Question about breeds and beef quality

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Ky hills

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I realize this could be taken as a divisive question, and that is not my intention. I have been around cattle for a long time, but not in context of end product. This summer, we fed out a young Angus bull. We think the meat is really good, and are very pleased with the result. We have had some folks say that when we feed out another one they want in on part of it. This upcoming year, most of our calves will be straight bred Hereford, and Hereford x, with a few being Limousin x Angus. I have heard some that are critical of some breeds and some that swear by them. I am just wondering what results others have had with these or other breeds.
 
I know different breeds can certainly produce different types or quality of meat, but I'm convinced the feeding program is just as if not more influential to the end product regardless of breed.
 
If I'm going to finish something to put in the deep freeze, it's definitely going to be a jersey. I haven't gotten to intentionally put a calf in for a long time. I usually have one that ends up there for some other reason.
 
Cucumber35":2zl7pqfc said:
I know different breeds can certainly produce different types or quality of meat, but I'm convinced the feeding program is just as if not more influential to the end product regardless of breed.
X2. We have fed show steers that were purebred Limi, Angus, char, and several crosses, including the aforementioned breeds and even Chi and Maines. They always did excellent in carcass class as well as on the hoof. The judges in both always commented that they could tell which steers came from the same feeding program. The trick is to play to the strengths and weaknesses of each breed. For example, the Limis grew well, but needed plenty of fat in the last 60 days to finish well. The Limi X Angus finished with less fat pushed to them because of the Angus influence.
 

This Jersey bull will be in the freezer after he is done with the young girls. Jerseys are VERY tender beef.
 
Each animal has it's own genetics, and as a result, will have it's own range of tenderness and flavor.

Muscle fiber type is highly correlated with tenderness.
Fat / marbling is highly correlated with flavor.
Dairy attributes (think butterfat) is also highly correlated with flavor.

The only way to tell what animal will produce good beef is to do the genetic tests for those specific traits. Igenity's models do not account for all traits that research has identified are positively correlated with tenderness.

So, which steer(s) should you keep to feed yourself? Don't know. Do the DNA tests and let that be your guide.

As it regards Jersey beef; dairy breeds and dual purpose breeds (at least those specific animals within the dual purpose breeds that retain the genetics for high butterfat content) are some really good eating.

Good luck to you!
 
Son of Butch":4mdsiku5 said:
Ky hills":4mdsiku5 said:
This summer, we fed out a young Angus bull.
May I ask... why would anyone choose to feed out a bull to butcher rather than a steer?
Certainly would not be my choice no matter the breed.
They gain well.. We just finished eating a 2 1/2 year old Shorthorn bull.. he was mean as heck but dang he tasted good and was really tender.
Now we're eating a 2 year old Gelbvieh x Saler steer, no complaints there either

EXCEPT for burger, I hope to never eat old cow again.. as burger they are the best though
 
Son of Butch":3avn00te said:
Ky hills":3avn00te said:
This summer, we fed out a young Angus bull.
May I ask... why would anyone choose to feed out a bull to butcher rather than a steer?
Certainly would not be my choice no matter the breed.

Yield is a big factor. Young virgin bulls taste just as good as steers with less external fat. All I ever ate at the neighbors growing up was bulls. They never butchered a steer or heifer. Butchered the 14 month old bull prospects who wouldn't make test.
 
Son of Butch":2ew3z6xj said:
Ky hills":2ew3z6xj said:
This summer, we fed out a young Angus bull.
May I ask... why would anyone choose to feed out a bull to butcher rather than a steer?
Certainly would not be my choice no matter the breed.

if the bull is young.....lets say less than thirty months....
they are higher yielding, tender and tasty with faster growth.

I am eating one right now....I am eating him because at a little over two years old.....he wanted to wrestle me for the title and that was a poor decision on his part...we had an empty freezer at the time. I called the locker and made an appointment and put him on feed for sixty days...

I am feeding a steer now because he was out of an unregistered cow...and we generally don't raise bulls any more...

in past years we would normally eat any bull of ours who did not perform well at the state test....great beef...
 
BeefTendernessbyBreed.png
 
Ky hills":1yj33u6h said:
I am just wondering what results others have had with these or other breeds.

We prefer a leaner beef with a lot of flavor.
Usually we butcher 27 month old heifers off grass. Have had mixed results with steers.
Seem to get more finish is there is some herf or SH in the mix. Limi would not be recommended for grass finishing.
 
pdfangus":3k37lw02 said:
Son of Butch":3k37lw02 said:
Ky hills":3k37lw02 said:
This summer, we fed out a young Angus bull.
May I ask... why would anyone choose to feed out a bull to butcher rather than a steer?
Certainly would not be my choice no matter the breed.

if the bull is young.....lets say less than thirty months....
they are higher yielding, tender and tasty with faster growth.

I am eating one right now....I am eating him because at a little over two years old.....he wanted to wrestle me for the title and that was a poor decision on his part...we had an empty freezer at the time. I called the locker and made an appointment and put him on feed for sixty days...

I am feeding a steer now because he was out of an unregistered cow...and we generally don't raise bulls any more...

in past years we would normally eat any bull of ours who did not perform well at the state test....great beef...

Son of Butch, yes you may ask, I had wintered 2 home raised bulls with the intention of using possibly both of them on heifers, but one had poor leg structure that got worse as time went on. I actually had a steer with the bulls that I had intended to fatten. Then I got the idea that the steer may bring more on the market than the bull at that size.
As PDF Angus said, the bull was a virgin bull and only 16 months at time of slaughter.
 
Stocker Steve":t1z71tw5 said:
What kind of results would you expect from a previously pulled down heifer bull, that is put on dry feed, and then butchered at about 21 months?

I'm not sure if your question was directed at me or not, but the bull we had butchered was a virgin bull, and was in good condition, and was then fed to fatten for about 90 days. I was pleased with the results from that bull, I was just asking what results that folks had with their beef in general.
 
Ky hills":3hh9hhdi said:
I had wintered 2 home raised bulls with the intention of using possibly both of them on heifers, but one had poor leg structure that got worse as time went on. I actually had a steer with the bulls that I had intended to fatten.
Then I got the idea that the steer may bring more on the market than the bull at that size.
As PDF Angus said, the bull was a virgin bull and only 16 months at time of slaughter.
Ahh... Plan B... that makes sense.
All beef tastes great. So when someone says how good a bull they butchered tasted, I usually think how much more
they may have liked him as a steer.
 
Stocker Steve":1gn393by said:
WalnutCrest":1gn393by said:
It depends on muscle fiber type, fat type, feed quality, how it was butchered and aged, and prepared.

red angus
calm
alfalfa hay and oats
hung one week

Your doing pretty darn good if you can get a animal slaughter fat on alfalfa and oats alone.
 
red angus = no info on muscle fiber type ... requires a check and DNA submission to at least two labs

red angus = no info on fat type ... requires a check and a DNA submission to at least one lab

hung one week = not enough info; research 'cold shortening' and figure out a couple of new requirements to lay on your butcher

Preparation is a big deal ... someone can get the first three things (genetics, feed/management, butchering/aging) right, and still fjord up a good piece of meat.
 

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