Etc... Freezer Beef Prices

[CoopCrazy]

I have an oppurtunity to purchase a whole freezer steer for roughly $1100.00 processed this includes them taking the animal to the processor for us.. Is this a good price?? The beef is pasture raised no grains no hormones no additives etc.... Just wondering if this is a good price..

ETA I cnat sepll

 

[joedie]

Depends on how much it weighs and the breed. Beef cow or Milker. Around here beef cows go for about 90 cents per lb on the hoof and then you have to pay for the butchering. For me, that costs about $300 for the whole cow. So last year I paid 1400 for the steer plus 300 for the butchering. He weighed about 1600 lbs. Too fat!

 

[CoopCrazy]

estimated lie weight is 600lbs.. at $1.50 a lb Not sure weather beef or milk but I emailed the farmer..

 

[FLF]

Wow, that's awful small. I think my husband gets $1.75-$2.00 and they dress out at 800-9000lbs at 16-18 months. We have Black Angus though, and they are all good sized. The customers pay seperately for the processing to the processor.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
You're probably looking at just under $3.00 lb meat in the freezer. I'm not sure what prices are in your area so you'll have to make the good deal or not call. If it hasn't had 4-6 weeks of grain the meat will probably be on the tough side, but should have good flavor. We grass feed ours then finish them with some grain--about 10-12 lbs a day for 4-6 weeks. Grass fed with no grain can still be tender, but it's not as likely this time of year unless they're feeding better quality hay then most folks use for cows. I wouldn't pay that for a dairy steer. The meat is still good to eat, but you lose more lbs between live weight and cut and wrap because they are heavier boned with a more rangy build then a beef cow so it cost more per lb. when your paying for live weight--kind of like a leghorn compared to a cornish x.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Thanks for the advice folks.. The lady just got back with me.. Beef prices are high here plus I figure with the steaks and all it should average around$3.07 a pound.. Plus the meat at our grocery stores is terrible around here...

here is what the farmer said about type... "These are beef cattle. A cross of Saler (French breed--large in stature) and Murray Gray (Australian breed known to be excellent on grass--and they are)" We sell the calves at weaning time. The milk they receive daily from the cow keeps the meat well marbled yet lean. The fact that they're beef cattle means their meat to bone ratio is higher.'

 

[CoopCrazy]

So am I right to think this is veal?? Or is there another name for a just weaned cow.. She claims they are butchered just after being pulled from the mothers..

 

[Kittymomma]

It's not veal. Veal is usually a calf that is kept confined and fed only milk. If these guys are 600lbs and haven't had any grain they are yearlings, or close to it, and have been eating grass along with nursing for sometime now. In fact they haven't probably been taking in much milk at all for the last several months. That being said, a young animal like that should be pretty tender and tasty.

If the critter is really 600lbs it sounds like a pretty good deal. When we were raising cow/calf pairs our calves (Herford x Angus) were much closer to 350-400 lbs when we weaned them around 6 months.

 

[daisy_dukers]

I am paying 2.29 a lb cut and wrapped for black angus as of wednesday, taxes included etc. etc.

after butchering there was 800lbs of meat cut and wrapped....Not sure how big the original animal was as I never ask, just interested in the final bill. I am splitting it with 3 others as this is only the second time I have ordered from this farmer, though the last 1/4 was great.

Grass fed and finished with a tiny bit of grain.....

I really wish my previous beef connection didnt have to get out of the cattle business due to the fact that his hay fields got flooded 2 yrs in a row, he used to slaughter at around the 400lb dressed weight and your could cut his steaks with a butter knife.

Regardless the beef was great last time so I am trying again before I order a whole one.

On the downside after eating grassfed beef I really dont like the taste of grocery store beef anymore, in fact I would rather eat ground pork vs ground beef from the store.

 

[greathorse]

If this animal weighs 600 lbs., it will weigh about 360 lbs when it is slaughtered. There are many many ways to cut an animal up so it is not possible to tell how much meat you will take out of the processing plant. If you were to take all of the bones out of the meat, I doubt that they will) you would lose 40 % again in bone and fat

600x.60= 360 lbs.
360 X .60 = 216lbs. of edible boneless meat. I am guessing you will have a fair amount of bone in your freezer so will leave the plant with more than 216lbs of product.

5.09 per lb for edible boneless meat. That is very cheap for filet mignon and pretty pricey for ground beef but in general probably about right.

I think 600 lb feeder calves are in the range of 1.00 per lb now days, (his sounds like a good quality one)

It sounds like you are spending about 500 dollars to get it processed. Maybe a little high but if the calf weighs closer to 700 you should be ok.

A young animal like that should eat quite well. The cuts themselves will be small, this is what my father used to call Baby Beef. Many years ago before cattle were fattened on so much grain a lot of animals were harvested at this weight. If the calf is gaining good weight and in good flesh it shoud be delicious.