I thought someone posted some pic's a while ago that show what a steer would look like when it is ready for butchering. If anyone could point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it. And if someone could explain how the tail is supposed to help me out with it being ready or not....Thanks!
I've been searching...no luck
- Thread starter mitchwi
- Start date
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That string was on the Breeds board....
http://cattletoday.com/forum/about13629.html
Some people use the standard that a calf is finished when his tailhead, hooks, and pins are all so covered in fat that those bones are hard to make out. I don't agree with that; because you certainly have enough backfat by then to be in Yield Grade 3 (if avg muscling) territory and on the verge of getting him into Yield Grade 4 territory if lite muscled.
http://cattletoday.com/forum/about13629.html
Some people use the standard that a calf is finished when his tailhead, hooks, and pins are all so covered in fat that those bones are hard to make out. I don't agree with that; because you certainly have enough backfat by then to be in Yield Grade 3 (if avg muscling) territory and on the verge of getting him into Yield Grade 4 territory if lite muscled.
Susie David
Well-known member
I figure it all depends on how long you want to feed them and how fat they get. Really, we seldom let a steer get over 18 months old the Herefords are right at 1,000 lbs and the Angus and Baldies run close to 1200+. We finish for 90 days adding cracked corn to finish with 15# per day.
Alot of folks just finish on grass and ship on a predetermined schedule...we sell finished animals so each is a bit different and
size counts, we have some customers that don't want steaks that hang off a dinner plate and just about all want a leaner beef....we are a small operation so we can process our animals at different ages....for our own locker I finish a two year old Hereford on corn (20#/day) for 120 days and freechoice grass & alfalfa twice a day...not what my cardiologist reccommends but great beef.
Good luck to 'ya....Dave Mc
Alot of folks just finish on grass and ship on a predetermined schedule...we sell finished animals so each is a bit different and
size counts, we have some customers that don't want steaks that hang off a dinner plate and just about all want a leaner beef....we are a small operation so we can process our animals at different ages....for our own locker I finish a two year old Hereford on corn (20#/day) for 120 days and freechoice grass & alfalfa twice a day...not what my cardiologist reccommends but great beef.
Good luck to 'ya....Dave Mc
Bobg
Well-known member
We finish our Longhorn cross bred calves and feed for 120 days. It all depends on the breed, the guy that killed our steer wasn't too impressed when slaughtered him. Said he didn't have much external fat. Talked to him two weeks later about picking the meat up and he said he would grade high "Choice", he was realy suprised. When we raised black baldies we would feed them all the grain they could eat for the last 30 days and they were ready when they look fat around the tail section.
Bobg
Bobg
preston39
Well-known member
mitchwi,
Do a search from swiss cowboy. Sometime back there was an extensive thread on good frrezer beef and how to process it. Don't remember if he covered the size or not. We harvest for the freezer at around 550-600#. Usually more tender and small cut sizes...unless you want a # or # and 1/2 steak for instance.
Do a search from swiss cowboy. Sometime back there was an extensive thread on good frrezer beef and how to process it. Don't remember if he covered the size or not. We harvest for the freezer at around 550-600#. Usually more tender and small cut sizes...unless you want a # or # and 1/2 steak for instance.
