|
|
Post by ctownson on Mar 1, 2010 4:50:27 GMT -5
We have a heifer that is 10 months old - she probably weighs 450 or so. I don't like her disposition and am seriously considering processing her for meat. Has anyone processed one at this age? What should I expect in terms of meat based on an approximate weight of 450?
charles
|
|
|
|
Post by cddexter on Mar 1, 2010 16:23:56 GMT -5
Charles, depending on if she's been grained, probably around 250 hanging weight, and 150-175 net. Should be more like baby beef, or veal with color, very tender, mild flavor. If you are serious, best to do it soon before she starts to grow bone. You don't say if she's dwarf. If so, expect more fat. regards, c.
|
|
|
|
Post by ctownson on Mar 1, 2010 19:57:43 GMT -5
No, she is long-legged. I am giving her a couple of more weeks to come around with me working with her before I make a final decision. But your estimate is about what I expected - maybe I would get 175 lbs of high quality meat given her age.
charles
|
|
|
|
Post by Clive on Mar 2, 2010 10:50:12 GMT -5
I'd be very interested to know the weights you get and also the flavour when you're ready.
|
|
|
|
Post by otf on Mar 2, 2010 17:31:19 GMT -5
Charles, if you can put up with her a bit longer, you might find that her personality settles down a bit, especially after having her first calf (I know that's a ways off). At 10 months, she is still, basically, a baby.
If you are talking about being mean and quick to come after you, then I think that's a different story.
|
|
|
|
Post by copperhead on Mar 6, 2010 20:04:05 GMT -5
I'd like to know how you get one to 450 lbs at 10 months. I do good to get 600 lbs at 24 months. I just took another one to the butcher, 27 months old, walked into the slaughter house weighing 576, and I got a hot hanging weight of 312, coming out at 54%. He wasn't fat, for sure, been eating hay and alfalfa, with a little bit of calf creep and sweet feed. I'm really blaming the bull I had for this calf crop, he just didn't put big calfs on the ground. The one I'm using now is making some nice big babies, lets hope that computes into bigger steers.
P.J.
|
|
|
|
Post by cddexter on Mar 7, 2010 0:48:31 GMT -5
Gene, that's not even 60% SMY. There must have been a ton of trim on that little sucker. pj doesn't say what her final weights were, but we should be aiming for 72% min. c.
|
|
|
|
Post by ctownson on Mar 7, 2010 6:28:06 GMT -5
Well, I have her halter broken now and we are making some progress. So, I am delaying a decision to process her at least for the moment. I have also seen their disposition change once pregnant, so may indeed go that route. In terms of the weight, all mine get some grain twice a day and good quality hay. I may be off on her weight some but 400 pounds at 10 months old is not that unusual to me.
|
|
|
|
Post by cjsfarm on Mar 7, 2010 7:05:22 GMT -5
It's funny the range of weights different folks are quoting. We process on average 10 steers a year at 24 months and they all weigh around 800# at that age and their hanging weight will be around 55-60 %. I quess it's more genetics than feed.
|
|
|
|
Post by kansasdexters on Mar 7, 2010 9:08:08 GMT -5
We're right up there with you. We process 10 to 12 Dexter steers per year, between 24 and 29 months, and our live weights on short-legged (chondro-carrier) steers are typically between 650 and 750 pounds, and long-legged steers are between 700 and 900 pounds. Hanging weights are typically between 58 and 63% of live weight.
We wean steers (and bulls) at 8 to 9 months old, so our weaning weights are typically between 400 and 500 pounds at that age. Our birth weights are typically between 45 and 55 pounds, with bull calves being on the higher end of the scale. Our biggest bull calf was 72 pounds (out of a 5-year old Dexter cow and delivered with minimal assistance - hand pulling) and our smallest bull calf was 45 pounds.
We feed and finish on brome grass pasture, and brome and prairie grass hay is fed through the winter months along with a high quality, free-choice loose mineral supplement.
Patti
|
|
|
|
Post by copperhead on Mar 7, 2010 18:50:07 GMT -5
I am hoping for a better calf crop from this bull. I've had him for sale, but I"m thinking that I may just keep him for another season, and breed him back to his daughters. I really want some larger steers. Genebo, the heavyist steer I butchers was a shortie, he weighted over 700 and I wouldn't have ever thought it. Darn good meat too.
I don't have the finished weight on this last calf, I'll pick up the meat tomarrow, the butcher let him hang 14 days and that tells me that he had a good fat cover. I'll let you know what he finished up at.
|
|
|
|
Post by copperhead on Mar 8, 2010 18:29:12 GMT -5
I picked up the last steer today, he waked in at 576, hot hanging wieght was 312, and actual take home packaged meat was 226lbs. I don't know how that adds up, but thats what he was. That comes to 86 lbs of bone and fat loss, plus the shrink from hanging 14 days.
P.J.
|
|
