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| I loved reading this thread, YES Holsteins are very much used for beef! Just take a look at all the feedlots in Calf., etc. that feed them. They are the most predictable cattle breed to feed. They have been A. I. breed for so long, that they are the most uniformed fed cattle. The only problem is, it take a lot longer to feed one out to grade. So there is the problem, the feeders pay a lower prices for calves because of that factor. Also at least in the West, only one plant is set up to kill Holsteins now. For the fact of carcass size, they all go to JBS Packerland in Tolleson, AZ. Even all cull dairy cows go there. So, that is quite a freight bill to get them there.
Also the dairy industry does pay it's share of beef check off dollars too. I've gotten tired of hearing the same old rant of the dairy industry killing beef markets because of dairy buyouts. There was only one Gov. funded dairy buyout in the 80's, all of the last buyouts in the last ten years, were producer funded by dairymen. None of the money came from Gov. or the Beef industry. I've heard word of mouth and the media that those buy outs was causing low cull cow prices for beef men. Well I would like to know how the beef industry thinks they have the corner on cull cows over the dairy industry? The only heart ache I know of right now is when cow/calf industry tries to add more predation control funds thru brand fees, the dairy industry and cattle feeders are not liking it.
Now for my opinion on the buy out, I thought it was a great idea. Because it was the only thing that was 100% producer funded, but as in all things I felt it had a few flaws in it. It was never written so those milking herds got idled. A lot of them went right back in with their heifers. If they would have made those barns idle for over 30 months, it would cleaned those cows out of the market. Also maybe if they would have put a clause in contract so they couldn't have milked for ten years as well, it might have had a change in dairy milk production. I'm sad to see all the producers that had to pay into the CWT ( Cooperatives Working Together) because their coop's voted them into it.
After all the time the CWT tried to raise milk prices, I felt all it did was pad the pockets of a few that got bought out. Now the CWT is trying to use their assessment money to bolster exports markets. They SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING THAT ALL ALONG.
So how do we change things, dairy and beef producers just keep getting more efficient every year. More production out less acres, feeding alterative food stuffs, etc. cost saving practices. We have to get out of the mode prices go down so we add cows, prices go up, we add cows. It is a viscous cycle.
So I guess I better get off my rant for today. But in my closing remarks, I liked reading all these comments. Jim, your right dairy breeds aren't suitable for grazing like beef breeds are (for beef production). Because if you ever watched Holsteins turned out to pasture with beef cattle the Holstein never quit walking fence lines, your most effective gain on them will be in a feed yard setting. I'm just talking from a western states grazing scene, not eastern nor mid-western grazing states because I no nothing of how they do things there. Also let me clarify I know nothing of grass based dairying, that is a business I know nothing of. Very little of it done in my area, I do know a few are making it work for them. Ron Caldwell if you read this, if you have time I would like to here your thoughts on this thread and dairy breeds that are suitable to dairy/grazing than Holsteins.
I will have to make note that I'm a dairy producer, and also a beef cattle guy. I find great pleasure in taking and feeding Holstein heifers ( free martians) along with beef steers. Then sending them to packing house, then send the Holstein meat to my father. He says he can tell the difference between Holstein and Red Angus. I call B. S. on that, little does he know when I switched it on him. My last little trial was taking a kids show steer that had been on grain (another ranches steer not mine), vs. a steer from the same group of cattle fed dairy hay and Cystalix block. Sent to locker plant same time. I've yet to have anybody pick out the steer that had been fed no grain when you cook the two steaks side by side. Just by letting them have final look and taste test on plate. Also let me add I never fed very many of my steers out to the extent the commercial feeders feed theirs.
90% of the public doesn't know grain fed beef from grass fed beef. I do know that one beef cattle producer I knew, always fed a Jersey steer for his personal meat, he liked it better than the beef breeds. I'm not knocking grain fed vs. grass in any way. I like it all. My guess is most people in town can't tell the difference.
I would like to hear others thoughts on this. | |
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why is this
