When to start feeding up a steer

[Alan]

I'm thinking about starting to feed up a steer for the freezer, he'll have free choice grass or hay and a mixture of 14% pellets and rolled corn. I mix a 50lb bag of 14% with a 50lb bag of rolled corn.

My question is do they put on more fat during the winter rather than hotter summer months? Seems like I heard or read here that it's harder to get a butcher beef to marble during warm summer. Any thoughts or knowledge shared would help.

Thanks,
Alan

 

[shaz]

I'm about to do the same thing starting this afternoon so this will help me too.

 

[tistis]

I think they kill every day of the year.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

There is a reason for peaks and slumps in the market. Most folks don't have a feedlot set up with sprinklers to keep them cool. Lot of feed makes for a lot of body heat.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

How big is this steer and when do you need meat?
If he's 600-700 right know I would let him eat grass till Aug-Sept then start feeding him heavy.
and yes, cool weather makes better gains. Any where from 73-55 is the optimal midday temps.

 

[John SD]

Dad always said you should never butcher a steer off of green grass because the meat would taste "washy". What I assume he meant by that was something similar to milk from the family milk cow that had an off taste because of certain weeds during the growing season.

So we always butchered a steer when grazing dormant winter pasture, possibly supplemented with hay. Never did start feeding grain heavily. Many times the butcher steer functioned as a "big brother" to the weaned calves over winter or resided with the bull herd in their off season.

I fed my calves mostly 16% or 20% natural pellet/cake or a 50/50 mix of cracked corn/DDG. Some say too much DDG will give beef an off taste, but I never noticed it myself.

 

[bball]

Dad always said you should never butcher a steer off of green grass because the meat would taste "washy". What I assume he meant by that was something similar to milk from the family milk cow that had an off taste because of certain weeds during the growing season.

So we always butchered a steer when grazing dormant winter pasture, possibly supplemented with hay. Never did start feeding grain heavily. Many times the butcher steer functioned as a "big brother" to the weaned calves over winter or resided with the bull herd in their off season.

I fed my calves mostly 16% or 20% natural pellet/cake or a 50/50 mix of cracked corn/DDG. Some say too much DDG will give beef an off taste, but I never noticed it myself.

Several studies have disproved the myth that ddg negatively impact the flavor or carcass quality. Around me, the finishers say to keep them off green grass when graining them hard. I asked why of course, response was, " they don't gain as well because they eat the grass and don't spend as much time with their nose in the grain feeder. For what's it's worth..

 

[Jogeephus]

How big is this steer and when do you need meat?
If he's 600-700 right know I would let him eat grass till Aug-Sept then start feeding him heavy.
and yes, cool weather makes better gains. Any where from 73-55 is the optimal midday temps.

I agree with this but if you need meat you need meat so any meat is better than no meat.

 

[Alan]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like it's best to wait until late September or so to start him. You jarred my memory on body heat associated with feed. I would guess his weight at around 900 lbs now, not quit 24 months and no supplements. We still have beef in the freezer but we are out of hamburger and the prime steaks. At current prices in the super market I wouldn't hesitate to put one in the cooler at any time of the year if we were getting low. If needed I can bite the bullet and buy a pound or two of burger if needed or grind some from our freezer if needed.

Thanks again for the responses, you have prolonged #34 life through the summer ......... Not the yellow tagged 34, the white tagged 34. But at the end of summer he gets lead to the head. :lol:

 

[cow pollinater]

Long fed calves will always marble better than short fed calves. The sooner you start the better marbling you'll get. If you really want to marble them creep feeding is a great start.

 

[torogmc81]

We have hot humid summers around here, so IMO we have the best results with a Feb, March, April calves (fall steer calves go to the sale barn). Creep some during the summer and wean. The moment the average temps start dropping off from summer in mid September, I'll start to push. Then we have October thru April to pack on the pounds. Butcher right before the temps start climbing and the humidity returns.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=91433&hilit=finished+steers+torogmc81#p1130733

 

[AllForage]

Dad always said you should never butcher a steer off of green grass because the meat would taste "washy". What I assume he meant by that was something similar to milk from the family milk cow that had an off taste because of certain weeds during the growing season.

So we always butchered a steer when grazing dormant winter pasture, possibly supplemented with hay. Never did start feeding grain heavily. Many times the butcher steer functioned as a "big brother" to the weaned calves over winter or resided with the bull herd in their off season.

I fed my calves mostly 16% or 20% natural pellet/cake or a 50/50 mix of cracked corn/DDG. Some say too much DDG will give beef an off taste, but I never noticed it myself.

Don't tell dad some of us make a lot of money off that washy beef

 

[hwillso]

Dad always said you should never butcher a steer off of green grass because the meat would taste "washy". What I assume he meant by that was something similar to milk from the family milk cow that had an off taste because of certain weeds during the growing season.

So we always butchered a steer when grazing dormant winter pasture, possibly supplemented with hay. Never did start feeding grain heavily. Many times the butcher steer functioned as a "big brother" to the weaned calves over winter or resided with the bull herd in their off season.

I fed my calves mostly 16% or 20% natural pellet/cake or a 50/50 mix of cracked corn/DDG. Some say too much DDG will give beef an off taste, but I never noticed it myself.

Don't tell dad some of us make a lot of money off that washy beef

Me too, I haul them to butcher from pasture and collect $5/lb dressed. Demand is pretty good, especially if someone can get you hooked up with people in the medical field.