# Ideal age/weight to slaughter steer



## JSwan

Around here, I could easily buy a calf from a neighbor to raise for slaughter.

But the weight/age to slaughter - I can't seem to get a consensus on that.

The breed I'd be likely to buy is Angus; though there are plenty of other breeds around; mostly the major dairy - brown swiss, jersey, etc.

I thought you slaughtered them young - no more than 9 months. I only need beef for two people, and I don't want a big steer around tearing up my pastures and fences.

Please give me the benefit of your thoughts. Thanks!


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## topside1

I recommend a Jersey steer. That steer should easily feed you both for a year. The size is right for your situation, however a Jersey steer will have to be raised for 18 months then butchered. More Jersey news is that the steer does eat less per day, and will not damage fields nearly as much. Your steer would weigh approx. 800-1000 pounds in the end.


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## nomad7inwi

Our first calf will be 12 months in October. (Holstein) We could butcher him then, but we plan on taking him through the winter, he'll be close to 18 months at the end of winter, so we plan on taking him all the way through summer as long as the grass is green, since he is eating "free' at that time. So he'll be close to 2 years when we butcher. 

We did just start a jersey/cross calf . He'll be in the same scenario I think.

There may be an "ideal" time, but for us it also has something to do with mother nature.


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## JSwan

So far this BB has been a better source of info than my extension agent! Thanks so much.

I don't have any problem keeping a steer that long; I've got plenty of pasture and can rotate the steer in with my goats and horses. I was just seeing some pretty wild numbers.


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## -TWO-

Nearly every spring. We buy a couple of feeders, (usually holstein). As soon as the pasture is in good, (varys from year to year, usually the middle of Apirl, or there abouts). Always shoot for 500 lbs./ about a year old. Than let them graze all summer & butcher around the 1st of November. Keep 1 & sell the other. Free meat. some years we might finish them on hay. Depends on when the pasture burns off. We never grain 'em & they pretty much double their weight in that amount of time. Bob


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## montysky

No question in my mind, take the Angus, look for a weight 1200/750/525-500. feed it out on grain ffom 90 to 120 days. But the weight is just going by Angus standard need to eye the steer/heifer up , going on frame look at 14 to 16 months. also if it is more meat then you want I bet you will have no problems finding family or friend to go in on it.

We raise Black Angus and Black Baldies and are very happy with them. Also look at Herefords good luck


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## Old John

montysky said:


> No question in my mind, take the Angus, look for a weight 1200/750/525-500. feed it out on grain ffom 90 to 120 days. But the weight is just going by Angus standard need to eye the steer/heifer up , going on frame look at 14 to 16 months. also if it is more meat then you want I bet you will have no problems finding family or friend to go in on it.
> 
> We raise Black Angus and Black Baldies and are very happy with them. Also look at Herefords good luck


There is a Difference in Beef. I and my Family can tell it.
Some folks can't tell the difference. Some Folks Don't care.

I'd rather have Angus, Hereford or Simmental..............It is Bred For Beef.
I like some marbling in it too. Grass-fed Beef may be better for you.
But, it just does not cook as well, or taste as good, to us.
But, Hey, Go with what you like.


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## Razorback21

I like herefords, mainly because I'm impatient!!! They grow quick so that I can get them in the freezer quicker than our holsteins! lol. Hereford is a good breed for beef and there docile nature is good for a beginner. On top of it all, they generally sell for less than Angus.


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## narenta

We raise lowline angus and lowlineX cattle. 16 months is a good minimum time to butcher. The closer to 2 years the better. We finish ours on grass.


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## JulieLou42

I processed a 1/2 Jersey/Guernsey/Angus X steer at 10 months that his dam hadn't weaned; he was around 750# having gained an average of 3# per day. He'd had very little sweetfeed and he was quite well marbled! Tastes very good, still. 

He'd always been a highstrung one and had horns to boot, so it was time for him to go.

He wore his mother out, and she didn't wean him as she had her first one, for some strange reason.


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## chicken lady

We have a Jersey steer, we were planning to butcher at 13mos, now we are wondering if we should wait out the summer free grass feeding?


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## Jennifer L.

Chicken lady, you're talking free feed there and that steer will add a lot of weight over the summer. I'd certainly go for it if it's not a problem for the fencing, etc.

Some people like "baby beef" but I found out last fall that an animal has to have some decent age on it to have a "beefy" taste. Considering how long that animal will be in your freezer, you want the best you can do! Given a choice, I'd always opt for an animal coming off of grass in October or so, around 2 years old.

Jennifer


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## CatherineE

Thanks, guys. I've got an 18 month old American Milking Devon steer that I've been eyeballing, myself. I was thinking to wait another year and a bit, to butcher him off of summer grass. Is there a point when they tend to get a bit too old to make a good eating experience, or when they aren't gaining enough to make it worth using that summer grass?


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## HDRider

I know there is some age on this thread, no pun intended. 

I saw 2 years for grass finished low-line Angus. How long on a regular Angus? How old should it be finished 90 days on corn, protein pellets and hay? You can answer by weight if you want. The steers are frame 4.5 to 5


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## AmericanStand

It’s not so much the animals age it more a matter of feed. The perfect time is the day after you run out of feed.
Either his or yours.
Most like to butcher in the fall because pasture (his feed). Will usually out grow his appetite till then. 
But if you run out of feed (empty freezer) and don’t wanna wait its a great day to send him to the butcher!


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## RideBarefoot

Neighbor ran into a problem when he took a large-for-her-age heifer in, processor said she looked like she was over 30 months. 

https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org...rous-over-30-month-rule-address-mad-cow-risks

Processor refused her, said he would have to cut out spine and send it for testing.

Might be something to keep in mind...


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## big rockpile

18 months I would steer clear of Dairy Breeds because you will have better marbling on Beef breeds. Back when we ate Beef we found Holstein to be tuff.

big rockpile


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## hiddensprings

We processed out Jersey steer at 18 months. I would highly recommend a Jersey. Very, very tasty!


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## GTX63

The last two were 19 months and maybe a little older than that. Both Jersey, looked very good between mashed potatoes and carrots.


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## muleskinner2

Our calves were born in march and april, we butchered after the first frost usually in October. We always had more coming each spring so there was no reason to wait any longer. The only thing we kept over the winter were pregnant cows, any bulls, steers, or dry cows were gone by the first snow.


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## Alaska

We raise percentage Aberdeen Angus (lowlines), not minis. raised on grass and hay only until 60 days before slaughter. During that sixty days we give them all the grass hay they want and start feeding them a fermented alfalfa product sold by Chaffhaye out of Dell City Texas. It is packaged in plastic 50lb bag and stores really well. about 15$ a bag. Sounds like a lot but there is almost 0 waste as they eat every last tidbit. They do not toss it all over like hay. By the end of the second week they are eating mostly alfalfa.
We slaughter at 20 to 24 months and sell by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole animal. Our customers like our grain free smaller animals.


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## 45№ Farm

muleskinner2 said:


> Our calves were born in march and april, we butchered after the first frost usually in October. We always had more coming each spring so there was no reason to wait any longer. The only thing we kept over the winter were pregnant cows, any bulls, steers, or dry cows were gone by the first snow.


I know this is an old thread but this is what we are looking at doing, buy in spring butcher same fall?? Is this realistic and how?!??
Thanks


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## Gravytrain

45№ Farm said:


> I know this is an old thread but this is what we are looking at doing, buy in spring butcher same fall?? Is this realistic and how?!??
> Thanks


You will not maximize growth potential and certainly will not have much marbling...but sure you can do whatever you want. 

My recommendation if looking for well marbled beef is 24-36 months if grass finishing and 16-24 months if grain finishing. If grain finishing one method is to start 4 months before butchering date and feed 2 lbs of finishing ration per head the first month and double that ration each month until butcher date.

If you don't want to overwinter cattle, you could always buy a yearling calf in the spring and feed it out to 18-20 months old in the fall.


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## G. Seddon

Old thread, but here goes.....

This is a Dexter steer that we "beefed" in 2004 and I know he was less than 29 months old (BSE issue back then!)


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## Allen W

45№ Farm said:


> I know this is an old thread but this is what we are looking at doing, buy in spring butcher same fall?? Is this realistic and how?!??
> Thanks


Yes, just buy a bigger calf to start with. I would buy a six or seven hundred pound calf and start putting a little feed to him from the start l, increasing the feed as he got bigger and the grass declined in quality. 

I would get a butcher date as soon as I got the calf, wait time has gotten crazy.


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## dyrne

Yeah I'd probably look at a yearling for something like that. That kind of timeframe from weaned to slaughter is more suitable for lambs.


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## farmmaid

hiddensprings said:


> We processed out Jersey steer at 18 months. I would highly recommend a Jersey. Very, very tasty!


Jersey steer meat is the best...18mos.


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