[The Duke]

I just found this site and I was wondering if anyone had info on how long it would take to fatten a steer on grass. I have an area down near my lake that we do not use that is already fenced in and were considering getting a couple steers

 

[oldandcrotchety]

Like dilligaf said, that all depends on what your goal is and what you have to work with. My personal experience has been to buy a calf in about March and pasture it until about the end of Sept. Now I don't know that it has gotten "fattened" up at all on the grass, just bigger, but at this point (end of Sept) start feeding it a high quality corn based feed for about a month to six weeks and then off to the processing plant. Then repeat in the spring.

 

[The Duke]

This one has been rolling around in my head for quite awhile.I really have no desire to keep a steer through the winter... I will probably be better off digging that area up and planting it also.. meat wise it will probably just be a lot of chicken and eggs.

 

[compboy]

Friend I had out west cattle farm said as has been said before 1 acre per cow and 18 months to get it up to weight. That's why I'm avoiding cattle to long to riase and the land could be used for other things course that depends on the land if it's hard to farm or irrigate with it might be worth it to put a cow on. course I agree with the goat Idea we've been looking and goats seem to be a good answer to any meat/milk question you have.

 

[The Duke]

We already have a coop full of chickens and we go thru about one and a half dozen eggs a day. We live in farming country. I have the equipment to work the land. If I still have a job next year we are looking at starting a commercial organic garden. this year we are putting it all up (yesterday i did 48 pints of salsa and 15 quarts of tomatoes). I like others here don't really have the desire to put 18 months into hamburger. especially when in the morning I can shoot a deer out of the pumpkin patch and can him up too.

 

[stoneunhenged]

Sounds like you need a pig if you want lots of meat in a short period of time.

 

[The Duke]

I hate raising pigs but it may be a necessary evil. oooh I can smell the bacon and sausage already.