One last cattle question. Need quick answer please

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Reid1650

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

How will a charlois mix and b/w face finsih on grass? Or should i just send a lillte more money and get the black angus

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

Do you mean a black baldie?

 

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Formerly PaMike

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

They will finish on grass just fine.

 

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IaGary

Well-known Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

There are different genetics in all cattle breeds.

I read what was said the other day and feel it is more the genetics of the calf than the breed as to how they will finish on grass.

I prefer corn fed myself. But that's just me.

Years ago there were chain steak houses that served Australian Beef. (grass fed) They are no longer in business around here.

Went there once or twice. Wasn't impressed.Good thing I had good teeth back then.

Gary

 

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Reid1650

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

How will these guys taste?

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

Why dont you try it for yourself, and then tell us how they taste.......

 

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Reid1650

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

Well I am spendin some money and would like to know if anybody out there has tried these before? Just curious if anybody has or has heard how they taste?

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

My personal experience with baldies was that the angus in them made them kind of wildish. They make good beef though. Good fences are part of the cattle business. If you are only going to feed them and put them in the freezer in the fall you can get away without much else in the way of handling equipment other than a rifle.

 

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Casey in Ky

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

I've been out of the cattle business for a few years now...had a hankering to get back in...just haven't had the time or right opertunity yet, so take this advice with a grain of salt. You can get a black baldie several different ways, but by far the most popular and asked for is a Hereford/Black Angus cross. They sell a little better and really seam to finish a little better. But to repeat what someone else has already said, GENETICS are the key. You can have scrub cattle no matter what breed.

But now that I read your question again, I don't think your looking just black baldies. If that's the case, then never mind input. For what it's worth, when I do get back in, if I'm not just raisin' Herefords, it'll be a Hereford cow with a Black Angus bull.

 

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Coloken

Well-known Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

Any breed will "finish on grass". It is that each will finish at a different weight. Black angus at lighter weight, charlois or even holstein at a larger size. Your charlois mix and b/w face might be around 1500 lbs when fat.

 

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Reid1650

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

Thanks a lot for all the help guys. Im 20 gettin into this with a buddy and have farmed hay for the last couple years and gettin into cattle, beans and wheat this year. Thanks for all the replies, Im real excited to start this whole deal

 

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Casey in Ky

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

I was you a few years ago, except no buddy, or family support. Dad helped a little, but he was already in his 70's and wasn't the healthiest. With the current cattle market I'd be real careful. I'm not saying not to do it, just watch your pennies. Cattle can be a real big money pit, real quick. I've made more money off of hay the last few years than I ever did on cattle, but the hay market has been EXCELLENT.

 

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Reid1650

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

Casey I agree. The money ive made off hay and am predicting to make this year is awesome. My buddy and I are doing this as a fun project to see if we wanna get in deeper. We may sell one slaughter one when theyre big enough just havent decided. Pops is supportin more and more the deeper I get in but he was definately against it when I first started. He grew up on a dairy in indiana and he didnt support me at all but I love it and its in my blood. By the way where are ya Casey? Im outside of louisville

 

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CumminsMan

Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

If I were you, finishing on grass, I would want Angus cows bred to a Balancer(1/2angus, 1/2 Gelby) bull. Hard to beat that combo on a forage based finish program. You want the angus cows so that you have a deep bodied good marbling calf. The Gelby in the Balancer Bull will give a bit of frame, and a calm demeanor. Just somthing for you to look into.

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

If you farm hay you have nothing to worry about. Good for you, you already have the only feed you need, if you have a pasture, and the hay, even better. Just add a water tank,salt and shelter. Thats all you need,, Good luck

 

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kyhayman

Well-known Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

Go with the two or three way cross. Black crossed Charolais or Simmental cows with a Charolais bull. Thats what I've been with or going to since 1991. Money-wise, the mocha with black noses in this market bring a few cents less per pound but, through heterosis, you get way more pounds to sell.

 

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RodinNS

Well-known Member

• Mar 31, 2009

• #1

You should start by checking out The Stockman GrassFarmer and it's related publications including Grassfed To Finish. There's a lot of usefull information there if you're serious about the subject.

What I'd be looking for is a British breed... preferably Angus, but Shorthorn would do. The basic theory behind it is that these animals marble and finish easily. They're also small frame cattle... and thus have a considerably smaller energy maintenance requirement. With grass you're dealing with a very limited amount of available energy... so you want a small animal that will use less on it's maintenance and put it on it's back.
You can finish a continental breed animal on grass but it will be a monster when it gets fat and probably too old to grade.
Holsteins are near impossible to finish unless they're on a very high energy diet. Charloais and Limo's aren't that bad... but they take more than an Angus.
Read up on the subject yourself...

Rod
Grassfed to Finish

 

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Casey in Ky

Member

• Apr 1, 2009

• #1

I'm in the eastern part of the state...stuck between these stupid hills...I'm just outside of Paintsville, or about an hour south of Ashland. Wish you lots of luck with cattle.

 

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bc

Well-known Member

• Apr 1, 2009

• #1

I've chased and rounded up runaway black angus more than I care to do again. Airplane flying over or lightning storm, about anything will get them running. Watched em run up a hill and jump a 4 strand fence just the same way Steve McQueen jumped fences with his motorcycle in the Great Escape.

If you want eating beef, get what you like to eat. Lean beef or lots of fat and marbling. I personally can't eat the fat and tend to waste good meat if I trim it after being cooked instead of before. I shared in a butcher on an old charolais cow, basically a cull, and its steaks were leaner and more tender than anything I found at the store. Pick your beef for the steaks you want and how you cook them. If you want burgers and roast for the crock pot, then it doesn't matter. I used to be a filet man, but the stores have overpriced it. Now it's burgers and roasts.