Raising Grass Fed beef on small scale

[DougW]

I had seen this thread
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...highlight=beef

and had some interesting stuff

Situation: Went together with neighbour who has land and left over hay to buy steers ( 5) and babysitter cow. Basically to use up hay that got rained on or otherwise wasn't good enough to sell to horse people. So we ( Doug w and Mrs Dougw) put in 1/2 cash and bought some things , feeder, and provided 1/2 labour. So now that got through winter with only problem of keeping the elk away from hay, thinking about next steps. Cows are on 10 acres of pretty crappy pasture which works alright now as it been pretty wet but in no way lush. They are keeping golf green length. Still have lots of hay left but most now goes to waste as unless really good bale would rather eat grass. Can move on to better land after hay crop as in our area only get one crop. Can be lots of second growth but get heavy dew in morning in late summer so can never get crop off. So thinking of putting on best land , lots of alpha, after the crop off , rested and rained to finish some off this year and beef up everyone else.

So anybody done something similar? or comments

[Zeedashbo]

No, but I'm jealous

[PassTheDutchie]

Small scale?

[flatlander#2]

View of cart sucks.

Would you like to eat stale dusty or fresh salad? How old are they? Weight? Depending on how much longer before you slay them, you need more land.

Pull them off for a month, fertilize the grass, even irrigate it, and then bring them back. You can run a stake line of electric fence, even solar powered to allow them to only graze a piece at a time, move them around in there with the electric. If you confine them to a small space to eat they graze more efficiently. My parents started this with their property and it works fine, breaking up sections into quarters or smaller-water dependent, using barb wire as opposed to electric. The theory is with buffalo herds the prairie wolf, grizzly bear, big cats, natives kept the herds confined to a tight (relative) space, eating the grass to nothing as they went along. That was the only reason they moved or kept in herds, otherwise you'd get them all spread to hell like normal cattle do in big pastures.

Don't forget to supplement the reefa.

[DougW]

right now about 13-14 months old, weight not sure but did fine over winter putting on weight pretty well now. Have a ton of hay left over of which they will eat some as now are pretty picky. Have thought about strip grazing with elec fence once the crop is off as if enough rain that field can be pretty lush with second growth of alpha. Could even irrigate that field without too much effort. Another field that is not very productive hay wise but always pretty green could be irrigated by gravity.

Right now they are doing ok on 10 acres as its been wet but certainly in a dry year that field looks like crap.

[ate'em]

biggest thing to consider is that quality of feed = quality of beef.
tough pasture/short pasture/poor hay will make tough eating for your too.

many factors to consider, but some form of rotational grazing is key. dont force cattle to eat anything, best to let them choose between the pasture and the hay. in the world of grassfed beef, you are in the 'finishing stage'. this is the most critical time for feeding. your animals should be gaining 2+ pounds per day to make tender meat. golf green pasture will definitely not accomplish this. the second growth alfalfa would be good once its available. maybe check out a book, 'grassfed to finish' or 'salad bar beef' are good ones.

i raise grassfed beef myself on small scale and am happy to help best as I can. good luck.

[Buke]

This isn't my area of expertise but we had a few cattle when I was a kid and now my uncle raises beef as a hobby and they cut hay at my parents place. My wife and I buy a half beef from the family farm every year and it's awesome.

I can say this, getting good quality grass fed beef is a serious skill that most people, even the professionals, can't do well. The local butcher commented that my uncle's beef was the best tasting of anything that comes through his place but my uncle feeds some grain the last couple months.

It sounds like you need to supplement the feed. Go to the feed store and buy a few bags of grain and start feeding them a coffee can worth every day for the last month or so until you butcher.

Of course, there are others around here that actually know what they're talking about so listen to them.

[The Reverend Floater]

2nd on rotational grazing, fertilizing and irrigating during rotation. You can really maximize a small parcel and it makes irrigation more manageable.

Don't skimp on fencing! My friends and I joke that "ranching" really means "mending fences" and all the cool shit you see think ranchers do is just a myth. Pay for thick gauge electric "rope," quality insulators and a good solar charger. The animals will test everything systematically and need to be conditioned consistently. Good fencing makes the whole ball game infinitely easier.

Cattle, in my experience, are more prone to illness and disease than other livestock. Learn to doctor them yourself and get a squeeze chute or head catch, else you will be paying out the nose in vet bills.

Finally, make sure you're providing them salt licks with proper vitamins and minerals. The odds that your lot are providing everything they need to be healthy are slim to none.

[Game Over]

Think of it this way-- Your not raising beef, your raising grass. Ideal grass for cattle is 4-7 inches long. Any shorter and they don't get a full mouth full any longer and the grass shades itself hindering growth.

Grazing as short as you describe also leads to higher parasite loads because they are eating down on the ground where the eggs and larva are.

Unless you grow it yourself alfalfa or grain wont be worth it. A mineral block, free choice hay, clean water and good grass is all they should need. If it seems they need a boost try a protein tub.

Before you do things like feed grain, fertilize or use wormers/preventative meds think about why you are raising beef in the first place. The second you head down that path your beef starts to become like all other industrial beef.

[DougW]

Looked this weekend and with the rain not as short been growing faster than cows can eat by a bit. If it got dry again could feed hay till could put on second crop hay fields. Its 15 acres not 10.

Some of the fields are pretty high in alpha and those looked great after the first crop of hay. how good this year of coourse is rain dependent.

[MontuckyFried]

Ever considered bison? From what I understand, if you have a substantial fence and can deal with their unpredictable attitudes, they are an awesome animal to raise for meat, as they are mostly hands off. You won't need to feed them grain, and they're pretty dang hardy, as they've gotten along just fine for many, many thousands of years without man taking care of them.

If I had enough land and enough money to build the necessary fencing, that's what I would want to do. I'm a huge fan of buffalo meat, though. Lean AND tasty!

[Conundrum]

If you raise bison, it's not as simple as bigger fences. Most commercial haulers won't accept bison because they tear up the trailers. If you want to reinforce a gooseneck, you could probably get them around for sales, slaughter, or different pastures but you should probably be good with a welder.

[MontuckyFried]

If you raise bison, it's not as simple as bigger fences. Most commercial haulers won't accept bison because they tear up the trailers. If you want to reinforce a gooseneck, you could probably get them around for sales, slaughter, or different pastures but you should probably be good with a welder.

You're right. Transportation could definitely be more difficult. I always figured that if I was raising bison for my own consumption, I'd just have a mobile butcher come out and "take care of business" on-site. I've met a couple guys who do that, and they have some pretty serious setups and told me they can handle bison no problem.

I'm talking a VERY small operation. As in a tiny herd for our family and friend's own eating enjoyment. A large herd would certainly require much more work and $$$. I don't know much, and you probably know much more than I do, but I've had ranchers tell me that handling a small herd is not that big of a deal compared to regular cattle (depending on breed I suppose) but can be primarily cost prohibitive for many folks.

Would love to find out for myself someday. I'm guessing in reality, it will end up being a giant PITA, but I still wanna do it. Haha.

[Conundrum]

Yeah, if that's your goal, bison could be a way to go. Naturally fed bison is one of my favorites right up there with elk. There are mobile butchers too. I know of at least one operation by Missoula that let's you pick your bison and they kill it on the spot. They load it in your truck and then it's yours to do with as you please.

I was thinking on a larger scale where you would be selling at least some of them.

[flatlander#2]

Shit by Mizzou I know some naturally tan dudes that have experience both recent and generationally.

[Conundrum]

Touche.

........

[Beaver]

Doug - Go to your local u brew wine store and brew up a couple batches of red wine for them. I just leave mine in the primary fermenter so it is super easy. It makes them soooo tasty. I finish mine on about 750ml per cow per day for the last month.

[jamesp]

You're right. Transportation could definitely be more difficult. I always figured that if I was raising bison for my own consumption, I'd just have a mobile butcher come out and "take care of business" on-site. I've met a couple guys who do that, and they have some pretty serious setups and told me they can handle bison no problem.

FWIW mobile butchers aren't an option in BC anymore. If you want to sell it then meat has to be slaughtered at an inspected facility, so I don't think there are any "official" mobile set ups. If meat is just for you then you can do whatever you want of course.

People here (Windermere Valley Farmers Institute) just got approval to build a small scale abattoir in Invermere, they had to get zoning changed. Not sure when it will be done but its in the works. The next closest abattoir is down in Cranbrook, which apparently was a hassle for small producers to transport all the way down there.

[DougW]

Bison, well I did speak to a guy at an agi fair thing and fencing would be a big expense. he said they use old drill pipe 3". We did have to put in a fence along one side as what is good enough for horses a guess is not good enough for steers. But partner had and still has a fair bit of posts and wire so no cost to put up fencing other than labour. Anyway Bison would be too much of a long term commitment. Right now we can if the hay crop is really poor just not buy that fall. Likewise if crop is good but it works out that crop is good but a lot hay that's not fit for the horse market could alot more yearlings. The problem is don't have a lot of pasture ( good) for spring and early summer put them on until the hay has been harvested and then its just labour to get them on that field and off again at night.

Finishing, we have started to discuss that. Ideally would like to go the full blown grass finished as opposed to the grass fed but "finished with grain but never saw a feed lot" route. May have to go some middle ground.

[ate'em]

The grass-fed and finished beef has the tremendous health benefits. If you do decide to feed 'some' grain, really any amount of grain in the animal's system completely changes their blood ph and digestive microbes, and changes the omega fat balance for the worse. it is not really a proportional thing, as in, a little grain makes the meat a little less healthy. grain feeding, in just about any amount, completely alters the animal's system and you lose the health benefits of grass fed.

Feeding a bit of grain might make the meat more tender, that tenderness is really based on the animal's rate of gain and not anything inherent in the grain. But I would advise against it, as you lose the healthiness of the meat. And the meat will likely still be delicious.

IME, much more of the eating quality comes from the slaughtering and butchering than anything else. Highly reccomended to dry age the beef 21+ days. That will ensure tenderness, and you can still have the health benefits of 100% grass fed. It may be difficult to find an abbatoir that dry ages the beef, but it is well worth seeking out.

[DougW]

FWIW mobile butchers aren't an option in BC anymore. If you want to sell it then meat has to be slaughtered at an inspected facility, so I don't think there are any "official" mobile set ups. If meat is just for you then you can do whatever you want of course.

People here (Windermere Valley Farmers Institute) just got approval to build a small scale abattoir in Invermere, they had to get zoning changed. Not sure when it will be done but its in the works. The next closest abattoir is down in Cranbrook, which apparently was a hassle for small producers to transport all the way down there.

You can get a class D or E licence which allows non inspected killing gutting the send to processor which I think one is set up or setting up in Golden.

The following terms and conditions apply to Class D licences only:
• Slaughter volume is limited to a total of 25 animal units (1 animal unit = 454 kg (1000 lbs) live weight)* per year.
• Licences are valid for a five-year term.
• All meat and meat products originating from a Class D establishment must be labelled as follows:
“ Class D – Not government inspected. For sale and use only in the regional district of <insert
name of regional district in which your farm is located>”

[DougW]

The grass-fed and finished beef has the tremendous health benefits. If you do decide to feed 'some' grain, really any amount of grain in the animal's system completely changes their blood ph and digestive microbes, and changes the omega fat balance for the worse. it is not really a proportional thing, as in, a little grain makes the meat a little less healthy. grain feeding, in just about any amount, completely alters the animal's system and you lose the health benefits of grass fed.

Feeding a bit of grain might make the meat more tender, that tenderness is really based on the animal's rate of gain and not anything inherent in the grain. But I would advise against it, as you lose the healthiness of the meat. And the meat will likely still be delicious.

IME, much more of the eating quality comes from the slaughtering and butchering than anything else. Highly reccomended to dry age the beef 21+ days. That will ensure tenderness, and you can still have the health benefits of 100% grass fed. It may be difficult to find an abbatoir that dry ages the beef, but it is well worth seeking out.

I think we can completly finish on "grass" but from what I've read is not just good grass but very good grass so lots of alpha which we have one field that fits the bill. Long term would have to do some fencing but one year could use elec fence and take them off that field at night.

Dry aging , I guess if we got a premium $ it might be worth it but we'd end up doing it ourselves. Can this be done in a reefer trailer?

[ate'em]

Dry aging , I guess if we got a premium $ it might be worth it but we'd end up doing it ourselves. Can this be done in a reefer trailer?

Easy to do in a reefer trailer. Hang the whole gutted carcasses at 35-40 degrees. Dry ageing is simple, but definitely an old country art with its own bits of knowledge. Getting a price premium will depend on your customers. None of the supermarket beef is dry aged, so it deserves a premium, but most consumers know nothing about it. The best steakhouses use dry aged beef, so they know.

IMHO, dry ageing mitigates so much toughness in the beef that you could get away with grass finishing on less than ideal pastures. For truly class grassfed beef, the key is constant rapid weight gain through the entire life of the beef. The finishing stage is emphasized so much because this is where it is most difficult to keep up with the animal's soaring energy needs.

[DougW]

Did a search on reefer trailer auction results and their not that $. Way too much to use once a year for 5 steers but ... does dry aging apply to elk and deer also?? Isn't that a service that could to offered to hunters in fall?

[ate'em]

does dry aging apply to elk and deer also?? Isn't that a service that could to offered to hunters in fall?

definitely. dry ageing really improves game in my experience. would be an interesting business idea, especially considering the $$$ hunters seem to shell out in the fall.