Condition of Steers

iacceptcash · #1 07/25/06, 12:04 PM

Please give your opinions on the two steers below. I am planning on taking them to the butcher as soon as they are ready. They are approx 12 months old right now. What weight would you say that they are now? I am wanting to get them to about 1000 lbs, and then finish out on grain until about 1200 and then send them to the butcher. Does this seem like the best plan? Also, how do you think they look overall? Are they healthy looking? Getting enough to eat? I realize they weren't the highest quality when I got them.

Thanks for your opinions

Tim

Condition of Steers - Cattle

michiganfarmer · #2 07/25/06, 12:13 PM

I think they look healthy. Very nice looking, but they are way to...they dont have enought fat on thier bodies. They are not finished. Keep corn in front of them..all they can eat for couple months then post more pictures.

iacceptcash · #3 07/25/06, 12:32 PM

Thanks for your advice. I know they are not finished now, but are they ready to start the finishing process? How much would you say they weighed now?

Thanks

Tim

JulieLou42 · #4 07/25/06, 01:41 PM

Three ranchers near us were part of a grain finishing testing program out of Uni. Idaho Extension Service and it was learned that creep [?] fed barley was the best way to finish them out. Cost-wise as well. One of the ranchers I buy hay from advised me to feed, I think it was, 8lbs rolled barley every day for the last month, but mine went longer by nearly two weeks and he was well-marbled, very tasty.

Put a tape measure on them to get an approx. weight. There are charts that tell you weight from heart girth measurement. They look very nice, but not ready.

milkinpigs · #5 07/25/06, 03:44 PM

They are healthy looking.....slick and shiny is good..I guess them to be 600-700 lbs., the shorthorn might be a little heavier. Try to find ground corn like cornmeal and mix 2 to 1 corn to sweet feed and see the difference in a couple of weeks.Good look steers.....you are doing a good job!!!

iacceptcash · #6 07/25/06, 06:18 PM

Is 1200lbs a good weight for them to go to market? If that is so, when should I pen them up and start them on mostly grain? If I finish them for 3 months then they should gain about 250 lbs in that time right? If so, then I want to keep them in my pasture for another 2 - 3 months until they are close to 1000, before I pen them up?

Thanks for your help

Tim

travlnusa · #7 07/25/06, 09:13 PM

I butchered our holstein steers at 1200-1300 lbs. A very good weight to butcher at.

Do not take them off of pasture and put them on grain all at once. It could kill them. You will need to work them onto the grain over time.

Very nice looking

YuccaFlatsRanch · #8 07/25/06, 10:50 PM

Each breed has a weight at which they are fully physically "grown". Until they reach this growth size/weight it is hard to put a finish (fat/marbling) on them.

For instance a 1200-1300 lb Angus would be grossly overfat while it maybe just right for a holstein cross. Determine what you think their breeding is and do a google search on finishing weight for that breed.