# tossup, bull or steer



## grass (Nov 12, 2008)

i'm debaiting weather or not to make both those bull calves into steers.....will it change the growth rate or anything?


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## steerrider (Nov 12, 2008)

Yes it changes the growth rate. If you think about it, all cattle in the US are slaughtered at or before 18 months, and all feed yard aniamls are casterated. Its not for the hormones as they add those and you get "bullers" 
Steers will out grow bulls becoming taller, and grow faster then bulls.


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## Farmer Kitty (Nov 12, 2008)

Steers meat is generally better than a bull. Then you have the safety factor. Bulls are generally more tempermental than steers-there are exceptions and young bulls are better than older ones by far.


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## wynedot55 (Nov 12, 2008)

id steer them calves.they can get pretty rough if you leave them bulls.


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## grass (Nov 13, 2008)

guess i should barrow my cousins bander then.wonder how the wifes gonna take to helping me do this


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## Pure Country (Nov 13, 2008)

All things considered, we keep our calves bulls.  They are usually sold by the time they are 6 mos. to a year old anyway and are somewhat halter broke.  Ours are registered and if the girls have time, are shown at least once before selling them.  

The meat is pretty much the same as it is for a steer or heifer.  We have butchered all and couldn't even tell a difference.  It's all in how it's fed.  If we have a bull, we just keep it in a large pen to feed it out.  

We don't give ours growth hormones of any kind.  They get feed, hay, mineral/vitamin licks, salt, grass.


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## wynedot55 (Nov 13, 2008)

i dont cut my reg cows calves either.the 1s that dont make it as bulls go to the sale barn.


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## grass (Nov 13, 2008)

well ya all know i'm new to this...so whatever advise i can get is what i'm taking ....they did tell me lastnight when i signed my boys up for 4H that they had to raised steers and not bulls...also have to have them dehorned...i'll prolly sell one of these calves and start with a fresh one in january because son has to go from january with his calf for the 4H......i may still talk the wife into a hefer yet


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## grass (Nov 13, 2008)

his calf has to be 450 to 650lbs before time to show at the fair


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## wynedot55 (Nov 13, 2008)

if your going that rout.id buy the best bull calf i could.steer him an feed him good for 6 months.but honestly i think id go the heifer rout.


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## grass (Nov 13, 2008)

it's gonna bum my son out...steers he has to sell at the fair, hefers he's aloud to keep after the fair


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## amysflock (Nov 13, 2008)

Our breeder told me the other evening that he's had success steering a bull really late, like 16 months. I personally can't image...he did it via banding. (Had done it earlier but the band broke, and for some reason waited 6 months before banding again.)

I don't think this would work for us as any boys we get on our little property would be ready to breed momma by that age for sure, and I don't forsee us ever keeping a bull, unless we have the ability to lease a field elsewhere to keep him separated. 

But man, the thought of trying to band a 16 month old bull...seems a little crazy to me, even if he ends up being that much bigger and beefier.


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## Pure Country (Nov 13, 2008)

If they are in 4-H or FFA, they cannot show bulls.  The teachers feel that a student cannot handle a bull properly. They can however, show bulls in Open shows.  That is what we did with ours.  It has to be a steer or heifer.  One thing to remember, is that there are lots of classes for steers and maybe half that for heifers.  Unless it commercial.  Then there are lots of entries.   When my girls showed for 4-H and FFA, they had registered calves so there wasn't that many in each class.   Most breeders breed their cows so that they calve after Sept 1 and as late as Jan, especially if they are selling their calves for 4-H or FFA students.  The only steers we had were ones that had already been castrated when we bought them.


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## m.holloway (Nov 14, 2008)

my grand kids are showing heirfers this yr. at the fair, i'm hoping that if i breed them i'll get a steer. but then he'll go to market when he big enough.


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## Imissmygirls (Nov 16, 2008)

I think you need to speak more with the 4H leaders before you go buying. Sounds like you are talking beef 4H rather than dairy 4H. There is a huge difference. Beef 4H in our area really concentrates on picking out a steer calf and raising it for slaughter. They even have dairy beef shows here-- also castrated only.
It's very reasonable not to show bulls. It's hard for kids to control a heifer/cow in heat at a show. Heaven help them if a bull would be close by!
If you are buying a heifer for breeding, it pays to get the best you can afford to start with if you are going to show it.  Speaking from experience, it may take the entire 4H career to breed up to a quality animal if you start with a lousy one.  Ask for help if you don't know what to look for. That's what 4H is all about... learning!


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