Cattle Weight

[MARSHALL]

I Have Some Steers I Am Raising And Was Wondering How All Of You Determine When They Are Big Enough To Send To The Stock Yards. The Last One I Had I Measured With One Of Those Weight Tapes And It Said 1150 Pounds. Imagine My Disappointment When It Only Weighed 990. I Dont Want The Same Thing To Happen Again. Thanks For Any Input.

[herefordman]

I don't have a scale to weigh ours, we just keep feeding them until about 16 months, they're normally in the 1400 lb ranges by then, give or take 100 lbs.
You sure when you got the weight that they didn't give you the hanging, or rail weight ?
Which would be around 30% lighter than live.

[MARSHALL]

I Sold Him Live At Auction So That Was Live Weght.

[lilsassafrass]

weight tapes , although not hard to use take a little practice to get a somewhat accurate reading .. I am happy if i am withing 20 lbs either way
and usually I am ... and thats on both 4H market steers , fat highlands , or just crossbreds or breeding heifers ..
you really do have to have the tape on the heart girth , and you really do have to make sure it is snug enough to lay the hair down flat .. but when in doubt as to wich reading to take per condition .. I average all three ... works for me ..

I to am to cheep to buy a scale ....

[Jena]

You just have to learn how to eyeball them. I am usually within 50 pounds of what I guess.

Go to the salebarn and watch the auction. Practice guessing how much the cattle weigh and check with what their scales say. You can catch on pretty quick.

Jena