Jasmine Entz from Vulcan County, Alberta, had a moment of love at first sight with Beef, a scrawny calf covered in straw born at dawn in August 2017. She decided to bring him home once he was weaned off milk, with approval from her boss at the dairy farm.
Despite not fully understanding why, Entz had always dreamt of having a steer she could ride. Little did she know that Beef would grow to be a global sensation, surpassing the height of a pickup truck and weighing as much as a rhinoceros, resembling her own version of Clifford the Big Red Dog.
Beef, now eight years old, was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s tallest living steer at 1.95 meters (six foot five), outdoing the previous record held by an Oregon steer named Romeo by just one centimeter. Weighing 1,100 kilograms (2,400 pounds) two years ago, Beef has continued to grow, as evidenced by his recent inability to fit inside his trailer.
To sustain Beef’s massive appetite, Entz feeds him about 45 kilograms of hay daily, costing around $400 per month. Despite being a breed typically raised for meat, Beef was intended to be a pet rather than food. Entz trained him to pull a cart and ride, bringing her joy until an injury forced him to take a break from riding.
Living on the farm with his companions, including Josie the cow, Talent the horse, and over 50 miniature goats, Beef spends his days grazing and lounging around. Fall holds a special treat for Beef, as he eagerly devours pumpkins, taking only three hours to finish an entire post-Halloween pickup load.