How much grain do you feed a cow for slaughter?

How much grain do you feed a cow for slaughter?

10-15 lbs. per day of corn, oats or barley fed to grazing cattle is a good finishing ration. This fed to a 900-1000 pound steer for 3-4 months should will you a nicely finished animal. If you do not have access to pasture or if you are finishing during the winter, you might increase the amount of grain to 15-18 lbs.

What weight should you butcher a heifer?

Current heifer carcass weights are 813 pounds, down 16 pounds from 829 pounds last year but up 22 pounds from the same date in 2019.

How long does it take to feed a cow for slaughter?

The amount of time on feed can vary from 60-150 days. For a backyard steer, 90 days on grain should be sufficient. The grain component will help him gain faster and change the flavor of the beef to more closely match what is purchased in the grocery store.

Can you butcher a heifer for meat?

In a comparison of ten studies reviewed by the National Beef Cattlemen’s Association, beef from heifers appeared to become tender more slowly than beef from steers. But overall differences in instrumental tenderness are negligible with proper aging times in place.

What do you feed a cow before slaughter?

For finishing beef cattle prior to slaughter, most are fed a mixture of ground, shelled corn or millet. These grains are inexpensive, nutritious and add fat to the meat to make it tender.

Are heifers good for beef?

Studies identified that heifer beef has super characteristics in eating quality and a better healthy composition in fatty acids than steer, cow and bull.

What is the best age to butcher a calf?

The highest quality beef comes from animals that are under 36 months of age. Old cows produce highly acceptable beef if properly fattened and processed. Depending on the calf and the feeding regime, calves are best slaughtered between three and 16 weeks of age.

Why is corn bad for cows?

Corn is high in phosphorous and low in calcium, a recipe for the development of urinary stones in cattle. Because corn-fed cattle are so likely to suffer from stones, even in their relatively short lifetimes before slaughter, they require calcium supplementation.

How do you feed a cow for slaughter?

Feed a free choice mixture of 80 percent ground sorghum grain, 10 per- cent protein supplement and 10 percent salt as cattle are placed on pasture and continue until slaughter weight is reached. Cattle will consume this mixture at approximately 1 percent of their body weight daily.

Do heifers grade better than steers?

Of all carcasses evaluated, 23.2% were A40 or younger Marbling score, adjusted fat thickness and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality grade are higher for heifer beef compared with steer.

Is heifer meat better than steer meat?

Studies identified that heifer beef has super characteristics in eating quality and a better healthy composition in fatty acids than steer, cow and bull. Diet influences the variation of fatty acid profile; particularly the level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) interacts with breed and sex.

What age should you butcher a heifer?

Age at slaughter “typically” can be from 12 to 22 months of age for the high quality grade market. The reason for the range in age is that some calves are weaned and go directly to a feeding facility and are finished for slaughter.

What age do you butcher a heifer?

Slaughter steers, heifers, and cows 30 to 42 months of age possessing the minimum qualifications for Standard have a fat covering primarily over the back, loin, and ribs which tends to be very thin.