The begining of the end...

[Son of Butch]

Fire Sweep Ranch-

Congratulations on a project very well done! Great for the kids, great for the community, geat for the parents, and great for anyone who takes the time to study the results! I would grade YOU "PRIME" for the work YOU have done to present this project on CattleToday!

DOC HARRIS

Wish this site had a thumbs up or like button, so I could just hit it and move on.
1st time that I've seen this old thread...
I couldn't say it any better than DOC did...WELL DONE Fire Sweep. :tiphat:

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

So, instead of starting a new, I thought I would build on the old. Another year has come and gone and hopefully something new is learned. This morning, the set of steers for this year have been processed. Our viewing and education of the carcass portion in on Thursday. So I will update pictures then. So here goes:

Steer #1
Half Simm (Ollie) half angus. Born in March 13. Final weight 1270.
First pic, black steer on the left:

At the fair 30 days ago (he placed 2nd in the live evaluation portion at the fair)

Final weigh in last night (did not gain from the fair date)

Steer #2
Red Angus, March born (I'll confirm that on Thursday). Final weight 915 (he got sick during the feedout)
Pictured above, the red steer on the right at initial weigh in.
at the fair 30 days ago (he placed 4th) (that would be last! He gained 59 pounds since the fair)

At weigh in last night

Steer #3
Purebred Simmental, December 12 born (oldest in the group). Final weight 1285. This steer is out of a bull we raised and sold, and a cow that is a top recip for me. She was 8 years old when she had this calf. She is due in December again with an embryo calf for me.
getting initial weigh in data in Feb

At the fair 30 days ago. Won 1st in the live carcass contest and Reserve Champion Market Steer of the fair.

Final weigh in last night.Gained 55 pounds since the fair.

Steer #4
7/8 Simmental, JUNE 13 born (so yes, just a year! Born on my place, so I can tell you the exact time he was born!). Final weight 1350!!! This boy is out of a bull we sold to KY, that won MO State fair in the junior show (percentage bull). His dam is actually one of our best cows that we have flushed, and after she was flushed she would not stick to AI so we bred her to the young bull at the time. We cut him because he would not make bull material around here. But will be a great eating steer I am sure!!!
Initial weigh in in Feb

At fair 30 days ago, placed 3rd overall in live carcass part (too lean, not enough finish...)

Last night at weigh in. Gained 75 pounds since the fair.

And some shots of them tied while we talked about possible grades and such
Steer 3 and 4

Steer 1 and 3 (with 4 in the background)

steer 2

And another steer that was entered but died right before the fair...

Now, talking about the boys last night, here is what the group came up with:
Steer 1 - likely grade choice plus, 3.5 (he is REALLY fat, guessed more than a half an inch back fat)
Steer 2 - Select, 2.0
Steer 3 - Likely choice, 2.5
Steer 4 - Likely Choice -, 2.0.
I can not remember the guess on rib eye area, but we were just guessing. The kids really enjoy this, and I am looking forward to Thursday. We will also later figure cost of gain. We fed cheap winter creep just about the entire time through, and they were on pasture the entire feed out period. So we will see if fat color is different also!
Thanks for tuning in.... to be continued

 

[inyati13]

FSR, that is interesting. I really like your stock but you know that. The weigh gains since the fair speaks volumes.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Very interesting! :clap:
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

FSR, I know you have spoke about before but what kind of "rations" are they on?

Thanks Scott

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

FSR, I know you have spoke about before but what kind of "rations" are they on?

Thanks Scott

Scott
Our steers were fed a cheap winter creep (runs about $13 a hundred), and on pasture. When we took them in, they were eating 50 pounds a day between the two. The other two steers they feed a product called Amino Gain and corn, that is it! Look up Amino Gain, a new thing offered by ADM (mormans).

Here is what I copied off the web site, and we do not use the Bocatec type, just the plain jane!:

MSF Winter Creep: Protein 12%; fat 2.0%



*Also with B68(Bovatec)



1. Feed in a creep feeder or hand feed to supplement cows milk.
2. Excellent grower feed for post weaned or shipped-in calves.
3. Creep feeding will improve health and weaning weights.
4. Bovatec for control of coccidiosis and increase rate of gain.
5. Always feed a recommended mineral with the Wintercreep.
6. Provide plenty of fresh water at all times. (Always read the feed tag).

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Just got the hanging weight on our two, and a surprise! The number 3 steer hung at 780, which gives him a 60% yield. The number 4 steer hung at 842, which makes him 62.4% yield.
Here is the funny; I only raised two because my sister wanted a half side, and we eat a whole beef each year (so I do not want to share!). I charge her what the butcher shop charges if someone is going in to buy a half side of beef. I had to find a buyer for the other half, so I charged $3 a pound hanging weight. Last year, my sister paid $2.56 a pound. Calling this morning, a half side of beef is going for $3.19 a pound right now!!! WOW. I knew it was up, but that is a bunch. I told my sister, and she said she would kick my rump if I charged her more than the other people who bought the other half!!! :lol2: Got to love family. I told her I would be nice and charge her the $3, because she is family :nod: ;-)
I need to do a better job of checking prices before I price a half side of beef again....
so, to be continued Thursday night...

 

[elkwc]

You have some very nice steers. Looking at them almost makes me consider using a black Sim. The problem is there is no longer a breeder in this area. I had a good friend who raised them for several years before he had a dispersal sale. They are the right kind for sure. What kind of BW's do you see?

 

[hillsdown]

Our carcass steer Sal was the only one in our group that was not implanted with hormones . We did not too bad with grading and I learned a lot about my breed and how to finish it even better for market . Carcass steers are very informative and I glad we did one this year . Plus he tastes phenomenal !

I have pics of the carcass viewing and some data that I will post later too along with what he was fed .

Great post FS , lots of good information here for folks that have never finished a steer or don't know all that goes into getting one to finish properly . :tiphat:

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

You have some very nice steers. Looking at them almost makes me consider using a black Sim. The problem is there is no longer a breeder in this area. I had a good friend who raised them for several years before he had a dispersal sale. They are the right kind for sure. What kind of BW's do you see?

It really depends on the bull you use, but most of ours are in the high 70's to low 80's. We almost never have to touch one, the breed has done an outstanding job bringing those weights down, but keeping the carcass values up. Let me know where you live and I can find some breeders near by I bet! There are a bunch of Simmi breeders out there now, it has become a popular breed for a reason!
I will post the results hopefully tonight... with pics!

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

So, I forgot my card for my camera and ended up using my Ipad to take pics, so I will get them up it will just take me a little bit longer.

So here they are!
Steer 1: Graded Choice (mod 10), YG 3.4. carcass weight 860 lbs. Rib Eye area 14.6. Back fat .6 inches. 3% KPH fat.

Steer 2: Graded Select Minus (sl 40), YG 3.4, carcass weight 492, Rib eye 8.0, back fat .4, 2% KPH

Steer 3: Graded Choice Minus (sm 70), YG 2.5, carcass weight 780, rib eye 15.5 inches, back fat .45, 3% KPH

On the left:

Steer 4: Graded Choice Minus (SM 40), YG 3.1, carcass weight 842, rib eye 13.1, back fat .4, 2.5% KPH

We once again learned a bunch. Once again, our steers were obvious by the color of the fat! Look at the pics, and you can see them immediately. Our older steer did the best. His rib eye was awesome!!! The grader did a great job of explaining things again, and once again we had the "average" desired carcass in our 12 month old steer (steer 4). She said that is what packers want... carcass size, grade, rib eye... just the most desirable.
A pic of the four

Showing flecks of fat in a rib eye, and how they come up with the numbers

Pics of how the rib eye is measured, she explained how to count dots and such...:

Remember how the red steer was ill, but they could never really tell why he went off feed? This picture shows his ribs, where his lungs were adhered to them with lots of scar tissue, indicating he had an issue with his lungs at some point in time in his short life. They family said they never saw him act like he had a respiratory infection, but he just went off feed for several months. I also noted prior to kill that he had a deep hardship grove that was a few inches down his coronary band (where the hair meets the hoof).

and a final picture of the kids who raised the steers with them holding a photo of the steers.

A great project, where once again we learned a bunch. It was neat to see the steer that got ill, and injury it caused. I was happy with both our steers grading choice. The rib eye size was the biggest surprise of our number 3 steer!!! Happy happy!