Anyone good at guessing weight?

[danniulrich05]

ImageUploadedByHomesteading Today1407363371.905804.jpgImageUploadedByHomesteading Today1407363451.672141.jpg
I have three 18 mo old jersey steers. Any guess on weight? They are about 4ft tall and the red one is the smallest framed. Only grass fed. We are hoping they will be ready around November.

[topside1]

Red one 800#
One on far left is 900#
The remainder in the middle is 850#
and yes I'm good at guessing....Topside

[topside1]

Plus I'm sure you are a very tall fellow, another guess....

[danniulrich05]

Well actually I'm only 5'3". That's my very tall husband.

[danniulrich05]

And thank you I was guessing 700ish. I'm better at guessing pigs.

[G. Seddon]

I like this thread! Thanks for the laughs! And I might add that I am clueless as to the weights, oh well.

[MO_cows]

I'm better with beef than dairy, but I think Topside is probably right on. I was thinking 800+ before I saw his post.

Are you going to let them finish on just pasture?

[danniulrich05]

I plan to let them finish on pasture but they look so skinny.

[bellcow]

red one 781 lbs
far left 921 lbs
other one 771 lbs


last time I guessed I missed by 6 lbs. really impressed some cattlemen. it was just a number pulled out of the air.


bellcow

[danniulrich05]

Another question, what would they be worth if I were to sell one tomorrow? I saw beef prices were 2.41 today. I'd imagine jerseys would be a little less.

[sassafras manor]

$2.41 for fat cattle or feeders? Around here 500lb beef feeders are $2.40-$2.50/lb but a 800-900 Holstein steer might be $1.25-$1.35 with Jerseys less than that.

[ksfarmer]

Those wouldn't sell for fat cattle prices. They will sell as feeders coming off grass if you sell at an auction. Private sale, I wouldn't even guess.

[DJ in WA]

Originally Posted by danniulrich05

I plan to let them finish on pasture but they look so skinny.

Dairy cattle are designed to have less muscle so they can put calories toward milk, not supporting meat. So with less muscle, their bones will stick out and appear skinny, even though they have fat.

Good eating, but not as much meat, and takes more feed to get the same amount of meat compared to a beef breed.

[Awnry Abe]

Here is the market report for a western MO auction. You wouldn't get "feeder" pricing. The section titled "high/medium/low yielding" will give you an idea for our area.

http://anstineauctions.com/market%20report.html

Jersey's steers are worth a lot more with their hide removed. You can do well marketing them on CL as freezer beef. Some folks (self included) seek out jersey for the freezer.

By the way, how "east" is Eastern Kansas? I'm about 15 miles from the border, roughly east of Louisburg on the Missouri side. Any time I see jersey's from that area, I wonder if I have shared bloodlines.

ETA: even at the scrap pricing, if they've been getting their gain on that awesome looking grass you have, you'll make a good return.

[danniulrich05]

Spittin' distance from the border. I'm in Louisburg. My calves came from. A dairy just outside Harrisonville.

[danniulrich05]

ImageUploadedByHomesteading Today1407437585.707909.jpgImageUploadedByHomesteading Today1407437620.027659.jpg
These are from today. String weight on the red one is 840. The others wouldn't stand still.

[topside1]

You need to tighten up that string, I disagree with it's measurement.....Nice steers though, you have done a fine job....Topside

[topside1]

The best I've done was 1150# @ 24 months old and I've raised many a Jersey steer for slaughter....Topside

[topside1]

Have your husband work the string next time, he's taller.

[countryfied2011]

I sent both of my jerseys to the auction about 3 months ago...heifer was 1045 and sold 88 cents a pound, the steer was 1065 and sold for 95.9. They were 3 yrs old I raised them from a bottle.