Jersey Bull Calf

FarmerIvan · #1 02/28/14, 11:39 PM

So I have two jersey bull calf almost a year old and I was wondering if they would make good beef? Me and my pops are thinking of keeping one and butchering the other one. We are also going to buy a jersey cow within a few months here and was also wondering if it would be okay to have the two young bulls with a female cow? Would I have to separate them or no? I'm kinda new to raising cattle and I would like to raise both beef cows and dairy cows within the future. And also what do y'all think is a good beef breed to buy? I really like the Hereford but I've heard Angus are a good breed too? Any thoughts on those two breeds? Any tips welcomed. Thanks Ivan

lakeportfarms · #2 03/01/14, 06:18 AM

He'll make good beef NOW.

In all seriousness, if you're new to cattle and you have two Jersey bull calves I'd STEER them both NOW or you and/or pops may not get to enjoy your beef when the day comes. Jersey bulls are well known for their aggressive tendencies, and yours isn't too far off from that time he'll start showing them. Steered late, you still have a chance to cut off those tendencies but if he's already started to show them it's probably too late, and I'd be very careful anytime you're in with him.

Jerseys are not beginning cattle. The cows (NOT bulls) can have great temperaments but produce so much milk that you have to have a lot of experience to keep them from health issues due to that enormous production. If you are determined to have a nice cow or two and a bull to breed them and then perhaps put them in the freezer, and want both milk and meat, you're better off with a hybrid type breed like a Dexter that can provide both milk and meat pretty well. For example, we have a few Dexters out of milky lines that provide 2.5-3 gallons/day. I don't feed them grain. Is that enough for you? And by staggering their breeding I can always have one in milk, no drying off period.

Find a good breeder who has good animals that have good personalities and confirmation, and those Dexters can almost be like (I hate to use the word here)...pets. But with bulls, no matter what the breed, you always have to be careful and have your head about you. Do NOT tolerate any bull that shows aggressive tendencies. You are far less likely to find an Angus or Hereford that has been handled as extensively as a breed such as a Dexter, and so one with a good temperament for somebody new to cattle are few and far between.

1shotwade · #3 03/01/14, 06:25 AM

Everyone seems to like the flavor of the Angus but we always had Herefords. The reason for Hereford was because they are known as a rugged bread that need little attention with low mortality rates in calfing and wintering. as opposed to the Angus having higher mortality rates.Mind you I haven't been around cattle for a few years so some things may have changed.

Wade

kycrawler · #4 03/02/14, 08:20 AM

A year old jersey bull will breed your cow or make every attempt to do so .

at a year old they are not close to the potential amount of beef they could make as a 2 year old .

If your only raising 1 or 2 beef animals for yourself a year the color or breed wont matter very much . They all look the same once the hide is off . We prefer jersey beef they are smaller than a true beefer but t hey eat well and are cheap

tab · #5 03/07/14, 02:45 PM

We just butchered a year old jersey steer. Very lean as he was grass fed. It is the second one we have done. Baby beef can be really good. Depends on what you want for meat. I did mainly ground and canning meat. I agree, steer them. The first "steer" we bought had one testicle and had to be castrated. He was a few months old and never got over the bullish traits.

jsfarms · #6 03/12/14, 11:38 AM

Jersey steers are primarily what we raise for beef. The meat is lean with a great flavor. It takes longer to get them to size than some breeds, but it's worth it. We get no complaints from anyone on the meat....

FarmerIvan · #7 03/29/14, 02:45 AM

So what would be a good way to castrate them? Would it be pretty tough to do it since they are a bit older? What else would I need to castrate them? Thanks guys!

idigbeets · #8 03/29/14, 05:49 AM

You have two options, cut em off, or band em. At a year old both are going to be stressful on the animal, and he WILL drop weight for a few months as his testosterone levels drop. You will need to catch him, and get em in a squeeze chute or tie him off if you do not have access to a chute. Either way it will be an adventure at a year old. Can I ask why you did not do this before the calf was weaned... we castrate our calves with days of birth.

I've eaten Angus bull, and other than being very lean, I had no problems w/ the taste.

jwal10 · #9 03/29/14, 12:57 PM

If you are going to eat him soon I would not castrate him. What are you doing with the other one? If you are going to butcher later, I would castrate. Wanting to use to breed???? IF it were me I would let the one you are going to eat, pasture until the grass is about gone, to get him in as good of shape as possible. If feeding grain then 60-90 days. Although 2-2 1/2 yrs old would make the best beef unless you like lean beef. All bull calves should be banded when small, 3 days to a week. This big I would only knife cut, take off the bottom 1/3 of the sack, do not clean cut the cord, pull and use the blade to flay (scrape) the cord so it does not bleed so bad. Cutting the sack lets it drain and heal with less swelling. Some blood clotting powder and then fly spray good....James

FarmerIvan · #10 03/29/14, 04:18 PM

At first I didn't want to castrate em because I wasn't really planning on eating em since I thought they'd be too small and wouldn't have a lot of meat on em but I looked online and read that you could have jerseys and fatten em up for meat so then now I planed on butchering one since I don't need two. And I was wanting to have em for breeding but I asked around and looked online about having two bulls with a cow and well realized its not a good thing to have two bulls for a cow since they'll be fighting over her and so now I'm thinking of keeping one and butchering the other. I don't want the cow to be by herself so I wanted to at least have a bull for her.