Question on getting a bull processed.

[cassie]

Jerseys have excellent flavor to their meat. As to meat being off flavored because the bull has bred a cow, that is just plain silly. Lots of cows in milk and non virgin bulls go to slaughter every day. I don't know why the person who said the cow in milk tasted odd, but I would bet it had nothing to do with the fact she was in milk. It is more likely something to do with why she had to go to slaughter in the first place. I have heard that boars can produce off flavored meat, but we butchered two that we didn't get around to castrating and they were delicious. They weren't real old, but they weren't real young either. They dressed out in the 250 pound range.

 

[greathorse]

Pigs in my opinion are a different matter altogether. I have opened many boar hogs on the processing floor and they can and will stink to high heaven. They must be processed at just the right time or they can be quite rank.

I worked my fathers slaughter plant for many years and that was my experience. Bulls are just different than hogs for some reason. I am sure there is a detailed scientific explanation but my knowledge comes from opening those pigs up and YIKES!!

 

[spectrumranch]

Quote:
At what age are you planning on having him butchered?

The cattle we feed out are usually not butchered until at least 18 months old. If he was castrated now and butchered when filled out- I would think it would be the best.

 

[Riocotesei]

Quote:
At what age are you planning on having him butchered?

The cattle we feed out are usually not butchered until at least 18 months old. If he was castrated now and butchered when filled out- I would think it would be the best.

He turned a year in March. He's really filled out recently, If I can get a decent picture of him I'll post it on here for everyone to see. We were planning on butchering him pretty soon, but it will be a month wait usually at the place we go to to get him butchered. My mom would rather not castrate him if its not necessary, we don't really have the stuff to do that. Plus she feels bad putting him through that if we're just going to eat him soon anyways.
Also, something I just thought of mentioning, is that we got him when he was a week old and he was bottle fed, so we've had him and raised him good from the beginning.

Thanks for everyone's comments and interest, it has been very helpful!

 

[greathorse]

This bull at this age will be very lean. He will have very little intramuscular fat. In other words he will not "grade" but unless you are looking for that very rich flavor that comes from intramuscular fat he will be just fine. He will be what my father always called "baby beef". He should be tender the cuts will not be very big, but that is OK too.

At a year old if he is full Jesey he will weigh about 8oo lbs I am guessing he will dress out on the rail at about 55% of that and from that you will have about 55% boneless beef to eat. Very little fat to throw away.

I agree you could "finish" him at 18 months but Jersey bulls are known to be a bit temperamental and if left intact could get aggressive. The one I raised I slaughtered earlier than I expected due to his taking me on one day.

Good luck