slaughter calves and finishing steers

[Anonymous]

We live in a dairy area and holstein bull calves are plentiful. The auction house lists slaughter calves. My questions are; do these calves need to be castrated and dehorned? what is the ideal weight, it seems that they run 200 to 400 lbs. is lighter better? Are they on milk only or should some grain/grass be fed? My other question is; We are finishing some freezer beef on grass/hay, I would like to feed some grain also if needed, but how much, is there a formula? Should the steer be slaughtered young, will the meat be more tender? He's a angus at about 800 lbs right now. This is all new to me, any help is appreciated, Thanks

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[Anonymous]

Weaned Holstein steers will bring about 25 cents more per pound if they are dehorned and castrated, even if the band is still attached and they haven't started to shrivel up yet. That's in this area, the thing that has always made me wonder is why weaned Holstein calves actually only bring a couple bucks more per head then Holstein baby bull calves. Go to your local sale barn and see what nets the most money.

dunmovin farms
> We live in a dairy area and
> holstein bull calves are
> plentiful. The auction house lists
> slaughter calves. My questions
> are; do these calves need to be
> castrated and dehorned? what is
> the ideal weight, it seems that
> they run 200 to 400 lbs. is
> lighter better? Are they on milk
> only or should some grain/grass be
> fed? My other question is; We are
> finishing some freezer beef on
> grass/hay, I would like to feed
> some grain also if needed, but how
> much, is there a formula? Should
> the steer be slaughtered young,
> will the meat be more tender? He's
> a angus at about 800 lbs right
> now. This is all new to me, any
> help is appreciated, Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

800 pounds seems a little light for him to have any finish yet. Cattle will finsh on grass if they have plenty of quality forage availiable and the meat is more healthy, more omaga 3 fatty acids helps prevent cancer. But the best way to determin if he is fat is just to look, he will fill up in the cod and fat will deposit over the tailhead, fat steers will make a poping noise when they walk as well. If he is gentle enough to touch you can tell that way as well. my guess is he will finsh at 1100-1200 lbs more or less considering he is an angus but probably closer to the 1100.