Question on getting a bull processed.

[Riocotesei]

I have a Jersey bull that is a year old and I was planning on taking him in and getting him butchered.
I've heard people say that if a bull has bred with a cow that the meat will taste bad. I personally have a hard tome believing that, so I wanted to know what my fellow BYCers have to say.
Thanks

 

[Slinkytoys]

Actually it's the cow in milk whose meat tastes, well.....different LOL.
Slinky

 

[arabianequine]

Quote:
Not sure I understand what your saying there slinky.

I don't personally know about cows I have one bull though I will find out eventually I guess but I know goats do....I have heard it though even on sheep, pigs, and cows people say it is so.

 

[Brindlebtch]

I know boar meat will taste kind of musky. I don't know about bull, but with the make hormones it might taste a little off, but I really don't know.

Anyway to castrate him a few weeks before butchering?

 

[Slinkytoys]

Our friend had to slaughter a cow who was nursing a calf. When we fried up the hamburger on the stove, whoowhee did it smell like someone poured milk into the pan. It tasted different too. They ended up eating the whole cow, but I sure was glad my parents didn't buy any of it.
Slinky

 

[Riocotesei]

Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate it

If the meat tastes off...or musky... do you guys think it is worth $200-300 to get 'em butchered?

Still looking for any first hand experience or additional help/comments.

Thanks again

 

[SpringChickens]

Some people/cultures prefer bull meat to other - just like some people prefer roo meat to Cornish X. It does have more flavor and will be tougher, but it still will make great hamburger.

 

[greathorse]

Make sure your young bull is on good feed, the feed of your choice. The secret to a good tasting animal has a lot to do with whether or not they are gaining weight or just maintaining. If your yearling bull has bred a cow or two it will not taint the meat. I butchered a jersey bull a few years ago and he was one of the best tasting cattle I ever had. Jersey cattle are known to be one of the most tender of all. They aren't really very effecient converters of feed compared to the beef breeds but they are good to eat. Clay Center in Nebraska declares them as tender as Angus from a genetics standpoint. The fat has a chance of being a bit more yellow in a milk producing breed than it does in the beef breeds, but again if the animal is eating grain it will make for a whiter fat as well.

I have been a butcher, meat cutter my whole life so have a bit of experience in the matter.

Get the animal on good feed and lots of it.

If he is on grass make sure it is plentiful and lush. If he is on grain make sure he is doing well on it.

Yes I would spend a couple of hundred bucks getting him processed.

Good luck
eta: Castrating him just before processing will not make a difference.

 

[Riocotesei]

Thank you so much for your reply! It's just the one I needed to seal the deal.

He is a very spoiled bull in my opinion. He gets fed cow feed 2 times a day equivalent of 7lbs and has free choice horse quality hay and can go out in the 3 acre pasture whenever he likes. Our acreage is mostly Johnson grass with some random weeds mixed in.
We raised a Holstein/Angus cross till he was 8 months and he has been very tasty. He was raised the same way.

Thanks again

We are going to make some arrangements now....heh heh.

 

[danischi24]

I raise calves & the bullocks are sold for slaughter un-castrated. They taste great! You are what you eat so it sounds like your bull will be Oh-so-delicious