Jersey Steers for eating

[thommoos]

Has anyone used them for eating, A friend of mine found, and wanted to know if I wanted him for eating, he says the meat is kinda sweet tasting? If so has anyone used them for crosses for eating

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

There's a Jersey out getting finished with our beef-type steers right now. We bought a side of a Jersey a couple years ago -- good meat.

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

I have raised several for eating, neighbor has a dairy and has a hard time getting rid of the deacons. I was apprehensive at first but have since found their meat to be very lean and yes it does have a bit of a sweet taste to it. They don't marble so it's alot like venison or goat as far as cooking. I have found I like the hamburger....no fat to drain at all, steaks are small but tastey and roasts are decent if cooked right...they can dry out in a heartbeat! I still raise a few every year as they are cheap to pick up and we use alot of burger so I keep the loins and have the rest made into burger or sausage/ brats/ect.

 

[bigbull338]

nothing wrong with jersey meat at all.as a matter of fact alot of people prefer the dairy breed steers over the beef breed because theres less fat in the meat.

 

[hillsdown]

I don't know about sweet tasting, it would depend on how/what it was finished . Like was said, dairy breeds beef is very good ,like any beef it needs to be finished correctly .

 

[Farmerjon]

If you like fat on your steaks, you won't like it. If you like lean meat, you'll love it. A good jersey hamburger won't change size in the pan and you might need a dab of water in the skillet so it doesn't stick/burn. I love the taste of jersey meat. Do not like the flavor of Guernsey meat, something about the off flavor of the fat. Holstein, I hate feeding those buggers as they put on so much bone. But a big 1600 pound Holstein steer sure puts out an amazing steak!!!

 

[Limomike]

I've raised a few jersey bull calves, when I had to have them to replace a calf that I lost. They make really fine hamburger meat.

 

[HOSS]

I'll let you know in a few weeks :cboy: I have a jersey x balancer steer scheduled to be executed on the 14th of October. His last meal will be part of my first. I am hoping the angus part adds marbleing and the Gelbvieh adds muscle. Kind of an odd combo but we have a Jersey nurse cow and this steer is out of her. He is about 15 months old and I am guestimating his weight to be about 1,100 lbs. The 1/2 Jersey in him is keeping him from really growing out. I am only finishing him on grain for 30 days (he is also grazing good pasture as well). This is an eating experiment so I am hoping for the best.

 

[hillsdown]

I'll let you know in a few weeks :cboy: I have a jersey x balancer steer scheduled to be executed on the 14th of October. His last meal will be part of my first. I am hoping the angus part adds marbleing and the Gelbvieh adds muscle. Kind of an odd combo but we have a Jersey nurse cow and this steer is out of her. He is about 15 months old and I am guestimating his weight to be about 1,100 lbs. The 1/2 Jersey in him is keeping him from really growing out. I am only finishing him on grain for 30 days (he is also grazing good pasture as well). This is an eating experiment so I am hoping for the best.

I think you might be disappointed Hoss, he hasn't been on grain long enough and he is too young for grass finished . This has nothing to do with the breed, but rather how the beef is finished. 15 months should have been on a good grain TMR for at least 3 months and grass finished they should be about 24-28 months old .
It will be interesting to see how he does, good luck and let us know. Who knows you may have discovered a new cross that finishes well in such a short period of time. :tiphat:
I have eaten beef "finished" like this in Europe and it is different than we expect beef to taste as well as the texture of it .

 

[thommoos]

On my beefmasters I run them 45 to sixty days depending on their hind quarters on grain. Angus I had to run 75 to 90 days to finish them, I grass feed 1 Angus steer but he was younger only 17 month, awlfull, sucked, nasty, no kidney fat, did not know about having them at 24 Plus age. COuld explain it, I was planning to run him 60 days, but he is already 1000 lbs,.

 

[sizmic]

This is strictly speaking from my experience only but I haven't found anything that would "out marble" a jersey steer. Everyone saying that they are lean meat hasn't eaten any that I have raised. They do not have much fat cover or muscle but they marble very easily with grain. Just got a 3/4 angus x 1/4 jersey run up the other day, graded prime-. Very good beef.

Sizmic

 

[CottageFarm]

I'll let you know in a few weeks :cboy: I have a jersey x balancer steer scheduled to be executed on the 14th of October. His last meal will be part of my first. I am hoping the angus part adds marbleing and the Gelbvieh adds muscle. Kind of an odd combo but we have a Jersey nurse cow and this steer is out of her. He is about 15 months old and I am guestimating his weight to be about 1,100 lbs. The 1/2 Jersey in him is keeping him from really growing out. I am only finishing him on grain for 30 days (he is also grazing good pasture as well). This is an eating experiment so I am hoping for the best.

I think you might be disappointed Hoss, he hasn't been on grain long enough and he is too young for grass finished . This has nothing to do with the breed, but rather how the beef is finished. 15 months should have been on a good grain TMR for at least 3 months and grass finished they should be about 24-28 months old .
It will be interesting to see how he does, good luck and let us know. Who knows you may have discovered a new cross that finishes well in such a short period of time. :tiphat:
I have eaten beef "finished" like this in Europe and it is different than we expect beef to taste as well as the texture of it .

HD, different in what way. Not as good I'm assuming. But I am curious about the different methods.
Tougher? Grainier? Less flavor?

 

[thommoos]

So I am asuuming 60 day on a good shaped steer should be long enough, feeding a corn, cotten sedd hull mixture. You see I am used to feeding out beefmasters and chars, They both flesh real easy, even in summer. I feel a little better.

 

[hillsdown]

This is strictly speaking from my experience only but I haven't found anything that would "out marble" a jersey steer. Everyone saying that they are lean meat hasn't eaten any that I have raised. They do not have much fat cover or muscle but they marble very easily with grain. Just got a 3/4 angus x 1/4 jersey run up the other day, graded prime-. Very good beef.

Sizmic

Sizmic dairy beef marbles very well, and jersey is supposed to be the best marbling of them all . Like I said before, beef needs to be finished properly no matter the breed, grain or grass finished . :tiphat:

CF it is still good just not like what we are used to and hardly any back fat or marbling as they are usually around 10 months old when they are butchered . There is a reason that family and friends that come from across the pond request a beef dinner for their first meal here and many more during their visit. ;-)

Anyways this has been discussed endlessly on here , many many pages about dairy beef and how good it is . Now we are just

 

[HOSS]

I'll let you know in a few weeks :cboy: I have a jersey x balancer steer scheduled to be executed on the 14th of October. His last meal will be part of my first. I am hoping the angus part adds marbleing and the Gelbvieh adds muscle. Kind of an odd combo but we have a Jersey nurse cow and this steer is out of her. He is about 15 months old and I am guestimating his weight to be about 1,100 lbs. The 1/2 Jersey in him is keeping him from really growing out. I am only finishing him on grain for 30 days (he is also grazing good pasture as well). This is an eating experiment so I am hoping for the best.

I think you might be disappointed Hoss, he hasn't been on grain long enough and he is too young for grass finished . This has nothing to do with the breed, but rather how the beef is finished. 15 months should have been on a good grain TMR for at least 3 months and grass finished they should be about 24-28 months old .
It will be interesting to see how he does, good luck and let us know. Who knows you may have discovered a new cross that finishes well in such a short period of time. :tiphat:
I have eaten beef "finished" like this in Europe and it is different than we expect beef to taste as well as the texture of it .

I know what you mean HD. I am in a compromise position with the wife. She is on this health food kick with grass fed beef. I like mine finished for at least 60 days on grain so we are compromising. I had an angus x limi steer that I fed out last time and he turned out great. This one is an experiment. The local meat processor won't take cattle after Oct 14th until February. I didn't want to feed this steer over the winter so I opted to take him early. I have my fingers......and toes crossed :mrgreen:

 

[vclavin]

I'll let you know in a few weeks :cboy: I have a jersey x balancer steer scheduled to be executed on the 14th of October. His last meal will be part of my first. I am hoping the angus part adds marbleing and the Gelbvieh adds muscle. Kind of an odd combo but we have a Jersey nurse cow and this steer is out of her. He is about 15 months old and I am guestimating his weight to be about 1,100 lbs. The 1/2 Jersey in him is keeping him from really growing out. I am only finishing him on grain for 30 days (he is also grazing good pasture as well). This is an eating experiment so I am hoping for the best.

I think you might be disappointed Hoss, he hasn't been on grain long enough and he is too young for grass finished . This has nothing to do with the breed, but rather how the beef is finished. 15 months should have been on a good grain TMR for at least 3 months and grass finished they should be about 24-28 months old .
It will be interesting to see how he does, good luck and let us know. Who knows you may have discovered a new cross that finishes well in such a short period of time. :tiphat:
I have eaten beef "finished" like this in Europe and it is different than we expect beef to taste as well as the texture of it .

I know what you mean HD. I am in a compromise position with the wife. She is on this health food kick with grass fed beef. I like mine finished for at least 60 days on grain so we are compromising. I had an angus x limi steer that I fed out last time and he turned out great. This one is an experiment. The local meat processor won't take cattle after Oct 14th until February. I didn't want to feed this steer over the winter so I opted to take him early. I have my fingers......and toes crossed :mrgreen:

Hoss, feed out a bull instead of a steer. Awesome meat , good marbling (with the genetics for it of course) and very low back fat... grow faster too.
Valerie

 

[Kilbye]

Cool information.

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

I'll let you know in a few weeks :cboy: I have a jersey x balancer steer scheduled to be executed on the 14th of October. His last meal will be part of my first. I am hoping the angus part adds marbleing and the Gelbvieh adds muscle. Kind of an odd combo but we have a Jersey nurse cow and this steer is out of her. He is about 15 months old and I am guestimating his weight to be about 1,100 lbs. The 1/2 Jersey in him is keeping him from really growing out. I am only finishing him on grain for 30 days (he is also grazing good pasture as well). This is an eating experiment so I am hoping for the best.

I think you might be disappointed Hoss, he hasn't been on grain long enough and he is too young for grass finished . This has nothing to do with the breed, but rather how the beef is finished. 15 months should have been on a good grain TMR for at least 3 months and grass finished they should be about 24-28 months old .
It will be interesting to see how he does, good luck and let us know. Who knows you may have discovered a new cross that finishes well in such a short period of time. :tiphat:
I have eaten beef "finished" like this in Europe and it is different than we expect beef to taste as well as the texture of it .

I've never had dairy beef before, but this is exactly how we finish our own cattle now. We used to do 45 days, but now we only do 30. Our steer from this year had some grass fat to start with and I'm sure that helped. I know this isn't the same as full grain finishing, but that's not what we're after anyway. This way is faster and more affordable. The beef has been outstanding.

 

[HOSS]

This is the Jersey x Balancer steer that is getting the axe in October. I took this picture yesterday while he was feeding.

 

[Rustler9]

Growing up we always ate Jersey beef. it finishes out well and tatses great. Alot of people around here feed out Jersey steers. We have eaten both bulls and steers and they were always very good and tender.