On our farm, we typically do one of three things with the calf. If you’re wondering where we sell the calf, every farm is little different on this. Keep in mind, that it’s ideal for a calf to be born every year, but there are always lots of variables (more on that later). We want every cow to have a calf every year. The key to a cow-calf farm is conception. So, what does “cow-calf farm” mean? It means the farmer owns a herd of cows (remember, cows are the moms), and each cow is expected to have a baby calf every year. We’re a fifth-generation farm, so our herd is larger than the average since we’ve been doing this a long time. In Missouri, the average herd size is 27 mama cows. ![]() In the U.S., the beef industry is primarily made up of cow-calf farms. This term may be new to you, but it’s a very common term in the agriculture community and it’s a typical cattle farm in the United States that raises beef cows. Our farm is what’s known as a cow-calf farm. Now that you know the very basic definitions, let’s go a little deeper on the differences between steer vs bull and cow vs heifer. If it’s lower quality meat, it’s usually a cow. So, what do you usually eat when you eat meat? Generally speaking, if it’s good quality meat it’s usually a heifer or steer. We’re guesstimating 12+ months out how much beef buyers will want to purchase the following year. □ Hopefully, this helps explain why all farmers have a limited quantity of beef to sell. It will be ready to be delivered to a customer’s door as finished beef in the Winter of 2025.Īs you can see, it takes almost 3 years from conception to a steak. When it is around 1100 lbs, we will take it to a USDA certified butcher for slaughter and packaging. The calf will be weaned in the Fall of 2024, and then it eats grass and grows for 12-16 months. To give you an idea of the whole timeline, if we breed a cow in the Summer of 2023, it will give birth in the Spring of 2024. Many people are surprised at the period of time it takes for a calf to become beef on their dinner plate. From farm to plate: How long does raising beef cattle take? For instance, Angus cattle are typically black, Jersey cattle are brown and Holsteins are black and white. A bovine’s breed, not its gender, determines its color. is Angus, and there are two types: Red Angus and Black Angus.Ĭontrary to some myths, you can’t determine if an animal is a bull or cow based on its color or if it has horns or not. beef cattle breeds are Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Simmentals and Brahmas. There are more than 250 cattle breeds around the world. What are the different types of cattle breeds On our farm, ear tags in the calf’s left ear mean it’s a heifer (girl) and in the right ear means it’s a steer (boy). ![]() Heifers have teats, but no visible udder like cows do.Ĭattle farmers also use ear tags to help quickly distinguish the type of bovine. If you look between the animal’s back legs, you’ll see that cows have udders and bulls have scrotum. If you’re trying to figure out the difference between a bull and steer, cow or heifer, look at the side view near the hind legs. How to tell the difference between bull and steer, cow and heifer? Castration is most commonly done before sexual maturity when the bull is a young calf. His testicles have been removed, and he is incapable of reproducing. Steer: A steer is a male animal that belongs to the cattle family and has been castrated.Bulls exhibit more aggressive behavior and dominant overall (compared to steers). An adult bull will have its genitals intact with a scrotum and testicles. Bull: A mature male bovine that is fertile and is used for breeding.Bred Heifer: A female bovine that is pregnant with her first calf.In other words, heifers are like “first-time moms” Once a heifer has a calf, she automatically becomes a cow. Heifer: A heifer is a young female animal that has not had her first calf yet.Using everyday lingo, the cows are the “moms” Cow: A cow is a female bovine that has had at least one calf.Bovine: An animal in the cattle group, which includes bison and buffaloes.If you’re not up-to-speed on the difference between bull and steer, or cow and heifer, here’s some basic cattle terminology. ![]() But, there’s actually a huge difference between a steer vs bull, and a cow vs heifer. If your new to the cattle world, you may think that the term “cow” covers all the animals on our farm.
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