I've got two bull calves on my nurse cows... one Holstein calf, one Hol/Angus cross calf... and one of my neighbors mentioned knowing someone who wanted 400lb veal calves. These guys won't quite be "veal" since they're running on pasture with a nurse cow, but they will be on milk until they're 400-500lbs (probably December). Anyone know if calves that size are even worth butchering? I don't know much about veal, but I do know that Hol bull calves are pretty well worthless and so any way I can find to make them a little more valuable is really attractive. And what about veal calf prices? if these guys are even worth $1/lb on the hoof as veal that's better than I'd get through the auction. Thoughts?
selling 'veal' calves?
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Red Bull Breeder
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Strauss International Lamb Veal, buys calves from 400 to 525 for veal momma's milk and grass. No casturating or dehorning no shots. They really like half blood Limis.
bigbull338
Well-known member
those calves are considered veal because they are on mostly a milk diet.an they are butchered at 400 to 500lbs.
Keren
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I think they call it 'Rose veal' when they are on both milk and solid diets.
So it would basically be veal. Thanks.
Anyone ever tried butchering a dairy-influenced calf at that weight? I ran a few searches online but can't seem to figure out what % of live weight would be take-home meat. I suspect lower than a finished steer, where I usually get 40% take home...? Also, anyone know what a veal calf would be worth? It seems the finished, packaged product is insanely expensive, but I have no idea what they're worth on the hoof.
Anyone ever tried butchering a dairy-influenced calf at that weight? I ran a few searches online but can't seem to figure out what % of live weight would be take-home meat. I suspect lower than a finished steer, where I usually get 40% take home...? Also, anyone know what a veal calf would be worth? It seems the finished, packaged product is insanely expensive, but I have no idea what they're worth on the hoof.
Red Bull Breeder
Well-known member
I don"t no what they call it but Strauss has meet with NALF in effort to buy Limi calves. The want them from 420 to 525 LBs. to hit a 200 to 250 LB hot carcass weight. they will pay a 50 dollar premium on the limi cross calves that hit that weight.
Just as an update for anyone who is interested... I found a place online that raises veal calves on nurse cows, similar to what I'd be doing. They're butchering at approx 250lbs/3 months of age and getting 140lbs of take-home meat (56% of live weight). Calves are sold by the 1/4 (about 35lbs of meat) for $7.50/lb. Wow.
So now I'm wondering what I'm doing taking two years to raise a dairy springer when I can make the same kind of profit in 3 months with a veal calf. :lol2:
So now I'm wondering what I'm doing taking two years to raise a dairy springer when I can make the same kind of profit in 3 months with a veal calf. :lol2:
CKC1586
Well-known member
Great info mm, thanks. I will be having my first experience with this next month. I am vealing out my little bull with the contracted tendons, I taped him yesterday and he is 390#. I had no idea what to charge for him. This gives me somewhere to start....
CKC1586
Well-known member
KNERSIE":1bga4rnw said:
Nope, it is heartbreaking. Other than those dam front legs he is beautiful. Vet said we could try taking him to the college and have the equine vet do some type of surgery, but at that cost and no real guarantee that it would render him sound and given how big he will be just doesn't make sense. And who will buy a bull with that history? I wouldn't. So, decision has been made and I don't want to let him get to the point where he is uncomfortable/in pain, he will go next month. :frowns:
Could it be a structural flaw caused by a delitirous recessive and not contracted tendons at all?
I had my first case of contracted tendons in many years after a malpresentation. The previous case was also after a difficult calving quite a few years ago. Does anyone know whether there is a correlation between difficulty/duration of labour and contracted tendons or was it just coincidence?
Luckily my calf straightened out in about three days.
I had my first case of contracted tendons in many years after a malpresentation. The previous case was also after a difficult calving quite a few years ago. Does anyone know whether there is a correlation between difficulty/duration of labour and contracted tendons or was it just coincidence?
Luckily my calf straightened out in about three days.
