jerseys don't convert feed worth a toot.

If you're having to buy feed retail, don't see how you'll break even.

 

[hillsdown]

For those of you that posted against Holstein as being good when finished .Have YOU ever finished one yourselves?

 

[Bez+]

Yes I have finished one for myself.

They taste just fine.

But you better have lots and lots of free feed for them because they do not like to gain weight.

I would eat one again in a heart beat -but only if somone else finished it for me.

Bez+

 

[MikeC]

For those of you that posted against Holstein as being good when finished .Have YOU ever finished one yourselves?

Don't think my comment was against, but I have finished bunches when we were in the dairy.

Sometimes 100 steers per year for slaughter. If it weren't for the fact that we raised our own feed, could not have done it.

 

[hillsdown]

For those of you that posted against Holstein as being good when finished .Have YOU ever finished one yourselves?

Don't think my comment was against, but I have finished bunches when we were in the dairy.

Sometimes 100 steers per year for slaughter. If it weren't for the fact that we raised our own feed, could not have done it.

I am not attacking anyone but just wanted to know.Some people say that Holstein meat is crap when they don't know what they are talking about.The biggest myth conception is that it is very lean.Not true if it is lean then it was not finished properly.The fact is that Holstein meat actually marbles better than most beef breeds because it marbles completely through the meat evenly.Maybe that is why it takes longer to finish.

A few years ago we did a Hereford an Angus and a Holstein steer.All raised on the same feed and weened at the same age so everything was completely controled. Finished them on 70lbs a day of steam rolled barley per day for 3 months.The Holstein ended up having the least amount of waste and from the 5 people that all animals were divided up for was the best marbled and tastiest. All animals were not on grass since calves and had free choice of really good hay.
The only thing you have to really watch with a Holstein is that they cannot handle that high intake as quickly as beef breeds.
If finished properly they are awesome and worth the little bit of extra effort.

 

[3waycross]

Here's the skinny on Holstein beef from the wholesale perspective.

I work for the largest foodservice company in the world Sysco Foods. One of our premium labels is Sysco Imperial it is exclusively comprised of Holstein beef. Too the best of my knowledge they all come out of one specific feedlot. I'm not sure where, midwest maybe.

Anyway I have been selling this product especially ribeyes and striploins, some top sirloins, for 20 years. It is marketed as a genetically trimmed product with excellent marbling.

It is a great product with a longtime following among my customer base, which includes everything from White tablecloth restuarants to fast food. I have one customer who has specked this meat on their menu for 17 years and will not use anything else.

Feeding issues aside it is some of the best beef I sell and that is several thousand lbs. per week. You have to decide whether or not it is feasible to produce from the feeding standpoint.

As far as calf cost are concerned last year before our local dairy sold out, we bought week old calves for 150 dollars. I imagine weaners are probably discounted pretty heavily but since I have no specific numbers I can't really say with any authority.

Good Luck

 

[kscowboy]

I'm currently raising about 13 of these fellas and it will be a slightly profitable venture raising for family and friends , but the more valuable thing is getting some experience on my part and move into a better beef breed next year. I've got free pasture and a lot of it so my costs are a bit skewed. I'd agree that if all were costed it would be break even. While a beef breed would be doing just fine on our pastures the holstiens have to be supplemented the entire year to keep the weight gain rolling up.
They are fabulous to eat though and are pretty dang happy little suckers.

 

[dun]

As far as calf cost are concerned last year before our local dairy sold out, we bought week old calves for 150 dollars. I imagine weaners are probably discounted pretty heavily but since I have no specific numbers I can't really say with any authority.

Good Luck

A the local sale barn, a weaned holstein steer sells for the same as a calf to maybe 20 bucks more. Never figured out how people could buy them, raise them to weaning then sell them for what the bought them for and not get back the cost of replacer, grain and hay.

 

[cfpinz]

Never finished one myself, but my grandpa used to kill quite a few when I was a kid. He was self-sufficient in his feed supply, grew what he needed, used what he grew. The best steak I've had in my life was a holstein t-bone he cooked in a skillet on top of the wood stove in his living room when I was about 14 years old, just after my grandmother passed away. He'd be the first to tell you he was no chef, never had to cook anything til he was 77 years old, and I've yet to taste a piece of meat that compares to that steak.

cfpinz

 

[spike]

my dad served a holstein roast to several farmers that were helping fill silo. They all wanted to know what they were eating. They said it was the best beef they had ever tasted.

 

[dun]

Years ago I used to briker sides of beef. It was all freemartin that were about 3 years old. I sold a side to a lady and she called a couple of days later and told me the beef was all bad. I went over to pick it up since I gaurenteed the meat. Her husband met me at the door and told me the beef was staying and it was the first good beef he'ld had since he moved off the farm and went to college. AFer that they bought a side every other year.

 

[GANGGREEN]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm brand new at this and sure to make some mistakes and learn through the school of hard knocks. As I said, I'm not in it for the money but neither am I a rich guy that simply wants to throw his money away for the sake of a hobby. I guess I still have to figure out the costs to feed the critters (I do have decent pasture) versus the upfront cost and see how much it would cost me in the long run.

Like I said, thanks, it's been an interesting discussion.

 

[Shorthornguy]

Grassfed Holstein is good beef. It takes longer to finish than most beef breeds. We are currently paying $125.00 for 5 day old bull calves. It takes $85.00 in milk replacer and $35.00 in starter feed to take the calf to 13 weeks. Death losses run 5 to 7%. They get grain and hay untill 350lbs. Then they are on grass. Under 20 months they are good lean beef. At 28 months they are marbled. It seems like the older they are the more they marble. In contrast we finish our Shorthorns at 14 to 18 months. Good luck.

 

[movin' on]

I have finished several holstein steers for myself and neighbors. They have all lined up to get more. It is fantastic beef...and that's coming from a pretty big Angus fan! The trick is to get them on a "whole corn" ration as soon as you can and then LET THEM FINISH before you harvest them. They may be 1500 lbs. but they have to be finished to taste their best. If you have any questions about the ration, let me know.

 

[kscowboy]

ok share your secrets , theres alot of good info on the web mainly from california with the heavy dairy concentrations but for a beginner like me the ration math gets a bit deep

 

[DOC HARRIS]

I have finished several holstein steers for myself and neighbors. They have all lined up to get more. It is fantastic beef...and that's coming from a pretty big Angus fan! The trick is to get them on a "whole corn" ration as soon as you can and then LET THEM FINISH before you harvest them. They may be 1500 lbs. but they have to be finished to taste their best. If you have any questions about the ration, let me know.

This discussion of "Holstein Beef" has skewed into "How it Tastes" and "What Customers Think of It", and that is a big part of whether one makes the decision to select Holstein's for finishing out for human consumation. All well and good. But - - "How MUCH is it going to cost?" is a factor which MUST be considered in the overall long run for most producers. For Family and Friends - - I guess it depends on how much you like them if you are willing to overlook the economics of sensible and practical production protocols.

DOC HARRIS