How long for bull meat to get tender after castration?

[rynophiliac]

I've got a little bull probably around 600-650 lbs that I'm considering feeding out and butchering but I would want to castrate him first. How long would it take for the hormones to get out of his system and the meat to get more tender?

 

[okiek]

I'm sure there will be some disagree with me, but I had an old neighbor who killed 1000 pound bulls for freezer beef regularly. When I questioned him, he told me it was his experience they were better. He gave me some steaks and they certainly weren't tough, nor did they have a gamey taste. That doesn't really answer your question, but I'm just trying to say I wouldn't let it worry me.

 

[SPH]

How old of a bull is he? At that weight you're fine castrating and he'll feed out fine as a steer. A long time ago we once butchered a yearling bull for ourselves that never developed like we had hoped he would. Was worried he might be tough and too lean but he actually turned out pretty tender and not as lean as we thought he would be. When we came to the point we knew he wasn't worth keeping a bull we just started to feed him out like you would a steer instead of a bull prospect as too much fat on a bull can affect fertility so we adjust our ration when keeps bulls over the winter to develop so they don't pack on too much fat.

Same thing with 2 year old females. They are still young enough that if you have a poor performing 1st calf heifer if you send her straight to the feedlot after weaning and fatten her up some she's still young enough she will be OK to eat. We had a 1st calf heifer this spring lose a calf that was backwards. She was the bottom end of our replacement heifers so we just sent her to the feedlot down the road where we'll feed her out for about 2 months then truck her to Omaha straight to the packer and take rail price on how she grades out. We've even sent some cull cows the packer and taken rail price for them and usually net more that way than sending them to the sale barn. You still take on some risk on how they dress down and grade out but if you take them off grass and put a little grain to them you avoid the dock for yellow fat.

 

[Logar]

I've got a little bull probably around 600-650 lbs that I'm considering feeding out and butchering but I would want to castrate him first. How long would it take for the hormones to get out of his system and the meat to get more tender?

Do not waste your time - leave him be. Feed him right and send him to slaughter. I have done this all my life and never been unhappy.

Even better - sell him at market and just take a cow that decided not to have a calf this year - leave her on grass all summer and slaughter in the fall - my entire family prefers that to any young animal.

Enjoy your beef either way - be safe and be happy.