Newbie to Freezer Beef

[tnwalkingred]

I've ran cow/calf operation for a few years now and have been constantly asked when I'm going to start selling freezer beef. My response has always been that with cattle prices so high there wasn't much incentive to keep calves past the 500 lb mark. Well as we all know prices will vary and the market is definitely on the down slope. With that in mind I've decided to start feeding out some freezer beef to try and not lose so much revenue on this years fall calf crop. Having never done this before I would love to know what everyone else is doing in relation to price (live weight, hanging weight, etc.), types of feed, weight when slaughtered, and so forth. My plans are below. Feel free to chime in with any input. Thanks.

1. Only beef breed steers will be fed out.
2. My customers will demand quality not quantity.
3. Customers will want all natural feeds fed with no preservatives or hormones.
4. I'm setup to pen steers in a dry lot and feed only high quality hay and grain.
5. I have a grain bin and will buy feed in bulk.
6. I plan on selling by price per pound of live weight and will deliver steers to the slaughter house. The customer will be responsible for all other costs.


Some questions are below.

1. How long does it take to finish a steer? Can you finish one at a lighter weight as long as they have been on full feed for a certain amount of time?
2. Does a lighter weight steer have better quality?
3. Can I feed a ration of 100% shelled corn? This would be easy to buy in bulk and would meet the all natural demands.
4. What percentage of a steers weight should they be eating?
5. How long do they need to be on feed to finish out? In other words can they grow on grass and hay solely up to a certain weight before we start feeding them?

KW

 

[Bigfoot]

If you want to maximize "quality", you need to keep them until they actually achieve finish. If you haven't finished many, that stage may be hard to spot. People buying sides and quarters may not know the difference. I personally think it makes a big difference.

 

[shaz]

I was big into that for years but butcher mistakes finally drove me out about 3 years ago. I guess the last time was when the butcher let the meat hang for 5 weeks ....Yep, you guessed it...whole thing was rotten.

Finding a good consistent butcher is hard.

I don't know about the shell corn idea either. Doesn't look like cows digest it well at all.

I'm feeding out a steer for myself right now but I'm out until I find the right butcher.

Anyway my :2cents:

 

[Bigfoot]

2 good processors an hour north of you.

 

[Supa Dexta]

the last time was when the butcher let the meat hang for 5 weeks ....Yep, you guessed it...whole thing was rotten.

Weren't you wondering where your meat was around week 2 or 3?

 

[Aaron]

I was big into that for years but butcher mistakes finally drove me out about 3 years ago. I guess the last time was when the butcher let the meat hang for 5 weeks ....Yep, you guessed it...whole thing was rotten.

Finding a good consistent butcher is hard.

I don't know about the shell corn idea either. Doesn't look like cows digest it well at all.

I'm feeding out a steer for myself right now but I'm out until I find the right butcher.

Anyway my :2cents:

Wow, talk about incompetence. A carcass at 5 weeks will be fairly soft, but shouldn't be completely rotten. That tells me that he just threw it in the cooler and left it, not doing the required trimming of spoilage every few days.

 

[bse]

I use Yoders in Paris TN, they do a great job and it's as clean as it can be, thats what I like.
Mine are around 14 months, I like to get them to around 1250 before I think there finished. There on feed for about 5 months, I have them on a 14% developer then start blending a little more corn later on, the corn will help them finish, its a tough business, most people don't want to pay 1200 for a half of beef then another 150 for processing, and the biggest problem is theres folks selling stuff for half the price, and then your customers cant understand the difference. It all comes to Yield and grade, should be around 40% after all is said and done, depending on how you process it.

 

[tnwalkingred]

Thanks for all the comments.

BSE/Bigfoot,

You both talk about a steer and it being "finished". Can you provide any further explanation as to what that is? Is it possible to finish one before 1250 pounds if they have been on full feed for long enough? I hope I don't sound too ignorant but I know very little about raising beef for my own consumption. I knew very little about most of the cattle business when I started and only know enough now to be dangerous but I learn something new every day. Case in point is the 1 day old gert bull calf that took me for a mountain lion and attacked me with a death vengeance. And to think I used to think those little guys were cute! Lol. All I can think about him now if how much pleasure I, gonna take when it's time to castrate! Hahahaha.

KW

 

[bball]

Once I start seeing fat around the tailhead, I figure they're good to go.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Yes you can finish earlier, there will be be less over all meat and smaller cuts, and perhaps less fat. My customers prefer these things though. On a 1200lb animal you'll have around 500lbs of meat. You'll get to know the look you're after, but rubbing across their ribs is a good indicator of how much flesh they are carrying. If you just have skin on the ribs its obviously not fat, if it has a squishy layer of flesh, that rolls over the ribs as you rub your hand back and forth, you're getting there. But you want it to look ready too, stout, stocky, hefty, rounded out, whatever you want to call it, and have an a$$... that 'look'

You can generally hit that weight in the 14-18 month old range, depending on the animal and breeding.

 

[pdfangus]

picky customers will want grain fed to be Non GMO grain....may or may not be problematic....

 

[Bigfoot]

You will have a nice smooth layer of fat over their last ribs, and Up on their loin when they are finished. A little fat around the tail head, and on their brisket. Youll be nearing choice plus at this point on "most" of your well muscled calves.

 

[SJB]

For you guys that do this, do you keep them on grass/hay until they reach a certain weight/look, or do you start supplementing day 1.

You raise from birth, buy weaned steers, or feeders?

 

[dieselbeef]

omg...........................................................................................................................

 

[tnwalkingred]

Thanks Bigfoot and Supa! Exactly the information I was looking for.

KW

 

[shaz]

the last time was when the butcher let the meat hang for 5 weeks ....Yep, you guessed it...whole thing was rotten.

Weren't you wondering where your meat was around week 2 or 3?

Oh yeah, called them a lot. They said "the butcher is sick".

 

[HDRider]

the last time was when the butcher let the meat hang for 5 weeks ....Yep, you guessed it...whole thing was rotten.

Weren't you wondering where your meat was around week 2 or 3?

Oh yeah, called them a lot. They said "the butcher is sick".

Maybe he was eating his product.