market weight

[Anonymous]

I am raising a Santa Gertrudis (sp) that I've grained for 30 days, and now weighs 1160. I can't find any tables for top weights for this breed. I read another question that you answered saying about 1460 should be top weight. Does this apply for any breed now days?

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[Anonymous]

1460 is pretty heavy. I'm not sure but the other post may have been refering to holstiens. I'm also not sure about Gerts, but I would say that just over 1300 lbs. is average. But it can vary from animal to animal, some will finish under 1200 and some at 1400.

 

[Anonymous]

My butcher said to look for the "doughnut" around the tail area; he said there will be a roll there. He also is unfamiliar with "Gerts", and so isn't sure about the fullness they might or might not get in the brisket, near the chest floor. I don't want to think that I am wasting feed, but a couple more months of feed is worth the 15 months that I have already been feeding. He has always been grained lightly, plus had full feed of premium alfalfa.

Bottom line: If he is only at 1160ish should I cut the grain as long as there is not enough roll around the tail, and see if I can get a little more growth? I am feeding about 30lbs per day of a 4-Way feed. The dealer is unable to get a finisher. I also read on another Q-A that 50,000 IU of vitamin E would help in the finishing. Do you think he is getting enough feed. Should I be feeding 3 times per day? (Sorry, but I have quite an investment here now!)



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[Anonymous]

If I understand you correctly, the steer is 15 months has been on some grain his whole life and is now getting 30 pounds of grain type feed, and weighs 1160 pounds?

He should be fine for slaughter under those conditions. Further feeding will give more finish (fat). The vitamin e is for beef color, it will stay red longer on the shelf(not an issue with freezer beef for yourself).

Feeding 3 times a day won't make much differece, perhaps a slight feed efficiency gain.

To finish you can feed straight corn, barley, oats, anything high in energy. If the 30 pounds of feed you are feeding is mostly grain, continue with it. Switching feeds could cause a problem.

Make sure you can get him killed when you want, sometimes there is a wait for cooler space so book the slot now, and feed until time comes. If there is no wait, I'd feed heavy for another 3-4 weeks, then enjoy.

Jason Trowbridge Southern Angus Farms Alberta Canada

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[Anonymous]

Since your animal is 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Shorthorn it may be that it will grade Choice, but possibly Select. Since you have a lot of time and $$ invested in it already you may want to discuss the aging processes available through your local killer-butcher. The eating experience can be improved by properly dry aging the carcass if your butcher has the proper facilities (and inclination), but it will of course add to the cost of processing. IMHO dry aging is the way to go if you want to better your chances of getting "restaurant quality" taste from your animal, due to the Brahman influence. It involves hanging the carcass at temperatures 2 or 3 degrees above freezing for say 2 weeks, with controlled humidity --- it tenderizes, and concentrates the taste since some of the natural moisture is evaporated during the hanging time. I think the hanging and aging is one of the main reasons why the Nolan Ryan program beef gives a sufficiently satisfying experience to the consumer, and that's using a lot of Beefmaster animals, which have even a higher percentage of Brahman blood than your Gert.

 

[Anonymous]

Good post Arnold, now tell them what really tenderizes meat during storage.

> Since your animal is 3/8 Brahman
> and 5/8 Shorthorn it may be that
> it will grade Choice, but possibly
> Select. Since you have a lot of
> time and $$ invested in it already
> you may want to discuss the aging
> processes available through your
> local killer-butcher. The eating
> experience can be improved by
> properly dry aging the carcass if
> your butcher has the proper
> facilities (and inclination), but
> it will of course add to the cost
> of processing. IMHO dry aging is
> the way to go if you want to
> better your chances of getting
> "restaurant quality"
> taste from your animal, due to the
> Brahman influence. It involves
> hanging the carcass at
> temperatures 2 or 3 degrees above
> freezing for say 2 weeks, with
> controlled humidity --- it
> tenderizes, and concentrates the
> taste since some of the natural
> moisture is evaporated during the
> hanging time. I think the hanging
> and aging is one of the main
> reasons why the Nolan Ryan program
> beef gives a sufficiently
> satisfying experience to the
> consumer, and that's using a lot
> of Beefmaster animals, which have
> even a higher percentage of
> Brahman blood than your Gert.



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[Anonymous]

Individual animals are just that, individuals. It all depends on the genetics and how the animal has been fed. If the animal is a large structured andimal it may take more weight to finish it out. On the other hand, you can quicken the time it takes for an animal to finish out by starting it on feed at an earlier age. With your animal, look at both sides of the tail to see if there is any fat deposits. Also look at where the neck meets the back. Some animals will have an indention line where neck fat and back fat meet. Look for fat where the testicles have been or where the udder is. Also the brisket should have widen and the front legs stance is wider apart. Lastly look over the back to see if the skin on the back is fairly tight and stecthed to its limit. Look for some or all of these characteristics. Hope this helps.

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