How Many Months of Raising Beef Cattle Before Slaughter Is Best? Time from Birth to Slaughter and Profit Analysis

Beef cattle, that is, beef-purpose cattle, are a type of cattle mainly raised for beef production. Their characteristics are a full body, fast weight gain, high feed utilization rate, good meat production performance, and good meat quality and taste. So how many months are beef cattle generally raised before slaughter is best? Are the farming profits high?

According to many years of farming experience at the cattle farm of Yangniu Home, choosing feeder cattle of 500-800 jin, the growth cycle is 4-6 months; choosing calves of about 400 jin takes about 8-10 months; choosing calves of 200 jin takes about 10-12 months. The specific growth cycle depends on grazing or confined feeding, and also on feed formulation and breed selection.

Raising cattle in southern regions:

In southern regions, Simmental cattle, Charolais cattle, Limousin cattle, and yellow cattle can all be raised. However, Simmental cattle are divided into 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generations, and the price, growth speed, and final body weight of each generation are different.

However, if confined feeding is used, improved beef cattle should first be selected: Limousin cattle, 3rd-4th generation Simmental cattle, or Charolais cattle.

If grazing is used, choose first and second generation crossbred Simmental cattle and Limousin cattle, or improved beef calves and Luxi yellow cattle.

Raising cattle in northern regions:

Simmental cattle, Charolais cattle, and Limousin cattle can be raised.

If confined feeding is used, Simmental cattle and Charolais cattle are the first choice. One of these two cattle types must be chosen. If the beef cattle breed is chosen well, their value will be reflected in your later farming process.

If grazing is used, choose first and second generation crossbred Simmental cattle and Limousin cattle, or improved beef calves.

Prerequisites and requirements for choosing beef cattle breeds:

For example, if the local market demands yellow cattle but you raise Charolais beef cattle, then in this case it will be somewhat difficult to slaughter and sell the beef cattle you raise locally. It is not that we do not agree with slaughtering them yourself; slaughtering them yourself will increase profits by 30%. But if you do not slaughter them yourself, you should choose breeds according to your own market demand. If you insist on raising improved beef cattle, our farm can provide sales channels, and the selling price is higher than the local purchase price. From the above information, we can understand that there are many issues among breeds, so we must consider them carefully.

In the process of beef cattle feeding and management, the following should be done:

First, all the various feeds that make up the daily ration of fattening beef cattle should be mixed in proportion, moistened with water, and then fed. However, note that the amount mixed each time should be limited to what can satisfy the cattle's intake for 4—6 hours, to prevent the mixed feed from fermenting and producing heat.

Second, free feeding should be implemented to meet the nutritional needs of cattle growth and development.

Third, feed replacement should be carried out gradually and must never be changed suddenly, which would disrupt the cattle's original feeding habits. There should be a transition period of 3—5 days to gradually let the beef cattle adapt to the newly replaced feed. During the feed replacement period, feeding management personnel are required to observe frequently and, if abnormalities are found, take timely measures to minimize losses to cattle raisers caused by feed replacement.

Fourth, for drinking water, the free drinking method is most suitable. However, the location of the drinking water equipment is best set on one side of or above the manure and urine ditch of the cattle pen, to prevent the outflowing water from wetting the cattle pen. In northern winters, warm water should be supplied to beef cattle at least 3 times a day.

Fifth, for beef cattle using the late-stage concentrated fattening method, feeding should be carried out in stages, namely three stages: the transition period, the early rapid fattening period, and the late rapid fattening period. The transition period should be arranged for about 30 days. During this period, while feeding roughage, the ability to eat concentrate should be exercised, and the ratio of concentrate to roughage should reach 40:60 as soon as possible. The feeding amount should be 1 kg of mixed concentrate per 100 kg of body weight, and the concentrate should contain 12% crude protein and more than 0.5% calcium and phosphorus. If the cattle are unwilling to eat, Chinese herbal stomachic powder can be used to strengthen the stomach. The feeding method is once each in the morning and afternoon every day, 1 hour each time, with an interval of 8 hours. The early rapid fattening period is about 30-40 days. In this period, the cattle have basically adapted to conditions in all aspects, feed intake increases, and weight gain speeds up. In the daily ration, the ratio of concentrate to roughage is 60:40. The concentrate feeding amount is increased by another 10% on the basis of 1 kg per 100 kg of body weight. The crude protein content of the daily ration is reduced to 11%, and energy feed is increased. Feed twice a day, 2 hours each time, with an interval of 8 hours. The late rapid fattening period is 30 days. In this period, fat deposition is strong. Energy feed should continue to be increased in the beef cattle daily ration, crude protein should be reduced to 10%, the ratio of concentrate to roughage should be 70:30, and the concentrate feeding amount should be increased by 12%—15% on the basis of 1 kg per 100 kg of body weight. Feed twice a day, 2.5 hours each time, with an interval of 8 hours.