Mini Hereford?

if he will take a treat from you see if you can see his lower teath (they dont have top teath) if there are small ones and one large set in the middle he is a year, if theire are Two large sets in the middle he is two, if its just small milk teath he is under a year, if there is one big set and a new big set growing in, he is somewhere between one and Two,

this works if their teath grow in like Goats and sheep (other bottom plate herbivores) and i think that they should

Okay, there are lots and lots of teeth - what does that mean? lol I'm not sure how many are in a 'set'. I've got a couple calves still drinking milk - they have four teeth in the front. I couldn't count while this steer was grabbing grass, but he's got more than eight teeth - they go around the corners of his lower jaw too.

Niki

I think I've got a little, old steer.

niki

I would concur with that conclusion Niki - 3-4 (3 lb.) coffee cans/day of your COB grain for 30-60 days, or until your butcher can receive him could be a reasonable plan to put some marbling on him. I suspect he got set back early in life and never regained the loss in growth.

Up North - is COB (corn, oats, barley with molassas) better than rolled barley for this? I thought I read a thread recently on here about a study that said rolled barley is the best grain for finishing? I have both - so either way is fine.

Of course, there's no bad without some good......I get to go to the cattle auction again!!! Woohoo!

thanks;
Niki

Corn is King. But as you said.."either way is fine"....Perhaps go with the most economical of the two?

If the little fella isn't a Miniature Hereford, which in England are called Traditional Herefords, it could quite likely be a throw -back. There is an idea that the 'minis' were bred down in size from the present day Herefords, however today's cattle are actually a result of the mad scramble to 'up-size' during the '70's. While there were strong arguments to support an increase in size to gain 'more beef on the hoof', the opposite is also true, particularly with the minis, when it comes to superior beef production. One of the origianal breeders involved in upsizing was the Largent family of Texas, however Rust Largent, who was a Vice President of the American Hereford Association, believed that the special traits bred into his prize-winning stock over many generations would be lost if the trend towards bigger animals continued. Whilst still remaining a member of the AHA, Rust resigned from his position and concentrated on a program of breeding smaller Herefords that retained the temperament and high production that he valued. If yours is a miniature, you can look forward to some quality cuts of beef!

Shinsan - very interesting post on the hereford breed. I hope I do get some quality beef out of the deal, but am wondering just 'how old' this little guy actually is. Right now he is getting grained twice a day - and boy does he LOVE it, lol. I don't usually grain the cows we raise - we prefer grass-fed, but with the chance this one is several years old, we are going ahead with the grain this time. He's MUCH more friendly now that he has discovered grain.

niki

Hi Niki,
LOL - If you'd like to make him even more friendly, why not do as they do in Japan with their Wagyu beef cattle, and give him the occasional bottle of stout? Umm...Do you drink stout in the U.S.?

I read in your profile that you are interested in Nubians and Nigerians (Dwarf?), but what are poa's? We currently have a Boer, inherited when we bought the property, and are planning to put her to a buck from the Boer stud breeder who lives around the corner from us.

Cheers,
Shin

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BIDADISNDAT: Aiming to Live a Good Life of Near Self Sufficiency on a Permaculture Based Organic Home Farm

LOL - I have contributed a story in the pig forum about using 'beer' prior to loading your hogs into a trailer for transport.......it was a mixed success. I'll bet the cows like stout! Can't say that I've ever had any myself.

POA - Pony of the Americas - basically an appaloosa pony. SPOTS.....under 14hh. Horses are my first love - then I discovered goats! I have about 25 goats, give or take, depending on where we are in the breeding/kidding season. I do have a boer buck I'm planning on using on the nubians I'd like to keep milking, but no longer recquire for my pure breeding stock.

niki

LOL - Saw a horse advertised here when we first arrived - It was an ASH, (POA)
I quickly learned that that's an Australian Stock Horse, (Price on Application).
(Also learned that it was more expensive than I could afford.)

Shin

__________________
BIDADISNDAT: Aiming to Live a Good Life of Near Self Sufficiency on a Permaculture Based Organic Home Farm

Aah, now I see why you wondered about 'POA', lol. I've never heard of an ASH.

Niki

Niki-
I did the same thing as you- bought a stocky little heifer--- but she has never gotten any taller than my belly-button.
I was lucky that a friend of mine wanted a mini Hereford, so we had the heifer ai'd to a Mini and she bought her. We got her healthier looking, but she never grew any taller. I was pleased with the way it ended up though.
Good luck with your steer, I'm sure he'll be tastey.

Susie

Thanks Susie - it is interesting that I'm not the only one this has happened to. It sounds like some herefords (original ones?) were small stock. I just had never seen it before - the herefords across the street from us were humongous. The guy had a bull and some heifers - a small herd of what looked to be, to my unpracticed eye, quality animals.

My steer is going in on Monday - he'll have approximately two and a half weeks of grain feeding. I'm going out of town so I won't be on here for awhile - 3-4 weeks. DH is taking him in, and we will pick up the meat when I return - I'll let you all know how the meat turns out.

Niki

Hi Susie,

All Herefords were originally small stock, and in Britain, where they originated, are now known as 'Traditional' Herefords. Those humungous beasts that you saw across the street are the result of intensive up-sizing that began in the early seventies. In Australia, Canada and the U.S., the smaller cattle being termed 'miniature' often gives the impression that they are more of a toy or a pet, which I think is rather unfortunate. There are a number of distinct advantages of small scale cattle for the homesteader, not the least of which is a high bone-out ratio of excellent quality meat!... and the Herefords are particularly appealing in this regard.

See, everybody? I'm not a one-eyed supporter of Irish Dexters....I love Herefords too!
(Also Boer Goats, Alpacas, Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Quail, and I wouldn't mind two or three Kune-kune Pigs, but we can't import them.)

Shin

__________________
BIDADISNDAT: Aiming to Live a Good Life of Near Self Sufficiency on a Permaculture Based Organic Home Farm