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A Farm of My Own:  Raising a beef steer  |
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FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 12 2009 : 07:01:18 AM
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Well, we made a committment in the spring and bought a calf to raise and harvest in the fall. He weighed about 290 lbs when we bought him and now weighs about 600 lbs. We were going to do the deed in November, but I think we are going to wait a bit longer to let him grow some more. He is a Holstein that we named Sir Loin. He is very tame and our horse actually tolerates him. He "talks" to us when we are in the barn or barnyard. We are shring the cost of raising and harvesting him with some city slickers. Lance grew up with Aaron and offered to share. Aaron and his family are on board and have paid for 1/2 of all his feed so far. Sir Loin gets a ration of feed, but also spends most of his time in the woods or south lot eating a bunch of green! 
When we harvested the corn in the garden (heirloom of course) we threw the stalks and husks over the fence to him. He loved it!
I am trying to figure out to upload a photo of him, but I have to go back and read the directions again.
Lora #358
If it ain't red, leave it in the shed.
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com
www.farmallchick.blogspot.com
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Edited by - FARMALLChick on Sep 12 2009 08:07:47 AM |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4740 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - Sep 12 2009 : 07:52:05 AM
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My "Windy Pines" cousins, Michele, has a small beef cattle farm in northwestern WI. Her cattle are delicious and they have the most gorgeous pasture to roam around in. I think, and I could be wrong here, that she butches her cattle after they are 2 years old. Hopefully Michele will see this and let you know.
Dawn in IL |
Edited by - ddmashayekhi on Sep 12 2009 07:52:28 AM |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Sep 12 2009 : 08:26:10 AM
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Lora, you need to let him grow alot more, he is way small yet. I have never butchered a steer before 1500 lbs.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 12 2009 : 11:07:42 AM
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Lora, I am raising a steer, too. He is 14 months old and only eats grass. I did start throwing about a flake of hay to him and the heifer in the morning now. He is about up to my chest now and probably about 800 pounds. I have a friend who raises grass-fed cattle. He says wait til they are between 18-24 months to butcher. The local butcher here doesn't like to do cows over 1000 pounds live weight. I am trying to decide what to do with mine. I have a friend who said he would butcher him here but we won't get the cuts that a butcher could do. And we would like some steaks, too. So I have a while to think on it.
Also Holsteins will not get as big as a beef cow, either. No matter what they eat. Or a Jersey. They just will not have the meat that a beef cow has. So don't be too disappointed on how much meat you get and then having to divide by 2. You might get 300 lbs. each if you're lucky. Maybe not even that much.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
Posted - Sep 12 2009 : 2:21:00 PM
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Been talking to my grandpa about Sir Loin. He raised Holsteins for more than 50 years. He told me we could take him in the fall if we wanted "baby" beef - older than veal, but not mature yet. Or we could wait and let him grow some more. We haven't decided what to do yet. I will weigh him again in a month or two and see where we're at. I don't want him to get too big because the meat won't be as tender, but I want to get my freezer worth! Thanks for the input! I let you know what we decide.
Lora #358
If it ain't red, leave it in the shed.
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com
www.farmallchick.blogspot.com
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Pearlsnjeans
True Blue Farmgirl
248 Posts
Vicki
West Haven
Utah
USA
248 Posts |
Posted - Sep 12 2009 : 4:45:22 PM
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Lora - I've been reading a lot about "baby beef". My pasture space will be enough to feed a steer spring through fall, but I really don't want to buy feed over the winter. Right now, I'm completing the fence and then need to re-seed half of the pasture. So maybe I'll be ready for a steer next spring. I'll be reading this post with interest to learn how things go for you.
Vicki
Farmgirl Sister #120
Today well lived makes every yesterday a memory of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Sep 12 2009 : 5:08:46 PM
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my post should have been "never before 1000 lbs", sorry for the typo
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Celticheart
True Blue Farmgirl
811 Posts
Marcia
WA
USA
811 Posts |
Posted - Sep 13 2009 : 2:46:03 PM
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We recently had a thread in the Keeping in Touch forum about supporting local beef farms. There is quite a bit of information there. We let ours get to about 1100-1200 pounds before they are butchered. The last ones--we did four--weighed 1100. Hanging weight was about 650-700 average on them. So a quarter was 165-175 pounds roughly. If any of that helps. It tastes incredible and I don't even like beef very well.
It's not about being perfect, but enjoying what you do. Set aside time to be creative.
Robyn Pandolph
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4222 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4222 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2009 : 05:23:42 AM
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WE butcher ours closer to that 20 month old. Grass feed beef takes longer to get to a nice weight. Alot depends on if you can keep him over winter, and if you have enough hay.
We have raised them both ways, and grass fed is cheaper, and tastes just as good.
Michele |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2009 : 06:59:22 AM
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We are eating our steer we raised right now. We took him to the butcher down the road. I believe he was around 18 months old, I am not sure of the weight. He was a jersey (Jersey Mike)LOL!
He sure tastes yummy. Alot better than store bought. I didn't mind eating him, because he had gotten pretty aggresive.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2009 : 10:26:12 AM
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I went out yesterday while my cows were eating some hay and tape weighed them. He is I guess 69" around the girth and the tape says between 986 and 845 pounds. I don't know if I understand the tape. It has on the top THIN, then MODERATE, FLESHY and VERY FLESHY with the higher weight at the top. I would say he's not thin but more moderate so he would be 941 pounds. So that's not too bad for 15 months old. Now Mazie was 62" so she's between 742 and 636 pounds and I'd say she's close to 700 then.
Does anyone else do the tape to weigh?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2009 : 1:35:34 PM
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I've been using a tape to measure him. He's in the woods right now so I can't get to him. (w/o battling bugs and mosquitos) I'lll wait til him comes up for water.
Lora #358
If it ain't red, leave it in the shed.
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com
www.farmallchick.blogspot.com
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2009 : 6:26:16 PM
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Dairy cattle steers will never bulk up and weigh as much as beef breed steers, but I have raised them in the past for hamburger, and it was always very good. The build is just not the same, and you will not be able to get the same cuts as a beef steer.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4222 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4222 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2009 : 03:31:31 AM
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Weight tapes are a whole lot cheaper then buying a scale. They are not accurate, but give you a rough guess as to how much the animal weighs. A handy tool to have.
Michele |
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FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
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FARMALLChick
True Blue Farmgirl
978 Posts
Lora
Alexandria
IN
USA
978 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2009 : 6:17:09 PM
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Oh,and (ha ha) I thought about using the portable scales I use to weigh trucks with, but I am so afraid he'll poop on them. ha ha ha. Not that they can't be hosed off, but still..... ha ha ha
Lora #358
If it ain't red, leave it in the shed.
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com
www.farmallchick.blogspot.com
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simone947
Farmgirl in Training
34 Posts
sarah
peru
NY
34 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2009 : 11:54:51 AM
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| we only eat dairy steers. i haven't bought any grocery beef in 3 years plus. a friend of our operates a mobile butcher service. for grass fed steers he recommends waiting until they are 20-22 months old to be finished well- he doesn't necessarily go by live weight since all cattle have different genetic potential to grow and gain weight. after two years they have to remove the spinal cord becaus of BSE precautions, but that's only for USDA approved beef. we are always happy with our cuts of beef and you can get all the same cuts as you would with the regular beef cows its just a bit leaner. one other bit of advice is to try to get the butcher to make a bunch of "soup bones" if you have dogs. they are much better then any dog treats you can get at the store |
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Jeanna
True Blue Farmgirl
267 Posts
Jeanna
Franklin
NC
USA
267 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2009 : 8:34:03 PM
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Weraise and show cattle. For a beef cattle Holsteins are not a great choice. You end up feeding a lot more feed to get them grown enough to slaughter. I would suggest in the future maybe look for and Angus or Gelbvieh. But since you have this steer you need to talk to your feed store owner and see if he/she has any feed that would put weight on him a little faster. I think any beef you raise yourself is great.
Jeanna
Farmgirl Sister #41
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau |
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A Farm of My Own: Raising a beef steer |
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Raising a beef steer
