# Jersey Steer



## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

Since there's only two of us and we really want tender meat, how long would it take to grow a jersey cross steer to a butchering weight of 300-350. We will use a bag of milk replacer to start him off, then grass and grain. How much grain should I anticipate spending to get this booger up to that weight. Like I said, 300-350 is about all I want to grow him to. I'm thinking I'll get about 100-125 pounds of meat out of him, is that about right?

Thanks for all your responses.


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

Topside1 told me about 6 months old; I've got two Jersey calves that I'm doin' about the same thing with. Good luck!


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

At that weight your average Jersey steer is all hipbones and hair. I'd shoot for 600.


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

But don't you think there would be at least 100 pounds of meat; that's about all i'm looking for anyways... that's just a 33% retention ratio...


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

That's my hope too. Just about 100 lb of meat from each one will give me what I want.


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

Anyone else care to weigh in that Jcran and I would get around 100 pounds of meat per jersey steer?

Thanks,


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## cindy04 (Jun 27, 2006)

Listen to tinknal. Hair and bone (throw in a little guts) at that age and weight, is the best way to descibe the situation.


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## animalfarmer (Feb 14, 2006)

Hi TSYORK,I sent you a P.M. It may be of intrest.Best of luck.


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## prairiegirl (Nov 2, 2004)

Hmmm, interesting. We have a 9 month old Jersey bull. We haven't weighed him for awhile. We weigh the others, not sure why we skipped him. I'll have to weigh him tonight. I can't imagine him weighing much. He was an unexpected gift to us.


prairiegirl


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

TSYORK said:


> Anyone else care to weigh in that Jcran and I would get around 100 pounds of meat per jersey steer?
> 
> Thanks,


You will get 100 lbs of very poor quality meat when you could feed them another 4 or 5 months and get 250 pounds of good meat. Most economical way to raise beef if you have the grass and want to improve finish is to raise them to frame size on grass and then grain for 30 -90 days. This is double true for jerseys, who put on very little flesh until they frame up.


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## JulieLou42 (Mar 28, 2005)

I had my 1/2 Jersey steer processed last week at 10.5 months and around 850#. He'd just gotten too much for me to handle. I didn't grain him but about every other day small amounts, but was between a rock and hard place on timing, and what with my right knee needing replacement surgery, and him turning mean on me, I wasn't about to carry on with him till Sept. when the processor returns from his summer vacation, beginning next week. Processor says he looks real good for fat on him, about the way he'd want his own, and he's never been skinny-looking. We'll get him back this Friday all packaged up. Hoping for at least 45% net weight returned.

Here he is to the right of his mother about 2 weeks ago:


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

At 45% return, that would be roughly 382 pounds of meat. Good Lord! I don't need that much. That's why I only wanted to raise mine for a few months then butcher to get around 100 pounds of meat. I have had some good positive news from others in raising jersey steers for only a few months to get around 100 pounds of meat at a time. I'm going to try this venture, and if it doesn't work out then oh well! I do think I will get at least fair results with my plan. If I don't get good results I've not lost much. I'll probably have 20 bucks in the steer, 20 in the milk replacer, and a few bucks for grain and hay. If it rounds up to 100 bucks and I get around 100 pounds of meat, you still cant go to the store and by meat for a buck a pound.










JulieLou42 said:


> I had my 1/2 Jersey steer processed last week at 10.5 months and around 850#. He'd just gotten too much for me to handle. I didn't grain him but about every other day small amounts, but was between a rock and hard place on timing, and what with my right knee needing replacement surgery, and him turning mean on me, I wasn't about to carry on with him till Sept. when the processor returns from his summer vacation, beginning next week. Processor says he looks real good for fat on him, about the way he'd want his own, and he's never been skinny-looking. We'll get him back this Friday all packaged up. Hoping for at least 45% net weight returned.
> 
> Here he is to the right of his mother about 2 weeks ago:


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## prairiegirl (Nov 2, 2004)

I used the weight tape on our Jersey last night. According to the tape he is 421 pounds at just about 9 months.

TSYORK, is it possible to wait until he puts on more weight and sell half? Maybe this wouldn't work for you.

I'd be curious to see what you really do end up with if you follow your plan.

prairiegirl


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

I think I'm going to do a comparison; I've got two Jersey calves that are within a week of the same age. One "might" be a Jersey cross as he was the younger one but larger than the other. He also has a fatter looking head and a dewlap. Anyhow, we will slaughter one in late October, then feed the other one through the winter on as mostly a grass diet as we can, but feeding hay if needed. THEN we'll see how he does as a yearling or 18 monther. IF I feel like I'm pouring hay down him, he'll go to slaughter earlier. That might give me some idea of the benefits for ME and then I can go with whatever method best suits my needs as a steak eater


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## LMonty (Jul 31, 2006)

I'm really curious- if you arent raising him as a vealer, then wont the meat from an animal that you be pretty dry and tasteless because they are putting a lot of energy into growing bones and muscle, before they start to add the fat that makes the marbling? I have had "baby beef" once in the past- and it pretty much had the taste and consistency of cardboard. I figured it was the lack of fat- but now that theres more understood abou the "tender gene" could it be more related to that? Interesting disucssion, I never once thought about butchering for human consumption anywhere near that young because I thought it woudnt be worth eating.


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

Wow, hadn't heard that before; a few folks have voiced that baby beef is really tasty. Anyone else out there with a thought as to the flavor? I made the assumption that the flavor wouldn't be the big deal here, just more of the amount of meat.


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## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

I haven't had baby beef, but I have had a lot of wild meat, and most of that is very lean. You have to cook lean meat differently than fat meat. Look for 'slow food' recipes, and see if that helps.

Kathleen


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## Rockin'B (Jan 20, 2006)

At that age the meat should be really bland in flavor, what meat you would get...


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## Faith Farm (Dec 13, 2004)

The guide of 25% packaged meat (85 -95 lbs) is closer to what you will end 
up with when all is said and done unless you leave the bone in most of your 
cuts.
I raise beef cattle primarily but I also have several dairy steer calves which
are in the 300 - 600 lb range now. In a side by side comparison the dairy
steers are slower growing, more bone than meat but I am not sure about
texture of meat as I have not butchered one yet. If you raise the steer
to say 950 lb live wt and process it, the amount of meat you get can always 
be negotiated with the processer. You take what you want and sell him the 
balance. Call around to find out if some one is willing to do this. Have him or 
her take their cost off the charge for processing. You could possibly get paid
for your beef in the freezer. Just a thought.


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

Now that's not a bad idea...our processor does do that as they always have beef on the side to sell. I was thinking if we did a baby beef then I would just process it here on our place in late November. It'd be like a big deer for us (we just have little peepee deer here on the west coast-'bout fainted on my honeymoon in Montana-out east you folks have DEER!).


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