The period of time needed to finish cattle will be dependent on multiple variables, including age of the animals and whether they are calf-feds or yearlings, and ration being fed. This time can range from 80-300 days.
What is the best age to butcher an Angus steer?
The highest quality beef comes from animals that are under 36 months of age.
How long does it take to wean a steer?
Calves are generally weaned between 8-10 months of age. The actual age depends on several factors: Feed availability – cows can continue lactation without losing condition in good years, but early weaning should be considered in drier years.
What is the best feed to finish a steer?
10-15 lbs. per day of corn, oats or barley fed to grazing cattle is a good finishing ration. This fed to a 900-1000 pound steer for 3-4 months should will you a nicely finished animal. If you do not have access to pasture or if you are finishing during the winter, you might increase the amount of grain to 15-18 lbs.
What is the best weight to butcher a steer?
Holland says a good target weight for a steer intended for custom butchering is 1,300 pounds, but that’s not a universal goal.
How do you tell if a steer is finished?
Your steer is finished (ready to be butchered) when he has fully filled out his brisket (fatty area between his front legs as viewed from the front) and has fat rolls at his tail head. Steers on full feed (all they can eat grain with hay) will be butcher ready at 14-18 months of age.
Is it better to butcher a steer or heifer?
Studies identified that heifer beef has super characteristics in eating quality and a better healthy composition in fatty acids than steer, cow and bull.
How long does it take to finish a 500 lb steer?
It will take over a year (367 days) to grow a 500-pound calf to 1,000 pounds if its average daily weight gain is 1.5 pounds per day. Some extensive forage-finishing systems may require a longer duration for calves to reach slaughter weight if forage quality and quantity restrict growth to no more than 1 pound per day.
What is the best age to process a steer?
The highest quality beef comes from animals that are under 36 months of age. Old cows produce highly acceptable beef if properly fattened and processed. Depending on the calf and the feeding regime, calves are best slaughtered between three and 16 weeks of age.
How many pounds of feed does it take to finish a steer?
Gain will vary according the genetics and health of the animal, but most cattle will finish at 1,250 to 1,400 pounds. To maintain rumen health throughout the feeding phase, diets should always contain some form of roughage, such as access to pasture, hay or ingredients such as cottonseed hulls.
How can I fatten up my steer fast?
What is the best feed for fattening cattle? Barley is the best grain for lot feeding cattle, but wheat, triticale, sorghum, maize, and oats can be used. Oats is not an ideal grain on its own for cattle fattening but can be used with any of the other grains. Hay or silage could be used as the roughage source.
How long should you finish steer on grain?
The period of time needed to finish cattle will be dependent on multiple variables, including age of the animals and whether they are calf-feds or yearlings, and ration being fed. This time can range from 80-300 days.
How often should you worm a steer?
Treatment should start at 3 to 4 months of age and be given again at weaning. Depending on your farm’s parasite levels, deworming every 3 to 4 months until they reach 1 year may be necessary. Yearlings can be dewormed in the spring and fall until they reach maturity.
How much of a steer is waste?
After being killed, the hide, head, feet and gut are removed. The carcass then weighs 767 pounds. The dressing percent of this animal would be 767 divided by 1300 multiplied by 100 equaling 59 percent. This “59 percent” represents the meat and skeletal portion of an animal compared to its live weight.
What is the best cut of meat on a steer?
So What are the Best Cuts of Meat From a Cow?
- Chuck roast.
- Bone-in ribs.
- Flat iron steak.
- Ribeye roast.
- Ribeye steak.
- Tenderloin (also called filet mignon)
- Sirloin steak.
- Skirt steak.
How many acres do you need for one steer?
The general rule of thumb is 1:1. That means one cow per one acre of pasture. Keep in mind that is a minimum requirement. A cow/calf pair will typically require closer to two acres.
Can you overfeed a steer?
Over-eating a forage will likely not hurt the cow, but will increase feed costs. Cows over-eating grains is not a good situation. This will usually result in acidosis, founder, reduction in performance, and sometimes death of the animal.
What does a good show steer look like?
Structural Correctness
There should be some slope to his shoulder. His pasterns should have some slope to them as well. A structurally correct calf will walk smooth and have a long stride. His feet should point straight ahead when he stands and walks.
What size should a steer be to butcher?
Buy Standard to Good feeder grade steers weigh- ing 600 pounds and full feed a finishing ration until they yield a slaughter grade of Good. This may be 800-900 pounds, depending on gain rate and feed conversion.
Is a steer worth more than a bull?
Producers will often ask about the magnitude of the price premium for steers over bulls. Most agree that steers will outsell bulls of similar weight, but it is also well established that castrating bulls requires facilities, time and some expense.
Why do steers sell for more than heifers?
Steers are cheaper to feed and gain faster than heifers. Since it costs more to feed the heifer, it is implied that to make the same profit as a steer, the heifer must be cheaper to buy. The heifers must be 10 to 12 cents per pound cheaper than steers otherwise it becomes expensive to feed heifers (M.