Should I get one?

[Reed77]

I can't make up my mind if I was to buy a young cow, breed her and put offspring in freezer, or just buy a heifer/steer and put in the freezer? There is a local(ish) place that has drop calves year round for dirt cheap. So how much would it cost and how long would it take to get a jersey steer to a decent butcher weight?

http://redding.craigslist.org/grd/2742858468.html

[6e]

The problem with breeding your own, unless you're going to milk her, is that while you're waiting for her to "make a calf", you're still feeding her, but on the up side, you save on work and milk or replacer on bottle calves if she nurses her own calf. But, if something goes wrong, then you have vet bills and such.

Our steers were about butcher size at 18 months to 2 years old or so. But all that depends on what you feed and all that. If you grain them or grass only and the genetics of that particular cow. How much it costs also depends on what you're feeding. Pasture is free if you have it. :-)

[mozarkian]

You can eat them at any size, but you will get the better cut sizes if you wait till there around 2 years old, give or take. We needed the beef in the freezer this past fall, so we butchered a 700 pounder (about 10 months old) Jersey bull. Very good meat, but the cuts are small and the hamburger actually had to have some extra fat from another beef added to it. But it's good stuff!

[springvalley]

If you eat alot of ground beef and not much for steaks. you can eat an animal anytime, and if you want bigger steaks, then you need to let them get bigger and a little older. Two years is standard to feed out a beef, but some take longer and you can butcher younger if you like.> Thanks Marc

[G. Seddon]

Reed, you seem anxious to get started. I think probably the safest way to do it is to buy a couple (at least 2) of weanling beef steers on a private basis from someone near you, and take it from there. Make sure your fencing is good, that you have hay, fresh water, and loose minerals available, and a shelter or barn if you're in a cold winter area (they may not require a shelter, but YOU will feel better providing them with one).

You'll gain the experience of caring for them, feeding them, etc., and you won't have to worry about bottles, milk replacer, scours, and all the risks that come with taking on a calf that's only a week or so old. And this way, you'll be able to raise your own beef and possibly make a little money by selling a half when it's time.