Finished Holstein steers

rrlund · Jan 27, 2009

I keep 100-120 Angus and black baldie cattle on feed all the time. I know from looking at them when they are finished. BUT,I've got 2 holstein steers that have been around here for longer than I care to remember. I know they'll never finish to look like an Angus,and I'm no judge of what these Skelator look alikes should look like when they're finished. I weighed both of them this afternoon. One weighs 1565,the other 1600. I just want to know if I'm gonna take a bath on them if haul them to the stockyard at that weight,even though they don't look much like beef to me. I'm now asking what weight any of you have your own butchered,just what weight they're doing the best at the sale barn. Thanks

Anonymous-0 · Jan 27, 2009

you got more money invested in them then they are worth.

may as well cut your loses now, beef price isn't going to go up very much this yr.

plow hand · Jan 27, 2009

Why is that phrase used so often steers and qu--rs ?

jimont · Jan 27, 2009

For what it's worth, I used to feed holstein bulls and sold them all through the freezer trade. Fed and aged properly, they cut up very well,fat could be trimed or left on for taste. Everyone wanted lean meat in those days and were very pleased with my product.
The only reason I quit was due to the early 80's reccession when no one could afford to buy by the quarter or side.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 27, 2009

I have fed holsteins out .Found I had to start corn early and keep it coming get them up over 1300 abnd sell. made money when corn was cheap but last 2 years figured I would be better with beef breeds or none. takes more time and corn to finish

Vito · Jan 27, 2009

Because they both can't produce offspring.

Vito

plow hand · Jan 27, 2009

Well Vito...Thanks for that input a light just went on..

JMS/.MN · Jan 27, 2009

A lot depends in how they were fed early on. You can finish a Holstein steer at 1150-1200# if they are fed a corn/pellet ration right after going off of milk. If they are fed a lot of roughage, they build more frame, and won"t finish until several hundred pounds later. But, at that weight, I can"t imagine that it would take much more. Look for a very pronounced brisket, well filled out, fleshy.

Brent in IA · Jan 28, 2009

In addition to the registered Hereford herd we've been doing the calf-ranch thing for 30+ years. We get all of the day-old Holstein and Ayrshire bull calves from my uncle's and also from a friend's dairy farms and take them to 1300-1600 pounds. We sell almost all through two local lockers, occassionally need to take a few to the auction if our list of regular customers is short. We usually have more buyers on the list than steers ready at any one point in time, many have been buying from us 15+ years. They have also had hereford and dairy steers and noone has ever been able to tell them apart, at 14-16 months and fed grain from the get-go, beef is beef..... By the way, I am headed to the National Cattleman's annual convention in Phoenix in 3 hours, my flight leaves Des Moines at 5 a.m.. Minus 4 here now, looks like Arizona may be a little warmer when I arrive around noon.

2x4 · Jan 28, 2009

get your soap & towel; its bath time. .40 cents every place I know. You can check prices in the East by going to farmanddairydotcom & look at sales results.

Finished Holstein steers

rrlund

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Anonymous-0

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plow hand

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jimont

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Anonymous-0

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Vito

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plow hand

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JMS/.MN

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Brent in IA

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2x4

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