Steak size

[laek]

I find the whole thing interesting. Holstein should ADD frame I would've thought.

Perhaps get a few more months age on em?

Don't most shoot for 18months plus aside from @Jeanne - Simme Valley ?

I'm pretty new to finishing animals so I'm definitely not a wealth on knowledge on it. But I was told to shoot for 15months not saying it's right. In my experience it depends on the animal. It seems like more time could have helped for sure. It's hard to judge early on when all the butchers are booking so far out. I have two steers that I have booked for late August(16months) and another for sept.(15months)

 

[SBMF 2015]

Holstein should ADD frame

Should add frame, but not muscle.

They weighed 608 & 548 hanging or in packages?
If those were their total hanging weights are that light it makes sense that the steak would be small.
Another 60days would have done wonders.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I'm pretty new to finishing animals so I'm definitely not a wealth on knowledge on it. But I was told to shoot for 15months not saying it's right. In my experience it depends on the animal. It seems like more time could have helped for sure. It's hard to judge early on when all the butchers are booking so far out. I have two steers that I have booked for late August(16months) and another for sept.(15months)

I had the same issue as far as booking times. I just figured a couple extra months in and fed that much longer and hoped the animal didn't get TOO large on me or TOO FAT
She hung up at 630lbs. About perfect I thought. I'll do the same next time. It's hard to judge how big they get when ya hand feed em every day for a year!!
She still seemed like a baby when I loaded her even tho I knew she was bigger. I fed her from a 400lb calf.

 

[laek]

Should add frame, but not muscle.

They weighed 608 & 548 hanging or in packages?
If those were their total hanging weights are that light it makes sense that the steak would be small.
Another 60days would have done wonders.

Those were the weights in the packages

 

[SBMF 2015]

Those were the weights in the packages

So what was their hanging weights? What did they yield?

 

[MurraysMutts]

One was an angus Holstein, the other was Hereford Holstein. The angusx was 1245# lw that yielded 608# of meat. The herefordx was 1150lw with 548# of meat.

Pretty sad looking ribeyes. View attachment 24324

That sounds right for hanging weight.
Not take home tho...

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

If the weights were 608 and 548# - then they were about 800# and 730# HCW
Murry, most shoot for 15 months that I know. Yes, I'm the odd ball. The reason I push for 12-13 months of age is because I need their lot for my close up calving cows! LOL And, my steers grow really well. I like 12 months of age hanging 750# HCW.

 

[laek]

So what was their hanging weights? What did they yield?

All that I have on them is rough live weight measured with a tape. And then the take home weight, it didn't have hanging weight on the bill

 

[MurraysMutts]

If the weights were 608 and 548# - then they were about 800# and 730# HCW
Murry, most shoot for 15 months that I know. Yes, I'm the odd ball. The reason I push for 12-13 months of age is because I need their lot for my close up calving cows! LOL And, my steers grow really well. I like 12 months of age hanging 750# HCW.

I've already had dinner, and I'm drooling thinking about sampling a 12mo old ribeye of that caliber....

 

[MurraysMutts]

All that I have on them is rough live weight measured with a tape. And then the take home weight, it didn't have hanging weight on the bill

Most shops charge by hanging weight.

So if they charged you for 608lbs cut and wrap, that was MOST likely the hanging weight. You will lose quite a bit in the processing/cutting/ etc....

 

[SBMF 2015]

If the weights were 608 and 548# - then they were about 800# and 730# HCW
Murry, most shoot for 15 months that I know. Yes, I'm the odd ball. The reason I push for 12-13 months of age is because I need their lot for my close up calving cows! LOL And, my steers grow really well. I like 12 months of age hanging 750# HCW.

Those cattle don't look like they have the muscle for their frame to be able to yield 64%. But if you figure 608 and 548 as hanging weights then they yield 49%. That seems really low, but their bone to muscle ratio would seem to support the lower %

 

[laek]

Most shops charge by hanging weight.

So if they charged you for 608lbs cut and wrap, that was MOST likely the hanging weight. You will lose quite a bit in the processing/cutting/ etc....

That makes more sense good to know !

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

"Generally" you get about 60-62% of the live wt = carcass wt.
Then "generally" you lose about 1/3 the hanging weight to give you what you put in your freezer.
More fat = less in freezer
Light muscle = less in freezer
More boneless cuts = less in freezer

 

[laek]

"Generally" you get about 60-62% of the live wt = carcass wt.
Then "generally" you lose about 1/3 the hanging weight to give you what you put in your freezer.
More fat = less in freezer
Light muscle = less in freezer
More boneless cuts = less in freezer

Ok great that's definitely good to know thanks! I'm going to crunch some numbers with what I have in my freezer and find out how I did on them.

 

[mwj]

Do not be discouraged with the good wholesome beef that you have in your freezer! Use this knowledge as you go forward.

This is a good lesson on why all calves do not bring the same price. Start with a better quality calf and you will have more beef to enjoy. You can not feed good quality into an inferior calf.


You are doing the proper thing by asking this question since no one else can give you knowledge. Spend more time in selecting your next calf and it will be money and time well spent.

 

[laek]

Do not be discouraged with the good wholesome beef that you have in your freezer! Use this knowledge as you go forward.

This is a good lesson on why all calves do not bring the same price. Start with a better quality calf and you will have more beef to enjoy. You can not feed good quality into an inferior calf.


You are doing the proper thing by asking this question since no one else can give you knowledge. Spend more time in selecting your next calf and it will be money and time well spent.

That is good advice and a good lesson learned thanks!

 

[SBMF 2015]

"Generally speaking " feedlot cattle should gain 100lbs a month. Subtract the first 30 days as an adjustment period. When you think they're ready add 30 days. If you know what they weigh then you get them, then you can roughly get an idea of when they'll be done.
It just takes practice and patience.

 

[Ky hills]

Right or wrong, we have been running our beef calves out on pasture with supplemental feed until the last 3-4 months before process date and then putting them in a lot and gradually upping their feed, and leaving them free choice hay.
They have ranged in age from 13-18 months, mostly steers but a couple have been bulls. Meat has been well marbled, ours has been good and feedback from others has been positive.
If I change anything, I think that wintering them like our heifers or bulls, is not helping to achieve maximum growth potential and probably should push them a little more to hopefully get a little more growth and yield. Hanging weights have ranged from 520- 820 with the 2 bulls being the oldest and heaviest, and a 13 month old steer being the lightest at 520.
The rest are steers that have been 15-16 months and have been from 560-720 hanging weight.

 

[laek]

"Generally" you get about 60-62% of the live wt = carcass wt.
Then "generally" you lose about 1/3 the hanging weight to give you what you put in your freezer.
More fat = less in freezer
Light muscle = less in freezer
More boneless cuts = less in freezer

So after going through the numbers, they are not good lol
The baldie
1145# lw
549.56# hanging weight (48% of lw)
316.02# take home (58% of hanging weight came home)

Angus x

1244# lw
608.08# hanging weight (48% of lw)
352.68# take home (58% of hanging weight came home)

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

I think it is really important to know the weight at your ranch the day it loads. Scales are a really valuable investment, not only can you track ADG to see feed efficiency... but you know what it weighed when it left for processor.