Bull back from Abattoir

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:26 pm

I said earlier in the year that I was sending a totally grass-fed bull to the abattoir, and he's just come back today.

He was a long-leg but quite short, and he wasn't big. I don't have a live-weight. The beef is quite well-marbled (for me, I don't go for heavy marbling), and there is masses of it. 157.2kg to be precise. And the deadweight was 204kg giving an excellent figure for boned-out to deadweight ratio of 77%. The abattoir said he had a lot of meat on him.

He was fed only on grass BUT the grass had about 50% clover and therefore high protein. He was very well covered. The meat looks delish, normal colour, but we won't be tasting it till tomorrow. I'll report back on the flavour. Hung for just over 3 weeks.

The steer that went with him was a bigger sort, but not quite so ready, and he produced poorer figures in terms of meat weight and a boned-out to deadweight ratio of 69%. He was only 21 months, the bull was 26, so can't compare that much really.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1197676314

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 1:20 pm

Clive, looking forward to your verdict on flavour. Had this fellow ever worked at all?
Margaret

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 8:25 am

Well, four of us last night, all Dexter eaters had bull T-Bones and all four said it was the delicious. Three out of the four said it was the best Dexter they have probably had, including me.

So a bull can be quite something. This one was not a beefy sort, he had never worked, was kept well away from the girls when possible. He was quite energetic and a bit of a scrapper. I think the key must be that he spent the vast majority of his life on fields thick in good quality grazing grass and about 50% (or more) clover. The clover is the medium size white clover.

He was 26 months and very well covered. It has helped me because I am now not worried about keeping a bull and wondering what I can do with him if he doesn't turn out quite as I want. I might even keep more bulls for meat but will try some more cuts and another animal before committing myself.

Interesting!

Edited By Broomcroft on 1197792308