Steer

[TxStateCowboy]

Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.





thanks- will

 

[Bez!]

Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.





thanks- will

You did not say how old they are or how long before they go to market. No matter I suppose

I have nutted when they hit the ground - now we wait for a few months - we seem to get better growth from our animals.

Those who buy like to have the animals ready to go - less work for them - take horns and nuts off - vaccinate and usually you will get a better price from the buyer.

Bez!

 

[msscamp]

Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.





thanks- will

There are actually several advantages of castrating them at a young age - it removes the inclination to fight and establish dominancy, thereby allowing them to gain better. By castrating at a young age you have the option of banding, thereby removing the potential for bleeding to death and reducing the possibility of infection, it also removes the testosterone so they are not as interested in checking out the skirts in the same pasture or the next corral. Another advantage is the younger they are banded or knife castrated, the less they are set back and the earlier they recover. Oh, almost forgot, castrating also reduces space requirements - depending on your operation - as steers and heifers can be run together. But, on the other hand I don't believe I would band at birth as you tend to miss out on possible growth potential from the testosterone. We band at about 1-2 months old when we brand. Just my thoughts.

 

[Bez!]

Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.





thanks- will

There are actually several advantages of castrating them at a young age - it removes the inclination to fight and establish dominancy, thereby allowing them to gain better. By castrating at a young age you have the option of banding, thereby removing the potential for bleeding to death and reducing the possibility of infection, it also removes the testosterone so they are not as interested in checking out the skirts in the same pasture or the next corral. Another advantage is the younger they are banded or knife castrated, the less they are set back and the earlier they recover. Just my thoughts.

You missed the most important one:

Us old guys do not get hurt as bad or as often working with the real young stuff - we just have to watch out for something blowing a bit of snot and running faster than we do.

Bez!

 

[msscamp]

Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.





thanks- will

There are actually several advantages of castrating them at a young age - it removes the inclination to fight and establish dominancy, thereby allowing them to gain better. By castrating at a young age you have the option of banding, thereby removing the potential for bleeding to death and reducing the possibility of infection, it also removes the testosterone so they are not as interested in checking out the skirts in the same pasture or the next corral. Another advantage is the younger they are banded or knife castrated, the less they are set back and the earlier they recover. Just my thoughts.

You missed the most important one:

Us old guys do not get hurt as bad or as often working with the real young stuff - we just have to watch out for something blowing a bit of snot and running faster than we do.

Bez!

Been there, done that - those young calves are a lot easier to catch, provided one knows where Mama is! :lol: :lol:

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.





thanks- will

Lots of good advice on this board. I buy salebarn calves weekly (sometimes weakly LOL). My preferrence is for steers due to less work & stress on my end. However, my observation is bulls less than 400 lb will bring just as much money as steers. From 400-500lb steers might bring $.01-.02 lb more. The heavier they get above 500lb the greater the discount for bulls.

As Bez stated, bulls should outgain steers. From a sellers prospective, the extra gain for a bull would probably more than offset the small discount if they are sold less than 5-600lb. Selling at heavier weights would favor steers.

I would first suggest observing the price difference at the salebarn you plan to sell at and developing your own opinion as to the price differences.. After making your own observations, visit with some order buyers and possibly the sale barn owner for their opinions. I feel it is important to make your own observation and initial opinion first, because there could be some who may not give the straight scoop due to ulterior motives. After visiting with several buyers you should be able to separate the straight sccop from the BS.

I guess the bottom line is to study the situation and figure out what is best for your financial & management goals.
Using this forum is a good step in the right direction.

Good luck & best regards.

Brock

 

[ollie']

Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.





thanks- will

There are actually several advantages of castrating them at a young age - it removes the inclination to fight and establish dominancy, thereby allowing them to gain better. By castrating at a young age you have the option of banding, thereby removing the potential for bleeding to death and reducing the possibility of infection, it also removes the testosterone so they are not as interested in checking out the skirts in the same pasture or the next corral. Another advantage is the younger they are banded or knife castrated, the less they are set back and the earlier they recover. Oh, almost forgot, castrating also reduces space requirements - depending on your operation - as steers and heifers can be run together. But, on the other hand I don't believe I would band at birth as you tend to miss out on possible growth potential from the testosterone. We band at about 1-2 months old when we brand. Just my thoughts.

Nice post msscamp. One thing I'd like to add that is near and dear to my heart is the fact that if you wait till weaning to castrate which I have done for a few years, you will gain individual weight but almost every year you'll have a cripple from a bulling cow riding one of those 6 mo old bulls and breaking a stiffle joint. This year I have two I am feeding to eat I would just as soon have two healthy ones , and only butcher one. The discount or unsalability this year at least in my mind off sets the heavier healthy calves. Next year I am going back to castrating at spring work up.

 

[msscamp]

Thank you, Ollie.

 

[rk]

If they will be sold at weaning, then it seems to me that the only real advantage to cow/calf producer is sale price. It may be true that bull calves under 400 lbs. bring about as much as steers, but that's because of such strong market and demand for calves. When numbers rise and market weakens (and it will!), then you can be that steers will again bring a premium versus bull calves.