We bought a calf last year around august. He is a holstein/hertford cross. The farmer we bought him from came down and banded him but one of the bands must have came off because my steer is a bull.He is also getting ornery. Ever time I go to put him in the pasture he puts his head down and rams me.It HURTS!! He only does it to me, not my husband. I have resorted to having a stick in my hands when I have to be around him.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), July 15, 2001

Answers

YOU CAN BUTCHER YOUR CALF AS A YEARLING. HOLSTEINS DON'T MEAT OUT UNTIL OLDER. BUT BEEF CATTLE CAN BE BUTCHERED WHEN THEY ARE OVER 600 POUNDS WITH NO PROBLEM. BY THE WAY THEY ONLY USE ONE BAND NOT TWO. WRITE BACK IF YOU ARE INTERESTED I CAN GIVE YOU MORE HINTS WITH BUTCHERING YOUNG AS I DO IT ALL THE TIME SO I DON'T HAVE TO FEED THROUGH THE WINTER ROGER

-- R HAYES (HIDAHO2@AOL.COM), July 15, 2001.

Your calf is what's called a Stag. Not all bull and not all steer. A stag is what comes of a sloppy job banding. (Only one is ever used.) He only got one testicle but most of the scrotum. The other testicle has only limited function because it is held up close to the body where temperature cannot be regulated. You still have the hormones kicking in which is why the stag is more interested in you than in your husband. We had an angus cross stag two years ago that we had to butcher earlier than we would have liked because he got too dangerous to be around. When to butcher is up to you and how long you can tolerate his behavior, but age-wise, he is ready now.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 15, 2001.

2 is the best age for marbling in the meat .Younger it will not have alot and may taste a little like veal.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 15, 2001.

Hi, Tracy. The ideal age for that animal is as soon as you can get him to the butcher. If he is a 12 month old bull he is starting to feel his oats. Doesn't make him dangerous yet, but the head ramming towards you only, and not your husband, makes it sound like he may be considering trying to mount you. If you get knocked down by an animal like that and accidentally stomped on, it's going to ruin your summer and then some. Take care you don't ever turn your back on him so you can always keep the corner of your eye on him when you are around him. He may never try anything, but it's best to be on guard and err towards safety.

Jennifer L.

-- Jennifer J. Lance (jlance@imcnet.net), July 16, 2001.

Jennifer are you talking from experience!!

-- Russell Hays (rhays@sstelco.com), July 16, 2001.

Thank you for all the responses. So my stag has the hots for me{LOL}. I have always been around horses and you have to establish that you are higher in their pecking order but have not had a lot of luck with Stanley[stag] aka filet mignon. I do watch him closley because I dont trust him. Unfortunatley my husband is going on his 3rd foot surgery and has not been able to help alot in the barn. I would like to wait a little longer to butcher him so we can get the most meat but will have to see. Any tips on fattening him up any faster? I have a friend that works for a dog food company and he brings me barrels of corn that has fallen onto the floor and they dont use. I feed my turkeys and chickens that but what about for stanley? Thanks again.. Tracy

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), July 16, 2001.

Cattle do not digest whole kernel corn very well. Most of what you feed will end up in the manure. You might try soaking it for several days first to soften it up. For example, use a number of buckets, feeding and refilling one each day. If the kernels sprout, so much the better. That was the basis for moonshine - see Foxfire #1.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), July 18, 2001.