Beef on the hoof

[miss_thenorth]

I'm sorry, but reading this, it just confuses me. I find this price Waaaaay too high. I can get grass fed beef for $1.79/lb. total. There couldn't be that much of a difference between Canada and the U.S., could there?

 

[Dace]

I don't know North but I think Keljonma is right when she says it is a bit of BS.

So glad I have you guys

 

[SKR8PN]

SKR8PN isn't the farmer and the grower one in the same? See what a novice I am

Yup, one and the same kiddo! I just dug out the receipts for last one we bought and the TOTAL was $708.00. There was 387lb hanging weight(one half a cow) which works out to 1.83 per pound. The hanging weight was AFTER the carcass was gutted, skinned, the hoofs, tail and the head gone. That money was for 1/2 a beef, and it was a full sized grass fed, 2 year old steer. Butcher charged me .50 cents per pound to kill it, process it and freeze it, and the rest of the money and the meat went to the farmer.

 

[TanksHill]

Dace call T&H Prime meats in San Marcos. The owner was very kind and explained things to me. I think last time we talked. If you bought a half cow form him. Maybe last year it worked out to like 2.39 a pound out the door.

I know this is not the same as having control of what the animal eats but he may be able to answer questions and clarify things.

Let us know how it goes. g

 

[Dace]

Dace call T&H Prime meats in San Marcos. The owner was very kind and explained things to me. I think last time we talked. If you bought a half cow form him. Maybe last year it worked out to like 2.39 a pound out the door.

I know this is not the same as having control of what the animal eats but he may be able to answer questions and clarify things.

Let us know how it goes. g

Well the truth is that unless the animal is in my direct care, I really don't KNOW what it truly has been fed. Thanks for the tip Gina, I will look into it.

Thanks SKR8PN for pulling out your receipt and updating me! I wonder if there are regional differences as far as the cost of pasture feed beef...here in the south west where we are so dry, irrigation costs probably need to be recouped.

 

[FarmerChick]

Here is a follow up with the price...
heifer is $1.40/lb alive which is around 650 lbs because these are miniture cows and someone has to come out and butcher them which is $150 and they cut and package the meat for .89/lb which is around 350 lbs cause excluding organs, head, feet, skin so you roughly get 350 lbs of meat for around $1300 which works out to be $2.90/ lb if you were to buy it at the store and that includes all the cuts like ground beef, filet mignon, porterhouse, t bones, roasts, tenderloin and ribs so it is a pretty affordable deal if you are able to pay for it upfront

Thoughts?

OK I do this all the time....so here it is:

Live animal price: She is asking $1.40 per lb. approx. 650 lbs.
$910.00 for heifer

Cost for butcher to work--(process/kill charge)--$150

Cost per lb. to process meat---.89/lb (approx. 350 lbs dressed weight)
$ $311.50

add it all up:
$910 cost of cow (approx. live weight)
$150 for butcher to work--higher than normal cause coming to farm??
$311.50 (approx dress weight) $ .89 process cost by the lb.--cost of butcher to package individual cuts of meat and cut meat into professional cuts

$1371


she is correct in her math TIL THE END

approx. 350 lbs. of meat at $1300 is $3.70 per lb. Still cheaper than the stores definitely! And could it be printer typo error in her ad? If interested call and ask questions. Any price UNDER store prices are great anyway..LOL..and fresh raised humane beef.






this is not a bad deal UNLESS the cost of the animal is not right. here we can get heifers about 650 lbs. for about $500 or $600 give or take. BUT this is supposedly a grass fed animal and will cost more cause of health benefits? And I don't know your location and cattle might cost more on the hoof.


(To save money...she wants to know if anyone will split a beef)---you and your friend both pay 1/2 the cost. so you get 1/2 the beef, at 1/2 the cost)



If interested call her and have her explain the "butcher come to the farm" part.

THE ONLY REASON I WOULD NOT DO THIS IS:

what is the butchering station area like? If you butcher on farm, it is not the same as a state regulated process station. I process my hogs with our friend Kevin, who owns a state inspected custom butcher shop.

So "come to the farm and butcher" that is the part I would wonder about.




So to me there is nothing wrong with this ad at all other than final price typo.



Worst part of dealing with this from a farmer point of view...she said they would be ready in 2 months....animals grow in weight and price will be higher. And cost to process per lb. will be higher of course. It is IMPOSSIBLE to tell a buyer what their final cost will be on a live animal unless it is processed that minute! Guessing weights in 2 months is just that..guessing.

 

[Dace]

Thanks Karen....the idea that the butcher was coming to the farm did cross my mind as a concern...but then again this is all new to me so it is easy for me to dismiss that thought and trust the seller.... which now that I type those words is quite stupid!

I got some other leads to check out so I will be better able to see how her price compares.

 

[FarmerChick]

Thanks Karen....the idea that the butcher was coming to the farm did cross my mind as a concern...but then again this is all new to me so it is easy for me to dismiss that thought and trust the seller.... which now that I type those words is quite stupid!

I got some other leads to check out so I will be better able to see how her price compares.

OK your best approach.
get out the phone book. look under butchers---call one and ASK if there is a custom slaughterhouse. You need a custome slaughterhouse. Or look under slaughterhouse.

Call

There are 2 types. butcher and slaugherhouse

butcher can sell meat...he can't kill it. Only a slaughterhouse can kill meat.
Kevin is listed under slaughterhouse/custom in the phone book.


call one and chat.


Kevin would say...yea we do beef. I know farmers who have beef. you can split with another customer when it is available...blah, blah

it takes time to set up and can easily be done! usually there is another person already waiting on the list to split a beef...LOL

 

[Dace]

Cool, I did not know the difference between butcher and slaughterhouse.

I sure appreciate all the education I get from you folks!!