2 year old bull

[Jacob]

Has anyone processed a 2 year old virgin bull around 1850 pounds? I have one fail a semen test and have extra slot at processor so wanted to know thoughts. We processed one 18 month old with no issues but this one is a few hundred pounds more and few months older. I suspect he will be leaner and have a 1050 hanging weight.

thoughts???

 

[sstterry]

I suspect he will be leaner and have a 1050 hanging weight.

thoughts???

From what I have read, a bull that age will be leaner because they develop less intra-muscular fat deposits.

I had never thought about it before, but would it really make a difference if the bull is a virgin vs a non-virgin bull, assuming everything else was equal?

 

[Buck Randall]

From what I have read, a bull that age will be leaner because they develop less intra-muscular fat deposits.

I had never thought about it before, but would it really make a difference if the bull is a virgin vs a non-virgin bull, assuming everything else was equal?

No difference.

 

[GoWyo]

If possible take him in to be processed with your fat cattle and mix in some of the excess fat with bull burger to bring it to 90% lean. Gives a good flavor too. Check with processor to make sure they can handle one that big too.

 

[Redgully]

I did one at just over two years once and he was horrible. Real gamey taste in the meat. Might be good for ground beef. We only hung him 7 days, im told if you hang them 21 days they mellow out really nice but you lose a bit in trimming.

 

[GoWyo]

I would mostly process for ground beef on a two year old. Maybe keep the tenderloins.

 

[Ky hills]

We have had a couple bulls 17 & 18 months old processed. They turned out well with really no different than the steers we have had except for they had a littlle more pounds of hanging weight.
The 17 month old had a hanging weight of 820, and I believe the other one was 780. The lighter bull had been turned out with cows for a couple months before feeding out.
I can't speak as to what 6 more months of a maturing bull would turn into or not.

 

[Lucky_P]

I remember, 40 years ago, when I was in vet school, I had a classmate whose dad was an MD and had Simmental ranches in OK & AL. He'd come to the Bull Test sale at Auburn, buy the top 2 Simmental bulls for use on the farm, and usually would be the winning bidder- or only bidder - on a couple of Santa Gertrudis bulls... that took a ride straight to the processor. I suspect those were some pretty decent steaks.

 

[Travlr]

Has anyone processed a 2 year old virgin bull around 1850 pounds? I have one fail a semen test and have extra slot at processor so wanted to know thoughts. We processed one 18 month old with no issues but this one is a few hundred pounds more and few months older. I suspect he will be leaner and have a 1050 hanging weight.

thoughts???

I've both fed out young bulls, rather than steers, and used young bulls for light breeding and put them in the freezer. Never more than eighteen months old. I prefer a properly fed and young bull to a steer. But then I've always always concentrated on animals that finish early.

Your bull is a big boy. Might be some differences because he's not fed for slaughter, and he's a little older. But as long as his fat is white, and it should be at that age (I think... don't hold me to it), he should be good to go.

 

[Jacob]

I decided not to take a chance and sent him to sale barn. I didn't have enough room in freezer to just grind him or I would of done that.