# Body condition on my steer?



## ~PrairieGirl~ (Jun 20, 2006)

This guy will be headed for the freezer (hopefully soon) but, this is our first cow and I am not really sure what I am looking for. Does he look like he is in good condition? :shrug:Why? why not? 
Thanks!


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

My question is why now. The grass is growing like gangbusters right now. You are supposed to process on the gain , but it seems to me you have 2 to 3 free months of fat gain in front of you. Processing now will cost you some free tastey marbleing. I would bet he is gaining 1.5 to 3 pounds per day on good forage right now.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

trbizwiz said:


> My question is why now. The grass is growing like gangbusters right now. You are supposed to process on the gain , but it seems to me you have 2 to 3 free months of fat gain in front of you. Processing now will cost you some free tastey marbleing. I would bet he is gaining 1.5 to 3 pounds per day on good forage right now.


I agree. A little grain will be well worth your money too.


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## ~PrairieGirl~ (Jun 20, 2006)

There is no grass here. Probably not for another month or so ( He is a little over 1 year right now, you really think he could gain that much more? Personally I want him out of my hair. Also some steaks would be good  We are just trying to make a plan, right now.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

~PrairieGirl~ said:


> There is no grass here. Probably not for another month or so ( He is a little over 1 year right now, you really think he could gain that much more? Personally I want him out of my hair. Also some steaks would be good  We are just trying to make a plan, right now.


You have to understand how a steer grows and gains. First they build their frame. This is the bone structure. After the frame is built, meat and fat is gained. Your steer has grown his frame, but has little meat and almost no fat. It would be a terrible waste to butcher this steer right now.


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## mamahen (May 11, 2002)

We just butchered two 17 month old holstein bulls.

They were almost 500 lb hanging weight, BUT - I wish we could've waited. 

Tinknal is right -- there is zero fat on our steaks. You want a bit to make them tender. Every cut, including hamburger, is very, very lean.

Our boys were getting too rambunctious with other animals and we "thinned the herd" :shocked:

We have one left. We will start graining in Sept., butcher in Oct-Nov., before deer season.

We also won't have any grass until probably late May. Still feeding hay. Darn weather!:smack

Holsteins grow until they are 4ish!


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

One of mine last year was a holstein steer. He looked a lot like yours in april.









I let him graze through the summer. No grain, just free grass all summer.








I sent him to process in october. He weighed out at 519lbs hanging weight. I paid .50 cents a lbs to process him and I sold him for $3 a lbs. Last years buyers are already asking about this years steer. I'll wait to process until October again. That extra $ in my pocket and the half of the other steer I kept last year were mighty satisfying return on a summer of watching the cows graze!!


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

We usually do our holstein steers at 18 months. We sold our last one and it made 600 pounds hanging weight. 
There's a lot more meat to be made on that animal. If you have the feed to last till pasture I'd keep him around till fall.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

He sure looks too young to me. You sure aren't going to get the best possible meat from him.

Maybe you'd be better off to sell him. Half grown steers go for good money just as the grass is coming in.

Or find someone who wants to take him, feed him until end of fall next year and split the meat with you.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Yes if you are tired of him or want beef, take him to the sale barn. you will get $1.15 to $1.38/lb for a 5 cwt steer right now. The more black the better. Take that $690 and fill up your freezer. Let someone with patience raise that calf out. Mine are grass only once they start on pasture (I do give grain to bottle babbies while they are adjusting to pasture from the bottle). I will raise mine to around 30 months or when they "look" finished to me. But I want to see a round rump minimal bony protrusions, adn some back fat. I doo plant sesonal annuals including grain forage like rye wheat and corn varieties. But all is grazed at immature stages for a high sugar content. I expect grain results from grass fed. But I spend money on seed.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

He isn't ready to be butchered.


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## bantams (Sep 7, 2003)

If you don't want to feed grain (we don't), then you'll want to wait and butcher him at 24+ months. We did our Milking Shorthorns at 28 months, and they finished at 800+ pounds hanging weight, just on grass and hay.

T-Bone:








in the summer








several months later, days before slaughter, at 1500 pounds

We did end up having to butcher an 8 month Jersey steer once. The meat is very tender and tasty, but with a sad amount of fat and just not as beefy as a full-grown steer.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I vote with alot of the rest of them keep that steer till fall and let him gain all summer. > Marc


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

I'm with the rest. The steer is in good condition for maintenance but he's not finished. You'll get more meat and better meat if you can wait until fall and get him fat.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

pitures worth a million words...feel of your steer..and I bet all you will feel is bones


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

The what and why. Holsteins won't have a huge brisket but that one has none. Brisket us the flap of meat on the chest under the chin. His hips still have somewhat bony protrusions. His front shoulders aren't overly muscled. You can see a lot of bone in the back and that is where the best steaks come from. Round full hips, back fat, well muscled shoulders and a full brisket would be much better, and tastier. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## HighlandCowboy (Mar 18, 2011)

I can relate to wanting to get him out of your hair. I have a 3 year old jersey steer going to town soon. It would make more sense for me to keep him through the grazing season, but because of other factors that just isn't going to work out for me. Ideally, your steer could stand to gain some more weight and another 6 months would make a big difference, but I've been told by more than one farmer that a steer is ready for butchering whenever you're ready for the meat. Or want him gone, for that matter.


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