Took 12 freezer beefs off today.

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TSR

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What was your feeding procedure and what did you feed? Did you market any of them in the Nashville area? Just curious as I am considering trying what it seems like you are doing.
 
tncattle467":q3bin2la said:
TSR":q3bin2la said:
What was your feeding procedure and what did you feed? Did you market any of them in the Nashville area? Just curious as I am considering trying what it seems like you are doing.


They were marketed in the middle tn area. Most of the people were repeat buyers. I had more buyers than calves so could not fill all 20 orders this year. The calves were kept in a 1 acre or less lot from weaning until slaughter. They were fed free choice mixed grass hay, had access to a ritchie waterer, and were fed the bottom ration in a self feeder all they could eat from weaning until slaughter.

71 % corn gluten
15% cracked corn
12% ground corn
2% cane molasses

189.00 a ton right now at farmers coop

Proud for you,hope you did all right. I live in West TN and as I said am considering doing the same type of thing. I am wondering about the advertising part just to get started. Have a good one.
 
tncattle467":3lourdm4 said:
...$1.15 a pound live weight...

Sounds like you are gouging your customers!!!! Dishonest!!!! Should give them back anything over 85 cents!!!! (wink)

Congratulations. Sounds like you are producing a quality product for enthusiastic buyers. Well done!

SRBeef/Jim

edit: you mention Simmental... are these full Simmental or a cross? I am thinking of also going to lighter slaughter weights like yours due to my corn grazing schedule and market timing. Do you feel that some of the taste, in additon to your ration, is due to the fact these are younger/lighter than most slaughter cattle, almost like veal?
 
tncattle467":3nkaiach said:
SRBeef":3nkaiach said:
tncattle467":3nkaiach said:
...$1.15 a pound live weight...

Sounds like you are gouging your customers!!!! Dishonest!!!! Should give them back anything over 85 cents!!!! (wink)

Congratulations. Sounds like you are producing a quality product for enthusiastic buyers. Well done!

SRBeef/Jim

edit: you mention Simmental... are these full Simmental or a cross? I am thinking of also going to lighter slaughter weights like yours due to my corn grazing schedule and market timing. Do you feel that some of the taste, in additon to your ration, is due to the fact these are younger/lighter than most slaughter cattle, almost like veal?


Well, the older the animal the more "Gamey" it is going to taste.


Here are the reasons why I think the beef is so tender and juicy.

1. I pick bulls with extremely large rib eye areas, and low back fat and low rump fat.

2. The animals are handle gently through out their lives. So much so they want me to pet em and butt each other out of the way for my attention even though I dont give it. They stay calm until the bullet goes in their head at the slaughter house. be nice one of the dumbies even walked up the ramp the dude opened the gate and the calf walked on in to be shot in the head.

3. This feed was formulated especially for feeding cattle out by my coop animal nutritionist.

4. Genetics. I think that the simmentals add more carcass weight, more cut weight, and even add to the marbling.

Surprisingly everyone of those animals listed was a bull. I did not cut em this year or last year to keep em gaining good. They have been separated from all females from weaning to death.

Thank you.

Jim
 
tncattle467":1xnxl1oc said:
No problem. The main reason I leave them bulls is because bulls gain better than steers.
I agree, bulls do gain better. Any ideas as to the ADG? How many LBS per animal a day did you feed?
They taste better too! Lots less backfat.
Do you have to have them State or USDA inspected to sell the meat?
Do you sell sides or just whole live weight?
Were processing fees included or extra for your customers?
Blessings
Valerie Clavin
 
Thanks for the info. I haven't found a USDA place yet. Vacuum pkg would be real nice for customers as they can see what they are getting besides the extended expiration date.
The butcher comes to the farm to kill and then takes the sides back with him. I get to see the marbling when he splits the carcass and I'm anxious to see how much backfat and internal fat when he removes the hide.
They wrap the meat in a plastic and then in freezer wrap. It works pretty well and so far no freezer burn after 2 years. Try to eat it within 1 year but find a piece hiding every now and then. lol
I forgot to ask how old they are - approx - when you butcher. Our are usually about 1 1/2 years give or take. I feed enough to gain around 3lbs a day too, enough to grow but not enought o get fat and hurt legs/feet. About 15 to 20lbs of that high fiber feed a day - split morning and evening - and all the hay they want. They are usually up to 10-15lbs a day when we wean. They then bawl for momma with a mouthful of feed. It's hilarious to watch them, not sure if they really miss mom or the bawling between mouthfulls is for her benefit. Usually afer 3 days all is well again.
Thanks again
Blessings
Valerie Clavin
 
I assume you calve all in one season?
Are you raising/butchering pure breeds or xbreeds? ( if Xbreeds what cross do you like best)
What do you look for in a sire to those calves?
Hope you don't mind all the questions lol.
Blessings
Valerie Clavin
 
tncattle467":3u9qxbi4 said:
vclavin":3u9qxbi4 said:
I assume you calve all in one season? Yes, I have 40 cows and they all calve within 30-90 days of each other.
Are you raising/butchering pure breeds or xbreeds? ( if Xbreeds what cross do you like best) Both, sim angus were most of those and one was purebred simmental and two were brangusXSimmental.
What do you look for in a sire to those calves?-Big nuts, lots of guts, good set to hind legs, big ribeye areas, high weaning weight, and high yearling weight epds. Carcass trait ultrasounded etc.
Hope you don't mind all the questions lol. I dont mind at all.
Blessings
Valerie Clavin

Ok Why the "big nuts"? Can I assume that is for the heifers you keep back.

Simmental, hubby doesn't like them. As a kid he said his dad complained they would not get up and suck as quick as he thought they should. I'm sure that is different now. His dad raised dairy cows, I have forgotten what breed they were - just huge but not Holstein.

Which breed met your expectations the best?


Blessings
Valerie Clavin
 
How do you decide what price for each bull?

I usually go by phenotype and EPD's not easy to do with Xbreeds. Or do you just sell Pure breeds?

Do you ultrasound bulls and heifers? If yes, may I ask RE, IMF and Rump Fat? Weight at ultrasound, please?

I'm going to assume you do not ultrasound the steers.


Blessings
Valerie Clavin
 

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