The Newest Newbie Questions

[GatorBuzz]

Jerry,

Honestly, I don't know the guage of the wire, but the pasture fencing was built for horses. Redbrand fieldfence, four feet high with corral board on top. I'm guessing that will be tight enough, right?

 

[MY]

Gator,

I'd see if you could get some bred cows, maybe a couple pairs, or a 3 in 1 (cow, calf and mama bred back again). This way you're already setting yourself up a good plan for replacements after any go to the freezer.

 

[flaboy]

Thanks for your reply Ryder. I'll have to check into what type of grass is in our pasture. Will let you guys know when I find out.

Good deal. Thanks for all your help flaboy. I appreciate it. I checked out your website. You got a heck of a lot of toys man! Heck of job on restoring your dad's Massey Ferguson!

Yeah I do, I need to cut back. Well going up poor with very little play time I always said there were certain things I would have before I go to that great big pasture in the sky. I have worked VERY hard to get some of the stuff I have. I built my own house while working full time and living in a camper. I don't go out much, I pack my lunch, I do most all of my own work on everything so I treat myself occasionally :lol: Some of the toys I don't have like the bikes I bought for my son. The new Mustang is my girlfriends. She does the WEB site for me. I can't even spell HTML
I did invest in a new tractor not out there yet but soon to be. I still work to hard for one man but........I still work full time and do the cattle stuff evenings and weekends. My Dad takes care of the little stuff for me.

I hope to put some of the calves I have forsale out on the WEB site very soon.

 

[bwranch]

Luckily, I live in the town where the University of Florida is located....

I think your best bet would be to head northwest for a couple of hours and get your information from a GOOD university. ;-)

Lee

 

[GatorBuzz]

Luckily, I live in the town where the University of Florida is located....

I think your best bet would be to head northwest for a couple of hours and get your information from a GOOD university. ;-)

Lee

Whoa, whoa! Them's fightin' words!

 

[eric]

Luckily, I live in the town where the University of Florida is located....

I think your best bet would be to head northwest for a couple of hours and get your information from a GOOD university. ;-)

Lee

I was kinda thinking the same thing....would'nt mind letting them test my sunscreen or suntan lotion or something, but for something important, like the cows or soil, you should actually come about 10-12 hrs due west and go to OU or maybe Tx A&M..... ;-) :cboy:

 

[GatorBuzz]

Okay,

Thanks everyone for all your replies.

I just heard back from County Extension officer. They are going to send me a packet of information relative to our county, minerals needed, soil, fencing requirements, etc.

They did tell me that a beginner like, as you all have recommended, that I should look into local Angus producers, because they're gentler than a lot of others. However, they recommended I get heifers instead of bull calves/steers. The reason was that they wander.

Does cow beef as good in quality as steer beef? Do they normally wander? On my road there are no other cows.

P.S. I didn't want to start another thread for my questions, b/c I didn't want to clog up the front page of the board. If I'm going against protocol, please let me know.

 

[flaboy]

Okay,

Thanks everyone for all your replies.

I just heard back from County Extension officer. They are going to send me a packet of information relative to our county, minerals needed, soil, fencing requirements, etc.

They did tell me that a beginner like, as you all have recommended, that I should look into local Angus producers, because they're gentler than a lot of others. However, they recommended I get heifers instead of bull calves/steers. The reason was that they wander.

Does cow beef as good in quality as steer beef? Do they normally wander? On my road there are no other cows.

P.S. I didn't want to start another thread for my questions, b/c I didn't want to clog up the front page of the board. If I'm going against protocol, please let me know.

We have been butchering our home grown cattle for years. I have heard many opinions on this meat subject. I have heard "only steers", "only Bulls", "only heifers". This is my opinion and challenge. I have some heifer meat and some bull meat in the freezer right now. Here's the challenge, I cook both the same way, who can tell me which is bull and which is heifer? I raise my own and I have had some turn out better than others of the same sex or different sex, same age or differrent ages. When you go into Winn Dixie or Publix do you see any signs saying "Get your Steer Meat here"?

 

[eric]

From what I hear, the worst meat from the worst cow on your place will still be as good as or better than the beef you buy at the local grocery store with all the chemicals and hormones they put in it.

 

[GatorBuzz]

Thanks, as always, flaboy.

Okay, well then if there really isn't a difference in taste, and as Eric says, the meat will be far better than store-bought stuff, I think I should go for a heifer, considering they are more docile. Least that's what the extension officer says. Also gave me the name of a couple angus produers up the road from me.

I've been reading this board pretty much non-stop for the last three days or so. I've gotten up to page 18. Only 75 more to go! All this talk of animals tearing down fences and knockin' the snot outta people has got me looking for something docile.

Thanks again to everyone for all your help. I'm sure I'll have a million more questions once I actually get the cattle here.

 

[Bama]

Don't worry about em tearing down fences and running over you. Most of them are gentle. Anybreed has a few knotheads. If your around them they learn to trust you and won't bother you. If you do happen to get a wild one. Send it to the salebarn.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have to add my two cents. IMO steers are the most docile/quiet of the three choices. Heifers will cycle every three weeks. Large feedlots put heifers on MGA to keep them from cycling. When a heifer is in heat, all the other cattle get excited & ride her - making them use up energy instead of gaining that day. That is why heifers generally cost less than steers. It doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the meat, it's the efficiency of feeding heifers & the smaller carcass size.

But, you are also looking at a little less investment, if you can find a breeder willing to sell heifers at feeder prices.

 

[jerry27150]

if you buy feeder heifers, make sure they are not bred

 

[GatorBuzz]

Thanks Bama. I guess it's easy to freak yourself out if you're not careful.

Very interesting points to keep in mind Jerry and Jeanne. Jeanne, if I only have two heifer calves and no other cattle, would you still suggest the steers? I guess I mean that if there are no other animals around to bother them, would it not be a problem? I'll probably want to go with steers anyway, due to your point that they are even more docile, but I'm just curious. I don't know what the guy will have available. He's supposed to call me today or tomorrow.

Thanks again. You guys have armed with a lot of good questions to ask and things to consider. It's very much appreciated.

 

[dun]

if I only have two heifer calves and no other cattle, would you still suggest the steers? I guess I mean that if there are no other animals around to bother them, would it not be a problem?

They'll still ride each other. The one in heat probably won;t eat well because she's goofy from being in heat and the other won't eat well because she'll be riding or being ridden.
That said, there are a couple of feed lots that like to feed out heifers because they have a better profit margin. Boils down to buying them lower and even though they don;t gain as well, the difference when selling for slaughter isn;t there between heifers and steers.

dun

 

[ChrisB]

I have a question for Eric. What are these chemicals that feedlots / grocery stores are putting in their beef? And do you think you can honestly taste the difference between a steer implanted and one that isn't?

Where are all these high buck steak houses getting their beef? From hobbie farms all over the country? No they are getting them from feedlots, and more than likely they are implanted. If your old cows taste better than the meat you are buying from the grocery store, you better find another place to buy your meat. I am guessing the main difference between store bought beef and home grown beef is the aging process. Maybe someone can help me out because I don't know, but I am guessing the large packers who supply alot of beef to grocery chains and lower scale restaurants, don't have the space to age their beef for 10-14 days.

I bet if all things were equal, in a taste test people would more often prefer the beef produced at a large feedlot over the beef produced by people raising 2-3 head in their back yard. Besides aging, another reason is it generally takes longer for small producers to get their animals up to slaughter weight. And as a rule of thumb, younger animals are more tender. I have a neighbor that was raising holstein calves on grass/hay and a couple pounds of corn per day. It took him 2-1/2 years to get his animals finished. He then bragged about how good his beef was. There is no way that is going to be better than a young grain fed animal.

Sorry, I didn't mean to rant, but there are just some topics that push my buttons.

 

[eric]

ChrisB.....you don't think he feedlots and packers shoot those cows full of growth hormones and dye before they hit your freezer?

And if your old cow doesnt taste as good as your local grocery store, then maybe you need to change up your feeding out habits. Or maybe you just have defective taste buds? And please dont compare your neighbors raggedly old holstein to a properly fed out Angus or Hereford.

 

[bigbull338]

home grown beef is the best it must be something in the feed affecting the meat scott

 

[preston39]

I have a question for Eric. What are these chemicals that feedlots / grocery stores are putting in their beef? And do you think you can honestly taste the difference between a steer implanted and one that isn't?

Where are all these high buck steak houses getting their beef? From hobbie farms all over the country? No they are getting them from feedlots, and more than likely they are implanted. If your old cows taste better than the meat you are buying from the grocery store, you better find another place to buy your meat. I am guessing the main difference between store bought beef and home grown beef is the aging process. Maybe someone can help me out because I don't know, but I am guessing the large packers who supply alot of beef to grocery chains and lower scale restaurants, don't have the space to age their beef for 10-14 days.

I bet if all things were equal, in a taste test people would more often prefer the beef produced at a large feedlot over the beef produced by people raising 2-3 head in their back yard. Besides aging, another reason is it generally takes longer for small producers to get their animals up to slaughter weight. And as a rule of thumb, younger animals are more tender. I have a neighbor that was raising holstein calves on grass/hay and a couple pounds of corn per day. It took him 2-1/2 years to get his animals finished. He then bragged about how good his beef was. There is no way that is going to be better than a young grain fed animal.

Sorry, I didn't mean to rant, but there are just some topics that push my buttons.

===
Chris B,

While I don't disagree with some of your point, early indications from new studies are suggesting that the traditional view of grain fed vs. grass fed is being brought into question. I don't understand it to be conclusive yet but, I would expect more definitive details will be forthcoming...soon.

I suspect the studies are being undertaken because of the seemingly greater interest in .."natural" or "organic" type foods.

It is generally known that an upscale restaurant...so I have been told...ages their beef..... with much recognition.

I have never understood the packing houses not having a system where the meat is aged and shipped as a routine. Once they invest the 12-14 day period the first in-first out rotation would provide aged beef to the market routinely. But, I think little is known about the packing house processes by the general public except, because of the trimming requirements, ageing beef is more labor intensive...I am told.

 

[flaboy]

[/quote]
===
Chris B,

While I don't disagree with some of your point, early indications from new studies are suggesting that the traditional view of grain fed vs. grass fed is being brought into question. I don't understand it to be conclusive yet but, I would expect more definitive details will be forthcoming...soon.
[/quote]

It's funny this has come up. For many years we always grain fed our personal use beef. I read some articles which raised the controversy of grain vs. grass fed. I thought I would try one this year so I have a Bull that is a year old that after weaning I put him out to pasture. He didn't fair all that well during the past winter as he had just been weaned and my young calves don't like hay much so he was stuck with what he could find. He is now starting grow pretty well as forage is returning. I expect to have him butchered around July or maybe August. I will let you know what I think.