Locker ready?

Help Support CattleToday:

rufun2sun

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2017
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
I keep looking at my steer and thinking just a little bit more to go to the locker, I don't have scales. I think he was a spring calf and would be going on two yr. Any harm in waiting.
 
Maybe just what I'm used to but the really young are short on flavour I think. I like a second calver that lost her calf early and comes in fat off the range in the fall.
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":e9gugtix said:
The older they are, the more flavor. The younger they are, the more tender.
I like 13-15 months old at about 1300# - but, I strictly like grain fed beef.
Can I ask what you feed? I am finishing with 60% whole corn and 40% 14% pellets at 2% body weight.

I expect they will be about 14 to 16 months old for 1100 to 1200 #.
 
I also feed whole shell corn. No protein supplement. After they weight about 7-800#, I believe they only need about 12% protein. Corn is 9%, so decent hay should bring their ration up to at least the 12%.
 
When they are finished, they are finished. Some calves are finished at 1,100 lbs, and some calves at 1,600. As a rule of thumb, for butcher calves, we like to see them eating 20+ lbs of corn for 100 days. Yes, I know that all corn is not created equal......
 
As FarmFence said, they need to be finished. But, what is finished? You should see fat deposited in the brisket area, on each side of the tail head, in the flank, and the cod of a steer. If you are able to feel them, you definitely should feel a layer of fat over the ribs - should be .3 to .6 depending on breed. When the animal walks, they should have a looseness, almost a "jiggle".
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":31f6l0w4 said:
We are talking to ourselves - OP has not been back.
My fault I guess. I took the thread away from the topic.

Anyway, thanks for the info. It helps.
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":1k3p6fe3 said:
When the animal walks, they should have a looseness, almost a "jiggle".
Friend's dad always said they should look like a plump lady walking away from ya.
My deepest apologies if i offend
 

Latest posts

Top