When we purchased the 4 calves and realized that their genetics was not what we wanted to keep for breeding, we decided that they were all bound for the table. Because of their poor start in life (and genetics), they have been very slow growing and will probably never reach full size.
So this year we will be processing 2 of them to try and get 1 full cow-size in the freezer. We will keep Miss Moo (white face) for next year, this year Tbone (the steer) and the older solid black heifer will be processed next month.
Every goal reached has been one more step in our journey to be as self-sustaining as possible to provide our family with home-raised food. This is a big goal - and that has been a long time coming with a lot of personal and family investment.