Whatcha grilling tonight?

[ErnieCopp]

Sam,
Back in 1952, I tried my hand at Cattle Ranching, but on a very small scale. I rented a place with about 13 acres of Alfalfa, and i worked as an Equipment operator full time, to pay my electric bills as it was all irrigated. Saved my hay, borrowed money and bought fifteen feeders, for 50 cents a pound, fed them all the hay, [worth fifty dollars a ton then], gained over a pound a day, but I only got 35 cents a pound for them when i sold them in the Spring. Got just enough for them to pay the loan, and trucking one way, and lost all my work and what i paid for pumping water.

So, i guess Beef Cattle was selling for a little lest than half of what it is now, but a new John Deere, Model D small tractor, only cost $1200.oo then, and probably close to 30,000 dollars now. So, i do not think either beef or chicken meat prices have kept up with some of the costs of other things.

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

Ours is a total different segment of the cattle business. We raise registered 'seed-stock (other ranchers buy our 'genetic traits' to improve their herds). I rarely sell any of our cattle for meat unless they are not up to our standards & I usually will feed one out & have it butchered for our own consumption before I allow the genetics go for a low price.

I also sell semen & ovums for use in IA. It pays the bills as they say...

 

[ErnieCopp]

Sam,
That is interesting. My sheep breeding operation was similar. When i was in New Zealand i became aware of the Coopworth breed, that had been developed based on their EPD scores, no "showing" or beauty contests allowed, only allowed to register top 20 or 3o% or ram lambs, only allowed to register top 50% of ewe lambs, so you can imagine how the probduction of wool and meat went up. [EPD is Expected Progeny Difference, and requires a lot of detailed records of total meat and wool weight, and predicts which lambs are most likely to be the highest producers]

I had 40 acres of bottom land for the Nursery, but about 25 of hillside pastures, so i bought some grade Coopworth Ewes in Oregon, but the genetic pool in the USA was very small. So i started importing semen, became close friends with the Professors from Lincoln U. that developed the breed, and they would select the best semen for me.

Very difficult to A I ewes, as it takes a laproscope operation to insert the semen directly. So the U of Idaho, Vet School, would drive 200 miles to use my flock to train their students. When wethers were selling for 90 dollars, my ram lambs were selling for $500.00, ewe lambs $3 or 400, and most times the air freight and handling cost more than the lambs did. Terrific producers, of both meat and wool.

We started a USA Coopworth Society, but after i resigned as President, they loosened the registration standards, to make a quick buck, so i do not imagine they kept improving.

Sam, i am sure you knew what the EPD meant, but i put that in for other readers.

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

I do know EPDs, each registered breed of cattle use them too, although each breed is different).

AI of cattle is not difficult, IMO. Many people prefer to have a vet or a 'specialist' accomplish the task... I not squeamish & have done it myself numerous times.

 

[ErnieCopp]

body weight by 7 months of age, so they would breed and produce lambs at one year. They will not rotate that fast on just grass, but it did not take much grain to do that, I enjoyed the learning and doing, very much.

The Rams would produce over 20 pounds of wool, and the heaviest fleece was either 24 or 27 pounds, not sure which.

The guy helping me in the barn is Randy Weaver, a few years before the Ruby Ridge shoot out, when the FBI sniper shot his wife in the face, while she was holding a baby in her arms standing in an open door.

Ernie
P S, It looks like the first part of the post got knocked off when the last picture landed on top of the post. I will correct after i see the post online.
E

 

[w_r_ranch]

I'm getting ready to throw the sirloin on, as soon as the bread is done. Mrs Ranch made a big bowl on mac salad & is shucking the corn...

 

[ErnieCopp]

Blocked beginning part of post above;
I learned to use computers to do the EPD Spread sheets in the early 80's. It must have been a real chore before that, doing all those numbers by hand.

One thing i enjoyed about improving the sheep, was that you could see improvements rather rapidly. I was able, by giving my chosen ewes a little big of grain, to get them to 65% of their mature weight in 7 months. So they would breed and produce lambs as yearlings. Continue in post above.

Ernie

 

[ErnieCopp]

Sam,

I have been gaining weight just reading about those meals you cook.

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

The most fattening thing is the bread. The Limousin meat is very lean, however it is really tender due to the fine muscle grain... most of the time you can cut it with a fork. The mac salad is made w/whole wheat pasta & Miracle Whip Lite. We eat big every other day, tomorrow the leftover steak becomes a steak salad served with corn tortillas. Everything is utilized & served in moderation... well most of the time, LOL!!!

 

[ErnieCopp]

I have always been a big red meat eater, and should have died a long time ago, according to the experts.

Do you grain feed your beef, for personal use, or just fatten on Grass? So many restaurants now are pushing Angus meat, which i never saw much difference in from Hereford, but to my knowledge have never tasted Limousin. I do like a good bit of marbling and fat on my beef, but not to the point of Kobe,

Do you run your cattle personally, or do you have help with them, and do you keep a bull, or use AI?

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

Ernie, we too are big red meat eaters, probably 2 out of 3 meals is beef.

We supplement feed the entire herd a grain based-feed every other day (1% of body weight) and free feed hay as I want them to be a BC 5/6 (body condition) as much as possible. If I feeding one for slaughter, I increase the ration to 2% for 3 months prior to their processing.

I do personally care for our cattle. I used to have hired hands, but since I'm fully retired now, it is more economical to do it myself. It is a pain sometimes (like when it's cold & wet), but this is the lifestyle I chose. Ninetyfive percent of the time I like doing it....

I have always have a bull on our herd. Bulls are our main business as a single bull represents 50% of the herd's genetics... We normally sell around 20 bulls per year.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Got enough meat leftover for the next 2 days. I was delicious, tender & moist, although not as rare as I was hoping for... I'm still trying to learn how to use the kettle for smoking.

 

[ErnieCopp]

I could very well have found myself in a similar situation. I remember as a yound man, wanting to buy a spread that would support a hundred cows, as that would generate a living for a one man operation, if the land was paid for. But those times are gone forever.

I did not know about 'grain based feeding', but it so happened that the amount of feed i would give the ewe lambs that i planned to breed, did come to just about the same amount you feed your cows to keep them in good shape.

Why don't we ever see Limousin beef identified in the retail market. The name has been familiar for 40 years or more, but i have never seen meat displayed as such. Does it command a premium in the market, or

 

[ErnieCopp]

Me too, but I never complain about the Cook, when it is Me. Lol,

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

The name has been familiar for 40 years or more, but i have never seen meat displayed as such.

Actually the breed is quite old... their origins are dated to cave drawings if you can believe that...

The History of Limousin

 

[ErnieCopp]

I knew they were a long established French breed, but I should have said I first heard of them forty or fifty years ago. I have always been interested in farming, and recall the problems they had introducing the cooler climate breeds to the South, But that seems to be all taken care of now.

Ernie

 

[ErnieCopp]

The history of the breed is interesting. I am a fan of easy calving, which they seem to be able to do. Most of the English breeds that have been shown have evolved into shapes that make it hard for them to calve.

Easy lambing is what interested me in the Coopworth Sheep, as the American sheep that have been bred for winning blue ribbons on appearance are a nightmare to lamb.

Ernie

 

[finkikin]

Wow what a grilling weekend! Looks good Sam!

Saturday I smoked a brisket for 9 hours, grilled some chicken and bacon wrapped corn. Never had grilled corn wrapped in bacon but DAMN it was good. enjoy the food porn.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Oh boy, it all looks good Tim!!! I'm going to try me some of that bacon wrapped corn!!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Meat market had some nice looking chicken legs today, so I bought 8 of them. I've always been a leg man myself, I love following the flow of their lines... from well shaped drumsticks, right up to those meaty thighs!!! Sensuous eats for the weekend, LOL!!! I seasoned 4 of them up with rub for tomorrow's supper, although I have no idea yet what we will have for sides.

Pizzas are on the menu tonight, one regular & one whole wheat ( I've never tried this before & it has been on my bucket list). Even the dogs are going to be surprised tonight... I made them a 5" one to share, LOL!!!

 

[Rolex]

I've always been a leg man myself, I love following the flow of their lines... from well shaped drumsticks, right up to those meaty thighs!!! Sensuous eats for the weekend, LOL!!!

Breast man, myself. Full, well rounded, firm and young with a light coating of lemon pepper for that extra zing.

I need some advise on preparing a 6 lb. corned beef. It either has to be boiled or broiled. No access to a grill.

 

[w_r_ranch]

I can tell you how to pickle a brisket & turn it into corn beef... is that what you're looking for??? If so, I'm going to document the process here shortly... Then I'll smoke it to turn it into pastrami.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Pizzas are on the menu tonight, one regular & one whole wheat ( I've never tried this before & it has been on my bucket list). Even the dogs are going to be surprised tonight... I made them a 5" one to share, LOL!!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Chicken quarters have been on the kettle of ~2 hours now...

I took all the chicken 'trimmings' (skin/spine/etc) & made some stock, which is currently in the refrigerator to solidify the fat which will be skimmed off. I will them use it to make 'Spanish rice' as a side for tonight.

 

[Rolex]

It's already corned beef, vacuum packed and there's a spice packet on the side.
Just looking for a way to make it really tender and tasty.