# Jerseys for beef cows?



## porkchop48

I have a chance to get some jersey bull calf pretty cheap. 

Would it be worth it to get a couple to raise up and butcher?  They would be banded. I know they are smaller than "beef" cows but essentially still beef. 

Can some one who has done it offer any advice?


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## aggieterpkatie

They may take longer to get to weight, but they're delicious.  Jersey beef is some of the best there is, IMO.  The fat tends to be more yellow, which some people don't like, but they really do taste delicious.  Make sure to disbud them!


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## dwbonfire

no experience here, but i have been told by a few people that jerseys are the best tasting meat and they wouldnt raise anything else!


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## jhm47

I have also heard that Jerseys are excellent meat, however I have never tasted it.  The biggest drawback is their extreme slow growth and very poor feed efficiency.  They will eat a lot of feed to put on a pound of meat, and this is why they are not popular as beef animals.  And---be SURE to have them dehorned.  Even Jersey steers can be quite aggressive, and I'd hate to see you get hurt.  Good luck!


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## Stubbornhillfarm

We have 2 Jersey steers in our herd.  They are a year old now and a long way from getting any meat from them.  One has finally started to bulk a little,  but we fully expect that they will be at least 2 years old before we will butcher them and get any quantity of meat from them.  Our Hereford heifer who is the same age as them, probably out-weighs them by close to 100 pounds.  Paid $25.00 each for the Jerseys, paid $400.00 for the Hereford.  Each cow has easily eaten the same amount.  

We are glad that we had the Jerseys to raise as bottle babies and get that experience  and see them grow from 1 day old, but I doubt that we will do that again.  

I think that if you go into it knowing that they are a "long process" you will probably be happy with your choice.  If you don't want that long term commitment, I would save up a little more and purchase a beef cow.


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## ourflockof4

It depends on what you want to do with them to be honest with you. They can be finished out to good quality, but there feed regiment is much different then with some other breeds. If you want to pasture raise them and just feed them hay they will not finish out very well. They will have a lot of bone mass and not much muscle and fat marbling. Beef & heritage breeds will be much better for pasture raised beef. But, if you are ok with dry lotting them and throwing a lot of inputs at them they can finish quite well. My #1 suggestion for getting a good finish is a steer stuffer with a good feed ration. I am currently feeding ground ear corn with a complete concentrate pellet along with free choice good quality hay. The bovine feed specialist that I deal with also recommended that I cut the hay intake to 2 lbs per day per head when they hit 500 lbs. They gets lots of roughage from the ear corn and they hay would fill them up and reduce there feed intake. Basically with dairy feeders for beef you need to push them hard from day one. A lot of guys in my area raise holstiens this way and can get them to a very nice finish in 14-16 months at 1200-1300 lbs. If they dont push hard from the start the finish at 1700-1800 lbs at 24+ months with less quality finish.


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## Mike Fronczak

We raised a Jersey & a Jersey/Holestein cross last year for meat.  As others have said you need to put a lot of grain to them to get any meat on them.  The meat has good flavor though. Even with all the grain & bs, we still did ok.  Having something to now compare to now  I can't say I would raise a Jersey again.  We now have Scottish Highlands, use less grain on our herd of 6 than we did on two Jersey steers, the pure Jersey steer had a crazy look in his eye, Highlands are much more calm & predictable (they let you know if their agitated), the steers got out 3 times in the summer we had them, the Highlands we got last fall and haven't challenged a fenceline yet.


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## kfacres

after 800 pounds, jersey will no longer be able to be sent through a grinder in a pleasing manor.  The meat b/c so marbled-- that it just balls up and turns to mush.  

a jersey will eat about 4 times what a beef animal will eat- and yield you about half the meat in about half as long.  You have to determine if that cheaper (although you have to add atleast $50 bucks to your purchasing price as in the milk replacer price), is worth more to  you to get less meat, in more time- and with more grain...


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## MrsKK

Interesting posts.

We raise Jersey for beef since twelve years ago when we couldn't find any Holstein calves.  In comparison, every other meat we've eaten has been dry, tough, and flavorless.

We feed about 6 lbs of sweet feed and 2 quarts of soaked beet pulp per day to each steer once they are over six months old, gradually working them up to that amount of grain and beet pulp.  They get free choice alfalfa/grass hay.  They don't grow huge - our most recent hung at 469 lbs at 18 months old - but they are the best beef.  

We don't have any grazing, as we have only two acres total of property.  I think we do pretty darn good.  Oh, they are started for 3 months on raw milk, too, as we have a cow that we foster calves onto once her calf is weaned.  She can easily raise us four extra calves a year.


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## redtailgal

I've gotta agree with KK on this.........Jersey is some nice meat when raised properly.


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## kfacres

MrsKK said:
			
		

> Interesting posts.
> 
> We raise Jersey for beef since twelve years ago when we couldn't find any Holstein calves.  In comparison, every other meat we've eaten has been dry, tough, and flavorless.
> 
> We feed about 6 lbs of sweet feed and 2 quarts of soaked beet pulp per day to each steer once they are over six months old, gradually working them up to that amount of grain and beet pulp.  They get free choice alfalfa/grass hay.  They don't grow huge - our most recent hung at 469 lbs at 18 months old - but they are the best beef.
> 
> We don't have any grazing, as we have only two acres total of property.  I think we do pretty darn good.  Oh, they are started for 3 months on raw milk, too, as we have a cow that we foster calves onto once her calf is weaned.  She can easily raise us four extra calves a year.


why are you feeding beet pulp?  That is nothing but a filler.  I could see if used as a roughage-- but you say you offer free choice hay?


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## elevan

Beet pulp is most certainly not just filler.  It's used for several different species from horses to cattle to goats and beyond.



> Calcium
> Beet pulp contains more calcium than many other feeds, including corn grain and oat bran. Calcium is important specifically in horse nutrition. According to Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, for every gram of phosphorous in horse feed, there needs to be at least as much calcium. This prevents calcium in the horse's bones from leeching. Horses that do not get enough calcium tire easily and can develop muscle cramps when riding.
> Potassium
> Like humans, horses and other animals require potassium for nerve function, muscle control and blood pressure. Pressed beet pulp contains potassium at approximately the same levels of other roughage. Adequate potassium levels are important for animals used in sport, because the nutrient contributes to overall strength and endurance.
> Protein
> Beet pulp contains 10 percent crude protein and 18 percent crude fiber. With this ratio, beet pulp is ranked in between the two categories of feed: forage feed and energy feed. The protein in beet pulp contains essential amino acids and is easily digested by animals. Because the pulp is also low in sugar, it is low on the glycemic index, making it an efficient fuel source for animals.
> Fiber
> The bulk of what makes up beet pulp is carbohydrates. Beet pulp is 81 percent carbohydrate and can be used to replace more expensive sources of calories in an animal's diet. The highly soluble fiber content in beet pulp also ensures that animals are able to digest the feed properly, breaking down the pulp into usable energy.
> 
> 
> Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/512111-nutrition-of-beet-pulp/#ixzz1wIzmU3Hl


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## kfacres

elevan said:
			
		

> Beet pulp is most certainly not just filler.  It's used for several different species from horses to cattle to goats and beyond.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Calcium
> Beet pulp contains more calcium than many other feeds, including corn grain and oat bran. Calcium is important specifically in horse nutrition. According to Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, for every gram of phosphorous in horse feed, there needs to be at least as much calcium. This prevents calcium in the horse's bones from leeching. Horses that do not get enough calcium tire easily and can develop muscle cramps when riding.
> Potassium
> Like humans, horses and other animals require potassium for nerve function, muscle control and blood pressure. *Pressed beet pulp contains potassium at approximately the same levels of other roughage.* Adequate potassium levels are important for animals used in sport, because the nutrient contributes to overall strength and endurance.
> Protein
> Beet pulp contains 10 percent crude protein and 18 percent crude fiber. With this ratio, beet pulp is ranked in between the two categories of feed: forage feed and energy feed. The protein in beet pulp contains essential amino acids and is easily digested by animals. Because the pulp is also low in sugar, it is low on the glycemic index, making it an efficient fuel source for animals.
> Fiber
> The bulk of what makes up beet pulp is carbohydrates. Beet pulp is 81 percent carbohydrate and can be used to replace more expensive sources of calories in an animal's diet. The highly soluble fiber content in beet pulp also ensures that animals are able to digest the feed properly, breaking down the pulp into usable energy.
> 
> 
> Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/512111-nutrition-of-beet-pulp/#ixzz1wIzmU3Hl
Click to expand...

I thought we were feeding cattle- not horses.

At my place- a simple Ca supplement works the best to raise my Ca levels to 2:1.  not to mention is much, much cheaper.

P is not deficient- in any part of the country, and is very rarely deficient in nearly every feed ration known to mankind.

I BOLDED a statement- read that and ask yourself what's in your free choice hay.  

I underlined another---  that's about the highest fiber sourced feed I've ever heard of- second to maybe Cottonseed hulls.  Like I said-- filler.

I didn't see anywhere, that beet pulp has a specific function other than a filler to allow other feed ingredients to do their job better.  Yes, it add some protein- but only 1% more than corn adds.  Corn is 8.8% C.P if you didn't know-- on average.  Corn is a pitiful protein source- perhaps the poorest feed stuff known to mankind.  


Here's something for you to read:
Feeds are most commonly categorized as either a forage, an energy feed or a protein supplement. Feeds with fiber content higher than 18% crude fiber are considered a forage and include feeds such as all types of hay (including dairy-quality alfalfa or meal made from alfalfa), soybean hulls, almond hulls and ground corn cobs. Feeds that contain less than 18% crude fiber and less than 20% crude protein are categorized as an energy feed and include all cereal grains, wheat and rice bran, fats and molasses. Feeds which contain less than 18% crude fiber and more that 20% crude protein are categorized as a protein supplement and include feeds such as meals derived from soybean, linseed or cottonseed, brewers yeast, fish meal, sunflower seeds and dehydrated milk.

Familiarity with these simple definitions is very helpful when comparing commercial feed mixes which often have vague or elusive label names or descriptions. Rather than trying to puzzle out whether a bag of Aunt Tilly's Super Barnyard Rocket Fuel is really going to help your horse gain weight or is just another bag of lawn clippings, a quick look at the crude fiber and protein content will identify whether the product is an energy feed or just fifty pounds of high-priced hay.

So where does beet pulp fit into these categories? In fact, beet pulp doesn't quite fit neatly into either the forage or the energy feed categories. At 10% crude protein and 18% crude fiber, beet pulp sits right on the edge between being a forage and an energy feed. Most nutritionists will refer to and utilize beet pulp as a forage, and therein lies much of the advantage. Compare the energy content of beet pulp with other grain and forage sources:

Feed Type	Energy 
(Mcals/kg)	Comparison 
to beet pulp
Vegetable oil	 8.98	 385%
Corn grain	 3.38	 145%
Wheat bran	 2.94	 126%
Oat grain	 2.85	 122%
*Beet pulp, dry	 2.33	 100%*
Alfalfa hay, early bloom	 2.24	 96%
Alfalfa hay, full bloom	 1.97	 85%
Bermuda hay, 29-43 days growth	1.96	 84%
Timothy hay, mid bloom	 1.77	 76%
Oat hay	 1.75	 75%
Orchardgrass hay, late bloom	 1.72	 74%


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## elevan

Regardless of who you are feeding the nutritional content remains the same.


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## kfacres

elevan said:
			
		

> Regardless of who you are feeding the nutritional content remains the same.


but the requirement of the livestock species greatly varies.


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## elevan

kfacres said:
			
		

> elevan said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Regardless of who you are feeding the nutritional content remains the same.
> 
> 
> 
> but the requirement of the livestock species greatly varies.
Click to expand...

The following quotes are from this research article:  http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/004/X6512E/X6512E21.htm



> Our experiments have demonstrated that in diets fed to young steers for fattening, the feeding value of dried beet pulp is identical to that of rolled barley, irrespective of whether it is used as a staple food or as a supplement.





> All the results reported here show that beet pulp is an excellent source of energy for ruminants during the growing-finishing period and during lactation. In compounding high-energy rations, beet pulp may be used as the sole source of energy or as a replacement for some of the grain, whether it be barley or maize. Levels of beet pulp as high as 90 percent of the ration have no detrimental effects on animal performance.
> 
> In feeding for beef production, dried sugar beet pulp may therefore be used as an energy source to replace a substantial part of the grain component of the ration. In practice, the ration will be fed at a level equivalent to 0.65 percent of the live weight of the animal. The quantities of supplements that should be fed to animals of different weights and the average intake of dried pulp fed ad libitum are shown in Table 2.
> 
> The capacity of young bovines to utilize dried beet pulp with remarkable efficiency makes it possible to conserve a considerable portion of the grain crop for direct use by humans and thus helps to reduce the competition between man and animals in meeting energy requirements.


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## Royd Wood

BEET PULP is just the best


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## Stubbornhillfarm

Royd,  you crack me up.  Just say'n!


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