Good weight to butcher steer

TRAILRIDER · #1 01/13/14, 02:33 PM

What is a good weight to take a steer to butcher? We don't need a lot of meat (just the two of us) but there's no need to go too early to butcher either. Is it a waste to go too early? Opinions?

Bret · #2 01/13/14, 02:45 PM

I have Angus and my own goal is about 1250 lbs. Depending on the animal, weather, etc. They may go a little sooner or later. A weight tape is used when I start getting close to monitor the progress. It's close enough for me.

Awnry Abe · #3 01/13/14, 03:02 PM

I concur with Bret. In my opinion, it is a waste to go too early, but not because of lost meat yield potential. The flavor of the beef changes over the age of the animal. You can end up with mostly flavorless meat on a very young steer. And that is the most egregious waste, in my opinion. (All these things are relative, of course. For some people, less flavor is a good thing). The Frenchies think us Americans are crazy for slaughtering "babies" (2 yr. old steers).

haypoint · #4 01/13/14, 05:32 PM

When he nears maturity. That can vary greatly between breeds. If it is a jersey steer, I wouldn't wait for 1250 pounds.

ksfarmer · #5 01/14/14, 08:39 AM

You don't go by weight. It differs by breed. Go by condition. A shorthorn heifer might be ready by 900 or so, a Holstein steer might be 1500.

Bret · #6 01/14/14, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

When he nears maturity. That can vary greatly between breeds. If it is a jersey steer, I wouldn't wait for 1250 pounds.

I had an Angus that I could not push that far too. Or at least I didn't think that I could afford to. It was a couple of months behind in the class and the truck was coming.

Lazy J · #7 01/14/14, 11:31 AM

1250 for English breeds, 1350 for continentals, 1500 for Holsteins.