Square Meaters

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KevinN

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I'm looking for a breeder who is breeding for a grass finished product. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Kevin
 
I have never heard of them and I raised my first calf 60 years ago. My guess it is some sort of composite that somebody is now calling a breed.
 
Looks like maybe the Murray Gray association could point you in the direction of a breeder (http://www.murraygreybeefcattle.com/Square%20Meater.htm)

I'm curious -- when you say "grass finished" are you literally speaking finished on grass and grass only? Or finished on a field mix of grass and legumes? Or just hay?
 
Thanks, pasture raised, hay in the winter, field mix finished I guess.

They are a smaller frame Murray Grey
 
Yeah, the Murray Gray association mentioned a "square meater" endorsement. No idea what that means.

I had a customer inquire about "grass finished" beef and when I asked what they knew about that concept they said, "well not fed any corn." When I replied "you realize that technically corn IS a grass" the look on their face was priceless.

Locally, to finish fat cattle the "grass finished" operators are using progressive paddocks of increasing legumes, which I just like to tease them about -- "so, not grass finished? more like legume finished" -- haha, just the wonders of marketing.

Grass fed small framed cattle is a good concept, best of luck!
 
My paddocks are a field mix but with only 10 ac I can afford to soil test and amend each year. Even so, it's about 30 mos to fatten up. Since the meat is only for me, I think a smaller quiet animal suits my program. Luckily I have a real job or we all would starve! Thanks
 
Dave said:
I have never heard of them and I raised my first calf 60 years ago. My guess it is some sort of composite that somebody is now calling a breed.

It is not a composite breed, it is just a small framed murray grey. Like miniature hereford vs standard hereford
 
I have a mini cow that I breed. She has super short legs and is just all body. I have no idea what type of cow she is but I have continued breeding her for the last 5 years as she gives me a small fat little calf every year that I sell to small farmers. Its interesting because I get the same price for her small calf that I do for a big fat black angus yearling. People for whatever reason seem to like these little guys. She's 6/7. I believe she weighs around 800lbs, maybe less.

I sell them as "mini beef cows". She gave me a heifer this year who I am also going to breed. She does fine on grass and hay only with a calf on her. She gives me a calf every 11 months to the day...literally...3 years in a row.

I bought her on craigslist for $200.


 
604 - you are obviously dealing with yuppies that don't have a clue what they are doing (farmers??). "Most" producers sell by the pound. You have a different market. (and I mean that two ways - LOL)
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley said:
604 - you are obviously dealing with yuppies that don't have a clue what they are doing (farmers??). "Most" producers sell by the pound. You have a different market. (and I mean that two ways - LOL)

Well Jeanne...I would never consider myself a "producer" or even a "farmer" at that haha. As you know, this is really all for fun for me.

I don't sell by the pound. Ever. I mean I have sold a few wild ones at auction I had no choice but to sell by the pound but I sell my animals individually. The price is the price and I don't weigh them or even quote weights when I sell actually.

But as a producer or a farmer there is no money in these mini cattle haha. I cant image how little I would get for my mini calves if I sold them at auction. But this is a great little cow for a small hobby farmer that wants an animal for the freezer or for something for farm status (big in BC where I am)
 
KevinN said:
Thanks, pasture raised, hay in the winter, field mix finished I guess.

They are a smaller frame Murray Grey

Difference is the size and time to maturity from what I have seen:

Cleo- image when she was 2 and had a calf nursing (1100 lbs)
Second image is right before calving her second calf
Second image is right after calving her second calf
Third image is Cleo's first calf at 18 months old (1200 lb bull- mature weight 1700 at most)
[image]47[/image] [image]77[/image] [image]31[/image] [image]40[/image]

Cocoa- image when she was 2 and was dry from her first calf (1450 lbs)
[image]46[/image]
Cocoa (1450) and Alice (1200)
[image]48[/image]
Cocoa's 13 month old steer calf (950-1000 lbs) should finish around 1400-1500 lbs
[image]398[/image]
 

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