Are mini jersey cows good for meat

But minis do equate with fine prime beef. Jersey steers are most definitely good for meat–several on here can attest to that–its just that they arent like your classical beef steers for two reasons.

Mini Jerseys are by nature dual purpose breed.

Are mini jersey cows good for meat. Some Miniature Jersey cattle farmers also utilize the breed for meat providing another potential use for this versatile animal. But perhaps one of the most interesting benefits of a keeping a miniature cow is that it provides people with an accessible way to capture that unique connection to the land that farming brings. Mini Jerseys are by nature dual purpose breed.

They are primarily bred for milk production but with their compact size they they tend to carry more body condition. Which makes them suitable for meat and milk. Which in turn makes them easier keepers.

With our cows we give them free choice grasspasture or high quality hay in the winter. Giving between 2-4 gallons a day a growing family can make all the cheese butter yogurt cream cheese heavy cream ice cream and milk that they could want by keeping a single Mini Jersey and her calf and have enough left over to share with a neighbor. The calf can be sold for income or raised for meat.

Cattle are rough on pasture due to their hooves and weight. Mini cows are much easier on pasture as well as fencing. Beef cattle are especially known for being rough on fencing ie.

You wont need super tough and expensive fencing for mini cattle. You will save money on feed. Jersey steers are most definitely good for meat–several on here can attest to that–its just that they arent like your classical beef steers for two reasons.

Because Jerseys are a dairy breed they are naturally thin and genetically selected to produce milk not meat. This doesnt mean that they will have muscle mass it just means. In raising dairy cattle for beef Jersey produces a higher ratio of meat than a Holstein does.

A Holstein is all bone whereas the bones of a Jersey are smaller therefore more meat to them. We had a neighbor a few years back who told us to look at the head of an animal to judge how boney it would bea bigger head means a higher ratio of bone to meat. Many families on a small farm enjoy having livestock but dont have a lot of land for pasture.

With only one or two acres you might be able to keep one standard-size milk cow or a couple of calves to grow for beef. A lone animal is not happy or as productive as a cow with companions however. This problem can be resolved with miniature cattle.

Like other miniature cow breeds they are loving and easy to care for. They would make a good addition to any family. Just keep in mind that to buy one you will need to fork over up to a whopping 30000.

Miniature Jersey Cows are extremely friendly and are lower maintenance to take care of. It has been a few weeks and we are so excited to try the meat from our first steer raised on the farm. CLICK SHOW MORESupport Our ChannelPa.

However Mini Dexters are also popular for their meat production ability. These cows put on weight quickly much quicker than Galloways or Highlands. In fact these cows can reach 400 pounds in just 14 months thanks to their feed efficiency.

Theyre ideal to raise for meat. If you butcher an entire miniature cow you get just the right amount of meat for a small family. A single tiny cow can feed a family of 4 people for months.

These miniature breeds convert expensive organic feed into choice cuts more efficiently than their standard-sized counterparts. Dexters are tri-purpose cattle beef milk and draft. The breed has a good foraging ability as well as high feed conversion and meat-to-bone ratios.

You can finish a grass-fed Dexter steer in 18 to 24 months and it will dress out at 50 to 60 percent live weight. Their beef is fine-textured tender and delicious. They are raised mainly for beef and are often crossed with another beef breed like Angus.

But they are known for growing really well and producing quality meat and hides. So if you like to make leather from your cattle this would be a good breed to consider. Small Cows Offer Tasty Meat.

But minis do equate with fine prime beef. Gourmet markets and upscale restaurants clamor for lean and luscious grass-fed mini steaks and roasts. Call for organic edibles will increase 20 percent per year claims the genetic merchandise association.

Dexters give the highest ratio of meat to live weight than any other breed. This means that while you get less meat per butchering because of their smaller size a higher percentage of the cow actually becomes meat than is the case with other breeds. Ive not had 100 Jersey meat but I have had 100 Dexter meat.

You would breed it back to another mini-jersey bull giving you a 75 dairy and 25 beef animal. Each generation from then on is bred to a pure mini jersey bull meaning each generation gives more dairy and less beef. Once you have greater than about 93 mini-jersey it is considered pure.

Some folks ask me if I think that miniature cattle will be a fad. I respond by saying that unlike some miniature livestock miniature cattle are functional and productive farm animals. In addition to being great pets they also provide great tasting milk and beef Pat Schout.

Bulldog Gene Miniature Jersey. I believe we all are trying to do the absolute best we can for our cows and have good intent in our hearts. I never meant to hurt my cow by feeding her grass.

Hopefully other Jersey cow owners can learn from my mistakes and save their sweet bovines some unnecessary problems. Continue reading to know the truth about the grass-fed-cow craze and how it may be.