Jersey cows are gaining popularity across dairy and calf-raising operations across the globe. Much like their Holstein counterparts, the first 60 days are critical to the future of their performance. Steers are young castrated male cattle. While a large milk production capability paired with a relatively small size is a plus for Jersey cows, a small size in the steers is a negative for producing beef.
Jersey cows are primarily a dairy breed, and while the females can serve as dairy cows when grown, that’s obviously not the case with male calves. While a small percentage is kept as bulls, most end up as veal calves or steers. Jersey steers are generally fattened up and slaughtered at approximately 1 year of age.
The interesting thing about raising Jersey and Holstein calves is that both breeds do better than traditional beef on a pasture-fed diet, supplemented with grain, or just pasture. Also, they can be fed on winter ryegrass, for a very low investment, and sold later in the year when prices are higher.
What To Feed Jersey Steers For Beef
Jersey steers are heavy browsers, they eat mostly grasses and shrubs. You can supplement their diet with hay or grain if you want, but it’s not necessary. If you do decide to add grain, choose something with a high protein content like corn or soybean.
Nutritionists recommend feeding steers a mixture of grass hay and corn silage for their energy requirements while giving them free-choice access to grass or legume pasture for their protein requirements. Water is an important nutrient that must be readily available at all times. Supplements such as vitamins and minerals can be given to the steers through their drinking water.
Barley is the best grain for lot-feeding jersey steers, but wheat, triticale, sorghum, maize, lupins, and oats can be used. Oats are not an ideal grain on their own for fattening steers but can be used with any of the other grains. Hay or silage can be used as the roughage source.
How Much To Feed Jersey Steers
Jersey steer needs to eat 15 pounds of feed per day to gain 2.5 pounds. 15 pounds x 30 days = 450 pounds of feed per month. 450 x 9 months = 4050 pounds of feed. You can feed a little grain, like 1-2 lbs a day, for the last 2-3 months, which will add a little fat but the grass has to be GOOD.
Most Jersey Steers will hit 1100 lbs at about 24-26 months and have a good degree of marbling. You should weigh your steer regularly to help determine how he is growing.
Best Age to Butcher a Jersey cow
A Jersey cow is typically butchered between 15 and 18 months of age. The exact time will vary depending on the weight of your animal, so it’s important to keep an eye on your steer’s body condition and make sure that you don’t let it get too thin.
The age at which you can butcher a Jersey steer must be determined on an individual basis. This is because each animal has different potential, and some will be ready to butcher earlier than others.
The younger the steer is, the more tender the meat will be. This means that if you want your meat to be as tender as possible, you should butcher it as early as possible. The older the animal is, however, the more likely it will be to have developed tough muscle tissue, which will make its meat less tender than that of a younger animal.
Jersey Steer Weight
A Jersey steer will get as big as you can feed it. A Jersey steer can weigh anywhere from 1,200 to 1,500 pounds at a maturity age of about 18 – 24 months. A Jersey steer will grow to be as big as you want it to be with the right diet and nutritional supplements.
The size of your Jersey steer is determined by a few factors: genetics, diet, and exercise. If you have a smaller-than-average calf at birth, it’s not necessarily doomed to remain small forever, but it will always be smaller than its peers. Quality diet consisting of grain concentrates and nutritious hay and grasses can make a huge difference in their weight gain within a short period.
Lastly, active jersey steers tend to shed their weight faster than steers kept under intensive care where feeds and water are served to them regularly. Most breeders that fatten steers prefer to keep them under an intensive care system for faster and quicker growth within a short period.
Interesting Facts About Jersey Cows
- Jersey steers are a lean, healthy cut of meat.
- Jerseys require high fat in their diets.
- Jerseys have lower body weight at birth.
- Jersey heifers require high calcium at calving.
- Jerseys reach sexual earlier in life.
- Jersey bulls have a reputation for being difficult and dangerous.
Read also: Why A2 Milk From Jersey Cows Is Better Than Other Breeds
Lastly, fattening jersey steers for good meat production is a profitable operation. Quality feed like grasses, hay, and grain concentrates (such as corn, millets, and, barley) should make up their diet. Water must be readily available for easy digestion and absorption of nutrients. The inclusion of vitamins and minerals in steer diets can help boost their immune system and improve feed intake.
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