Which beef breed it the tastest?

[celadon]

Iknow nothing about beef. I bought 2 limosines a few years back to raise and butcher. I was so disapointed. They were not good tasting at all. I grain fed them and they had good hay and grass. There was no fat in there meat. It was quite dry. Also they were very mean to raise. One would paw the ground and run me off when I went into pasture to put there grain in there feeders. The Amish here said to get a mix breed. That will put some fat into the meat. What I mean by mixed is 1/2 dairy and 1/2 meat steer. What are you opinions on this. I would like to get another steer to raise next spring. Thanks.

[Tiffin]

We are raising Dexters for beef but could be dairy also. We have not had our own Dexter meat yet, but have tasted other breeders meat and we like it even though the ones we tasted were culled Dexters at butchering time. We are sending one of the steers(will be 18 months) in for butchering this coming January. I'll let everyone know how it tastes. Our cows are raised on pasture, hay and a small amount of grain.

[ozark_jewels]

My vote goes for Jersey all the way as being the tastiest beef, so if they are speaking of 1/2 Jersey and 1/2 beef.....Yum!

[Ken Scharabok]

See the thread on consolidated stickies. There is one there on comparing cattle breeds. Information is old and study may have problems, but results are still interesting.

I'd also vote for a Jersey/Angus cross. If there are dairies in your area ask around for those which still include Jerseys. At least once it was a common practice to use an Angus bull on first calving heifers and then sell the calves for vealers.

You don't say where you are located. I have a Black Jersey bred to an Angus bull due to calve next Spring. I'd prefer to leave the calf on the cow though until it is weaned, but might consider substituting a bottle calf. She raised a nice brown heifer this year.

Added: I am in West-central, TN

[Shazza]

..........Dexters of course!!!!!!

[Beef11]

ohh dear oh dear. I'm in the cattle business for real so this is what i know. The mixing of breeds won't increase your scores as far as marbling and tenderness. That is a myth with no scientific reasoning or backing behind it. In the industry right now what is fetching the highest prices are wagyu based cattle also known as kobe, you can find these and buy them althought i wouldn't recomend it as they are terribly inefficent. The next tier down are the british breeds which are known to have higher quality carcasses but don't yield as well as limi or another continetal breed. I would steer clear of jerseys because you can't sell them and they are expensive to raise do to lack of effiency. If you are after quality stay atleast 50% britsh blood (angus, hereford, shorthorn....)

ps british breeds are typically alittle nicer to be around as well.

[Ronney]

Hi Celadon,
I've eaten Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Friesian, Murray Grey and some more that I've forgotten over the years, but always come back to the Jersey or Jersey/Angus cross.

The Jersey isn't an inefficient breed but it is a smaller breed and will never attain the size of a beef breed. It takes longer to grow (but this will depend on what size you want to kill out at), eats less grass in the doing so, and causes less pasture damage if living in wet areas. It it spurned as an eating animal because of the public perception of yellow fat and beef growers think they need a huge animal and loose sight of the fact that 1.5 Jerseys can be grazed to every Hereford - and how do I know that? Because I do it.

However, what breed people choose is a personal thing and like most of us, you may have to experiment until you find something you like and does well on the country you have.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[celadon]

I live in the lower part of Michigan. We have lots of dairy cattle here. Alos have a few of those mega dairy places. Thank you for all the information.

[Rockin'B]

My vote is Highland.
Due to their slower growth rate they are not as time efficient, but they are easy to feed.

[lilsassafrass]

I also would tout highland or highland cross , they marble well when corn fed
and it is a myth that they grow slower , if they eat well (wether it is good pasture and good hay .. or corn fed ) you should have them in your freezer by their second fall on spring born calves .. they are not a large framed animal so you are not going to have the 700 or 800 lbs on the rail .. but we reach a good 500 lbs or more ... and as a judge pointed out to me this summer the resteraunt/supermarket markeet needs are changing back down to teh ten inch rib eye as opposed to teh twelve inch...

[chamoisee]

Scottish Highlander is the best beef I have ever eaten anywhere, in my entire life.