Steer vs bull for beef

[Ky hills]

I posted a day or so ago about finishing a steer for beef, also have a 13 month old Angus bull with less than desirable hind legs and feet, and I don't want to use him or sell him for breeding. Wife said this afternoon, maybe we should sell the steer and feed out the bull. That got me to thinking, the steer would bring more per pound than the bull. Would the carcass quality of the bull be much different at this age?

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

No wouldn't be much difference.

 

[Son of Butch]

Yes, there would be some difference, I don't know how much. Call your butcher and see what he says, if he has
any amount of experience, I think he would be your most reliable source on what quality and differences you could expect.

 

[Supa Dexta]

As long as he hasn't been riding, and not stressed out all the time trying to get at females - he'll be good eating.

 

[Ky hills]

Thank you all.

 

[Nesikep]

We had a bull that was about 26 months old (3/4 shorthorn), he had bred a few cows, excellent taste, on the better cuts it's absolutely tender. I wouldn't hesitate to feed out the bull and sell the steer.

 

[Muddy]

Had two younger bull slaughtered in past years, I think I would prefer steers over bulls. Even if they're not riding they can smell the females and get worked up which can affect the quality of the carcass.

 

[riquezada]

I've butchered 2 year old Jersry steers and 2 year old Jersey Bulls. I couldn't tell any difference

 

[TexasBred]

Butchered a 1400+ lb. Holstein bull that got electrocuted but was breeding cattle. Some of the best beef we ever had and a lot of it but he was also getting about 30 lbs. of grain everyday.

 

[pdfangus]

I have eaten quite a few young bulls and we still have what is left of one in the freezer now....
I prefer the bulls....more tender and just as flavorful with less outside fat.....
but I never ran them with the herd....they had their own paddock for grazing and fed grain once a day.

the one we are eating now did breed a few cows and when I brought him home he challenged me for the heavy weight title...mistake as the freezer was empty....fed him for 60 or 70 days while waiting for the locker appointment...

 

[Nesikep]

I'd rather a bull over a cow. I found most cow meat to be the stuff Michelin and Goodyear strive for

 

[pdfangus]

I wish to clarify....

the oldest bull I have ever eaten is this last one and he was just two years old....

In my opinion an old cow is good for hamburger and maybe a few good roasts and that is about it.

 

[tdc_cattle]

I'm in a similar boat. Was going to keep a young bull for breeding. He's running with the heifers now. I've decided to not keep him, should I cut him or just leave him intact? Don't really have anyplace to put him where he wouldn't be across a fence from cows. Probably won't have him processed till late fall.

 

[RoppFamilyFarm]

Last 2 we have put in the freezer were both Shorthorn bulls. We slaughtered them at 18months old. They were separated from the main herd and fed grain the last 100 days. They have been some of the best, most tender beef! The only thing better was the SH heifer that we butchered at 20 months(she open after Ai'ing 3 times, time to cull)... Talk about marbled, tender and the best flavor! We grain fed for 100 days and had it aged for 21 days..... It makes culling a heifer much easier when they taste that good.

 

[Nesikep]

I've never needed to cull a younger heifer.. The bull I spoke of earlier that we're eating was a 3/4 shorthorn and in good shape.. bred a couple cows but certainly wasn't a stressed out guy.. mean ba$tard though when I dropped him off at the butcher.. glad to have gotten rid of him for that reason, and he didn't look that great.. .This was him the fall before butchering as a long yearling

 

[mncowboy]

Here's an 18 month old War party bull that didn't pass his BSE last spring. We left him with a few steers on a self feeder and 16 acres of pasture. couldn't be happier.

 

[Ky hills]

This is a ribeye and T bone from the bull we had processed. It turned out very good. He was a grandson of Frontman, out of a Hoover Dam daughter, I had intended to use him for a heifer bull, but his rear legs weren't satisfactory.

 

[Celtic Cowman]

Always heifers or intact virgin bulls for the freezer here.