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Barnyard Buddies:  Calves  |
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 31 2008 : 08:58:23 AM
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Can anyone tell me how long it takes for a calf to get full grown to butcher?
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4235 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4235 Posts |
Posted - Dec 31 2008 : 12:35:57 PM
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The calves we had this spring, in march, will be butchered now in the fall of 2009. Abouta year and a half old.
Michele |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Dec 31 2008 : 2:26:58 PM
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I was wondering this, too. My little steer is 6 months old. He's going to be mostly grass-fed. So I'm thinking that may take a little longer to get him to butcher weight.
Do ya'll know how old a heifer should be to be bred? Mine is 6 months and acts like she's in heat now.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Dec 31 2008 : 3:27:14 PM
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Same question as Kristin...Can they just be grass fed and be a good size to be burchered at a year and a half?
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Dec 31 2008 : 4:28:35 PM
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Sheep and goats I know, cows... well, they are new to ME too!! But the breeding thing is all common sense. It's the same as any other animal-- the younger the animal, the more problems it might have if bred too soon. Also, the same with the size of the male compared to the female. it's always safer to breed a smaller male to a larger female-- REGARDLESS of species-- for a first baby. I DO know that 6mos is too young to breed a heifer!!! Around here, the dairy farmers wait until the "girls" are at least 2yrs old to breed-- and that's usually to a SMALL bull -- like an angus or jersey on a Holstein Heifer. Best to ask a cow "EXPERT" though. Especially about the "When to butcher" question.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Dec 31 2008 : 6:33:08 PM
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Most folks I know raise them to 18 months to 2 years old. So far we havn't kept one to raise for beef. I sure wish we had more room. I know we will do it someday..if we do I would have to probably sell the sheep though and I hate to do that.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4235 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4235 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2009 : 04:28:34 AM
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Our steers were grass fed this past year. They were a bit smaller then before, but they sure are good. Alot depends how feed supply, or pasture supply, and when you need the meat. Rough guess, they were probley around 1000-1100 pounds. Other years when the boys showed, the steers ran 1200 -1300 pounds in thst same time period.
Heifers are usually bred to calve around that 2 year old mark. Depends on their size, a smaller heifer, you might want to wait till it is bigger to breed. My Jersey heifer has been coming in heat since she was 4 months old. She was a year old in September, and about as tall as her momma. She will be bred later this summer. I am trying to have her and Summer calve about 6 months apart, then have a year around supply of milk. I just had Summer bred before Christmas, so if she sticks, that would be a September calf.
Michele |
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Barnyard Buddies: Calves |
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Calves
