I have read with intrest some of the recent threads on freezer beef & marbling.  I am a crop guy trying to finish out a handfull (19) of steers. I'm hoping to sell at least a couple for freezer beef. I have the facilities and a bit of pasture and it's nice to have some animals around so that I have a place to go with odds and ends leftover stuff from selling hay and straw.  My only animal background is in dairy and I'm gathering that raising beef takes a different mindset. I have a few questions.....

     -the following quote was made by "dewgrubbe": "its all in how you feed them. Grow em first then finish em....".  This is pretty much the apprach I have been taking, my question is: at what point and how to transition from growing to finishing?  I realize this will vary some with breed, the bulk of my animals are herford or herford/angus cross.  In other words, do I feed a higher protien/forage ration untill a certain weight and then throw the corn to them, or should it be a more gradual transition over a range of months rather than days or weeks?

     -tell me about the effect of fermented feeds on beef flavor.  Is there any?  If so, is it only during the finishing stage that it's an issue or will fermented feed during the growing stage have an effect?  Right now my animals are anywhere from 550 -900 lbs and the primary forage is oatlage as well as some alfalfa haylage.

     -when an animal is getting 20 or 25# of corn, does the grind on the corn matter?  Will an overly fine grind be detrimental? Or is keeping the rumen halfways healthy just a matter of some course forage?

     -what would be the ideal forage to feed along with the heavy grain finishing ration? (would alfalfa or grass hay be better?)

     TIA, I have enjoyed the discussion below.  I have to say I was somewhat surprised by the number of people who are favorable toward having at least some Herford in the mix.  I always thought Angus was the animal, guess the marketing got to me!   Brian