Post by Kelsey on Feb 14, 2017 15:34:18 GMT -5
Does anyone have experience with on-farm slaughter of multiple steers?
I have two steers ready - planning on having the butcher come out at the end of the month. But I realized that it might be impossible to have them both slaughtered on the same day due to their skittishness and lack of infrastructure.
In the past we have only had one steer ready at a time. I would put the other cows in a separate pasture far away, and leave the steer in the near pasture until the butcher showed up (the steer would be accustomed to being alone at times). Then I would place grain in a pan by the gate and the butcher would shoot the steer. Extremely low stress and very simple.
But these two are rather skittish, particularly the one, and they are inseparable. The skittish one is a fence jumper and he will gladly hop a fence on a whim, either if he is scared or for fun because another cow is nearby but in a different pasture. (Well, they both jump fences, but usually the big one is following the other. And I'm only talking about jumping temporary fences - they stay in the one solid fence)
I have no idea how we would do them both at the same time.
I now think the best idea would be to have them both in the secure/accessible pasture a few days before, then bring them both up for grain. The butcher will shoot the skittish one and the dominant steer will bolt and that's ok.
Then I'll have the butcher come back a few weeks later for the second one, who will hopefully be calmer, having his fearful buddy gone.
Any thoughts? I'm assuming cattle will bolt and be terrified - is that correct?
I guess I should ask the butcher, too. I don't think the farm call adds much to the slaughter fee, so I'm probably overthinking this.
Thanks!
I have two steers ready - planning on having the butcher come out at the end of the month. But I realized that it might be impossible to have them both slaughtered on the same day due to their skittishness and lack of infrastructure.
In the past we have only had one steer ready at a time. I would put the other cows in a separate pasture far away, and leave the steer in the near pasture until the butcher showed up (the steer would be accustomed to being alone at times). Then I would place grain in a pan by the gate and the butcher would shoot the steer. Extremely low stress and very simple.
But these two are rather skittish, particularly the one, and they are inseparable. The skittish one is a fence jumper and he will gladly hop a fence on a whim, either if he is scared or for fun because another cow is nearby but in a different pasture. (Well, they both jump fences, but usually the big one is following the other. And I'm only talking about jumping temporary fences - they stay in the one solid fence)
I have no idea how we would do them both at the same time.
I now think the best idea would be to have them both in the secure/accessible pasture a few days before, then bring them both up for grain. The butcher will shoot the skittish one and the dominant steer will bolt and that's ok.
Then I'll have the butcher come back a few weeks later for the second one, who will hopefully be calmer, having his fearful buddy gone.
Any thoughts? I'm assuming cattle will bolt and be terrified - is that correct?
I guess I should ask the butcher, too. I don't think the farm call adds much to the slaughter fee, so I'm probably overthinking this.
Thanks!