# Raising a steer for butcher



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

What.. and how much do you feed a steer for butcher....Hay/Grain.. for how long.... 


thanks :greengrin:


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

What kind of steer and how old?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Well not sure just yet...we are just kicking it around right now....
May be a dairy or cross...
I am mostly just wanting to know ... when it is closer to the time of getting him ready for the butchering .... to so called ..fatten him up....


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## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

As far as hay is concerned, it depends on the size of the steer as to how much he'll need. Also, how much pasture he has access to. For grain, we usually start graining about 6 weeks before butcher. Using a 2-quart scoop, each steer gets at least a full scoop of grain (I use all livestock 16), and 1/2 scoop of corn (whole or cracked) daily. 
We usually butcher at 18 months. Of course, these are a 50/50 angus/holstein cross, so time and feed requirements may be different for dairy breeds. Hope this helps?  
They can get a bit pricey to raise, but there's nothing better than having a freezer full of fresh, native beef. :drool:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> (I use all livestock 16)


 thanks so much for the info.... where can I get.. all livestock 16? DO you have a link to it ...so I can see what is in it? :greengrin:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Pam.... I'm pretty sure the "All Stock" 16 is a standard mix amongst any feed dealers as it's not breed specific, my feed mill carries an All Stock 10% that is mainly cracked corn, oats, soy meal, millet meal and mineral mix with added molasses. Some All Stock mixes are in pelleted form.

If you check one of your local feed suppliers and see if they have an All Stock type mix, it may be better to see if it's available readily to you


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Thanks so much Liz ..I will do that..... :hi5: :greengrin:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Mmmmm....home raised beef!  So good!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nothing better then home grown natural beef...at least you know what it is made of...... :hi5:


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Sounds yummy!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:thumbup: :hi5:


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## Sunny Daze (May 18, 2010)

This is our first time raising a steer. We have a holstein. I bottle raised him then had him on grain until spring (he was born late July 2010). After that he has been on pasture only and has grown really well. We want to butcher him this Novemember so we don't have to over winter him so I just started him on grain now. Our feed mill has a "steer feed". He is not as beefy as a beef cow but he grew pretty well on the pasture all summer. We'll see how it all turns out!


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## Farmgirl675 (Oct 21, 2010)

liz said:


> I'm pretty sure the "All Stock" 16 is a standard mix amongst any feed dealers as it's not breed specific, my feed mill carries an All Stock 10% that is mainly cracked corn, oats, soy meal, millet meal and mineral mix with added molasses. Some All Stock mixes are in pelleted form.


Liz is correct. "All Stock" varieties of feed can be fed to any animal (nothing in them for rumen support ect.) The number that follows is the protein %. Generally for cattle 14-16% is best.

You do not have to "grain feed" to fatten a steer. We have done them both ways and found that grass fed fatten and marble equally well as grain fed with less fat to trim off...(trimmed fat is wasted money!!). As with any rumenant animal their digestive track is not well suited to grain and can have problems associated with it.....not saying it's bad, just have to be carefull and watch for bloat, ketosis ect. I'm not on the "All Natural Grassfed" bandwagon I'm on the "Good Food in my belly, Money in my Wallet" bandwagon. :greengrin:

Grassfed or grainfed....beef should be slaughtered at 18 mo for the hightest quality and yeild from the animal. Ours are in a moderately sized pasture so they have room to roam and during the winter get high quality grass/alfalfa/treefoil hay. We have had good luck using this for beef breeds, dairy crosses and straight dairy breeds ( dairy breeds generally need higher protein as they are not inherently "meaty" animals).

Just for gee whiz here's a photo of my oldest sons 4H steer from last year that was completely grass fed.......he got reserve grand champion.

[attachment=1:2m90l4ow]IMG_0588.JPG[/attachment:2m90l4ow]

[attachment=0:2m90l4ow]IMG_0594.JPG[/attachment:2m90l4ow]


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## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

Farmgirl, that is a BEAUTIFUL steer! :drool: 
Everyone is correct, Livestock 16 is (I believe) specific to Blue Seal, Allstock 16 is Purina, and I believe every company has it's own version of it. I actually use the Blue Seal brand. The basic livestock feed tends to be less expensive around here.
The beef breeds do bulk up well on just good pasture. The purpose for the graining @ the end, is what helps put the marbling in those steaks, especially if you aren't fortunate enough to have that gorgeous mountain of steaks that Farmgirl showed us. :wink:


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## goatfarmergirl (Jul 3, 2011)

too bad goat meat is made out of cute goats.  iam bottlefeeding a kid. but he's for meat. :sigh: oh i wish he wasn't for meat. :sigh: he's so cute. its hard to imagine that some day that cute goats head will be chopped off. :tears: i wish people didn't slaughter goats.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Thank you Sunny Daze... Farmgirl675 and potentialfarm... I am learning alot here.....I want to be educated so when we do get one... we will have great yummy success....any info is so appreciated.... :grouphug:



> too bad goat meat is made out of cute goats.  iam bottlefeeding a kid. but he's for meat. :sigh: oh i wish he wasn't for meat. :sigh: he's so cute. its hard to imagine that some day that cute goats head will be chopped off. :tears: i wish people didn't slaughter goats.


 That's Why.. I am going to butcher a steer instead... :wink: I have butchered goats in the past ...but it just tore my heart out.... So... I am going to try the steer approach but then again... it is a life as well... that will be taken... it is sad...  but we do know that God made them for eating...... But hey... I know how you feel... Your little wether ...you can change your mind and have him as a pet... :wink:

Just like a thanksgiving turkey dinner ...raising one for that table ...well... that darn bird was invited for dinner all right and sat alive in the chair.... :laugh:


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## jaycee (Aug 3, 2011)

Hi Pam, I know this post is older but I was just wandering about the forum and found it. I have done steers in the past and have one now that a neighbor gave to me as a newborn whose momma died and he didnt wanna mess with him on the bottle. I wanted to add that I do supplement his food throughout with just enough grain to keep them in good condition up to 18 mos as everyone has said. I have had grass fed beef but found in my experience that its leaner not marbled as much as I would like. I would suggest that you ask if they have any creep feed at your local elevator. It will be around 14% protein. It should be better than the all stiock which is full of crap like sweet feed I believe and it also will be mixed specifically for beef.

He also gets free choice alfalfa/grass mix hay or whatever I have on hand for the goats. If you have goats its pretty cool to have a couple cows to clean up all the leftovers. As You know goats are so picky with hay that there is always alot of waste no matter how good the hay is. Well I scoop all the stems and wasted hay from under and inside the goat feeders everynight and throw it all over the fence for my steer Fred and jersey heifer weezy... they clean it all up and there is almost zero waste so it works well. They will also clean up your pastures and keep the grass down alot more effectively than goats who seem to focus on the weeds and not keep up with the grass especially in spring and early summer.

On the downside they are ALOT messier than goats. I think they poop out a whole goat everyday lol.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Hi there.... :thumb: 

Thanks for the info ...appreciate it tremendously...  :thumb: 

I like that the cattle clean up the leftovers...a no waste system... :greengrin: 


Love your calves names by the way.... :greengrin: :laugh: 

Oh yeah ..the poop..it is nasty.... :wink: :doh:


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