Overwintering the calf

[steff bugielski]

I have a calf 3 months old. Last time I got a calf it was Jan. so he was ready for pasture in the spring and we butchered him in early winter. This time my timing was off. I guess I will need to grain all winter, or will hay be enough?
Planning to butcher end of winter.

[travlnusa]

Hay, open water, and loose mineral will be all you need.

How you choose to finish it out will be your choice (grass or grain).

[Teacupliz]

Hi Steff-
If you want him a bit bigger by the end of winter add grain- he will be using all is flesh to stay warm. It depends on what you want out of him meat wise-
I have a 5 moth old calf who will just get hay this winter but he will not be dinner till next fall-
Liz

[darbyfamily]

I thought you were suppose to grow them to around 2 yrs old before butchering??? sorry to take this off topic, but Im interested to know, since ya'll seem to be butchering anywhere from 9mths to 18mths old.

[Teacupliz]

Our first cal got so big so fast and he was pusing her went in at 6 months- we got 300 lbs hanging weight but I personally did not like the meat to veal tasting-
this next boy is 2 but is on the smaller size- We will see what he taste like- I sent a 3 year old cow i that had a bad foot anf could not be bred back she tasted wonderful.
Just my thoughts-Liz

[SpaceCadet12364]

We had to cull a 7 year old cow......TASTY! Her carcass weight (without the backbone because she was over 3) was 726 hanging.

[SpaceCadet12364]

Jennifer, some go by age, some by size. Most breeds, I think they pretty much have grown all they are going to grow by around 30 months or so. And now, if an animal is over 3 years old, they will cut out the backbone....mad cow potential. You wont get the cuts that would contain the backbone (like your t-bones), but of course you would still have that meat (tenderloin, etc) just no bone in those.

[SpaceCadet12364]

And, on the orig topic....we just hay ours over winter. They do get a little grain on occasion, but its in more of a treat quantity. To keep them coming up to the barn area. Pasture when its there, hay when its not. Tasty beef when the time comes.

[sammyd]

We feed em up to 5 pounds a day of either 16% or 14% depending on their age.
After about 8 months we feed the 14% dairy mix from the mill, whether they are steers or heifers. That and good hay and water gets em through the winter pretty nice.

We butcher at 18 months.