# Steer ready yet?



## SuperDog (Mar 16, 2005)

What do you look for when trying to determine if your steer is ready for processing? I have a 14 month old angus, that I believe is ready. He has not been fed grain, but has had good pasture. 

Are there any specific signs to look for? I want to make sure there is some marbling.

Thanks


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

Just my opinion, but if he is 14 month old and has only been on grass, I would expect to grain him for 2 or 3 months to see much marbling. I always looked at the brisket and rump.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

ksfarmer said:


> Just my opinion, but if he is 14 month old and has only been on grass, I would expect to grain him for 2 or 3 months to see much marbling. I always looked at the brisket and rump.


What he said.

I want the are between the shoulders and hips to be flat as a table, and I want the hip bones to be invisible.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Here is a link to the Dexter forum and a discussion on how to tell if a beef is ready to butcher. I think it has some good pointers on what to look for.

http://dextercattle.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=beef&action=display&thread=891


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

As some of the others have said, he is more than likely going to be very lean. and you will have to feed grain for a few months to get the marbleing. When the brisket is filled out very well is mostly how I would tell when cattle will be fed out. Your angus more than likely will taste great right now, better than store bought thats for sure, and remember when small, won`t cost you so much to have processed either.>Thanks marc


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

I don't go by weight or age to determine if a steer is finishing and ready for butcher. I feel the area on it's side of the 13th rib area to feel for fat cover. As well, a tell sign is to look in the area of the scrotum and see if the remaining sack after castration is beginning to fill up. When it begins to look like he still has a pair he's real close. I used to go by weight and time on feed until I started to notice the judge in the show ring where my daughter always showed beef steers go through the above method. I asked what he was looking for and he told me. 

Once a steer is "finished" you're wasting time and feed money pumping any more in to him.


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## SuperDog (Mar 16, 2005)

Thanks for the responses. I must say, that I would not think of him as small. Granted, he is mostly angus so the hight isn't there, but he is between 1000 and 1100 lbs. I had a heifer that would not take, so I sent her in. She was soooo fat that the last time the vet was in to check to see if she was pregnant, he said if she did get pregnant, I would probably loose both her and the calf. She went to freezer camp at the age of 28 months. Hanging weight was 992 lbs! Thats hanging weight, not live weight. So I think that they can grow and get plenty of fat from good pasture. When I get home tonight, I will take a picture of him. I don't want to send him in early, but I want to keep him as tender as I can. Im still learning.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Just a heads up- I called a butcher in JUNE to ask about processing our steer. Their first available date was in SEPTEMBER. Butchers for small folks are few and far between here. You might want to call and see when the butcher can take him now.


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Callieslamb said:


> Just a heads up- I called a butcher in JUNE to ask about processing our steer. Their first available date was in SEPTEMBER. Butchers for small folks are few and far between here. You might want to call and see when the butcher can take him now.


Good Point! It's that way here as well. Very disappointing to figure in your mind you're gonna have steaks next week and realize they can't take you for a couple of months.


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## SuperDog (Mar 16, 2005)

Good morning everyone,

As far as getting a kill date, I could have him in on Monday. Some places are a couple of weeks, but until the fairs start, we can get them in pretty easily.

As promised, here is a picture of Chuck. 

francismilker: He was banded, so I couldn't look to see if the sac had filled, but there is fat bulging in the area.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

He is in good condition. A month or two of grain he would be in excellent condition.


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

If you are going to finish him on grain it is time to do it. If you are going to grass finish, you need to keep him on the best available. If your grass quality is decreasing ( over mature) you may want to send him now.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

Looks to me like he could use a little "finish". He would fill out in the chest and rump areas. Like tinknal says a couple of months of graining would give you some great beef.


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## Ebenezer (Jun 5, 2010)

Don't believe the old wives tale that you have to grainfeed to get marbling. The marbling trait is genetically linked and marbling does require adequate feed intake to develop but does not require grain. If you like and want grassfed beef, just be sure that your steers come from a source that has some insight on carcass quality.

I agree that if the grass is declining, go ahead and harvest. The rump looks fatty and the skin is creasing over the ribs. I'd like to see if there is a ball of fat forming in the base of the dewlap.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Ebenezer said:


> Don't believe the old wives tale that you have to grainfeed to get marbling. .


I don't think anyone is saying that. A lot of it has to do with personal preferences. I happen to prefer that they be tick fat and highly marbled, and you don't get that on a grass only diet.


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## Ebenezer (Jun 5, 2010)

It would require grain or a supplement beyond grass to have excessive rind fat but that has nothing to do with marbling. Marbling is genetically linked and still needs adequate feed, such as good grazing.

Any rind fat over about 0.25" is a waste of animal food source. Most folks err on the over fat side up to 0.5" or so just to be sure. What do you want with an animal that is "tick fat"? Do you use the tallow?


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Ebenezer said:


> It would require grain or a supplement beyond grass to have excessive rind fat but that has nothing to do with marbling. Marbling is genetically linked and still needs adequate feed, such as good grazing.
> 
> Any rind fat over about 0.25" is a waste of animal food source. Most folks err on the over fat side up to 0.5" or so just to be sure. What do you want with an animal that is "tick fat"? Do you use the tallow?


Marbling is genetic, but the amount is feed dependent and I like a lot. I cook with tallow so the more the better. I'm curious why you are so curious about my beef preferences.


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## Ebenezer (Jun 5, 2010)

> Marbling is genetic, but the amount is feed dependent and I like a lot. I cook with tallow so the more the better. I'm curious why you are so curious about my beef preferences.


Not really curious about your beef preference but I am wondering about all of the fat that you want. I think the last I heard the average overfinished steer in a feedlot has over 200 pounds of waste fat cut off before they were cut and boxed. You used a term "tick fat" so I guess that is even more overfinished??? Folks come here for advice. You give some and I give some. I have no interest in the overfinishing because of a conservation and economic ethic. The average steer eats 6 to 7 ponds of a good feed ration to gain a pound of animal weight. Let's say a "tick fat" steer has 250 pounds of excess fat to be trimmed. 250 X 6.5 = 1625 pounds of feed that was fed to produce trimmed fat. Seems like a real waste to me. My opinion.


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Maybe it's not healthy, maybe it's a little excessive, but I prefer the steak I eat to have a HUGE amount of fat around it. I don't have to eat the actual fat layer but it sure helps moisten up and flavor a steak!


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## bigmudder77 (Jun 9, 2008)

id send him in now looks like he will yeild about 700-850lbs of meat 

i my self being raised on grain finished steers had my first 2 that were little grain fed mostly grass fed and they were the best i have ever had the stakes you could cut with a fork in most spots the roasts were good the rest was just as good just have to watch cooking them the meat burns faster than a grain fed with more fat in the meat 

but if it was mine id send him in now and not worry about graining him out 

but if you wanted more meat id keep him till the first snow fall or a little before that way he can keep eating down the grass its not gonna be alot more meat cause what winter will be here in 3-4 months


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Ebenezer said:


> Not really curious about your beef preference but I am wondering about all of the fat that you want. I think the last I heard the average overfinished steer in a feedlot has over 200 pounds of waste fat cut off before they were cut and boxed. You used a term "tick fat" so I guess that is even more overfinished??? Folks come here for advice. You give some and I give some. I have no interest in the overfinishing because of a conservation and economic ethic. The average steer eats 6 to 7 ponds of a good feed ration to gain a pound of animal weight. Let's say a "tick fat" steer has 250 pounds of excess fat to be trimmed. 250 X 6.5 = 1625 pounds of feed that was fed to produce trimmed fat. Seems like a real waste to me. My opinion.


As I said, I use the fat. When I fry a steak I trim the fat, render it in the pan to fry the steak in, and eat the crispy fat while the steak frys. I think 250 pounds of "excess fat" is unrealistic. While they do add fat while on grain, they also add quite a bit of muscle. I want the meat on my steaks to round out, not round in.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

SuperDog

He will eat good. As long as they have been growing good and gaining weight on good feed, grass or grain they will make good meat.


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