Etc... Freezer Beef Prices

[Wildsky]

We're paying $1 per pound on the hoof. Processing is going to cost around $250
I believe our steer is around 1000 pounds live weight, grass fed with grain once a day (not in a feed lot)

 

[EGGTASKTIC]

I like the 600 to 750 weight range for a beef cow. My uncle always picked these for the family. and sold off the bigger ones. If he had any over a 1000lbs there were burger meat. He always went with herfords. I can still remember fresh steak on the cook stove and the whole family togather.

Make sure they age that beef it make a big deference. 10 day hang is ok 2 weeks is better.

 

[anthonyjames]

We just bought an entire steer about a month ago. With processing the cost came to $1.93lb and the big guy weighed in at just under 900lbs. And let me tell you he is lean. From the same guy we bought half a buffalo for $3.03 lb. Got just under 300 lbs for him. This guy is great with his prices and they are all grass fed and silage for winter with corn only to finish in winter for both animals.

Any other person in our area is trying to get $4 - $5 lb not including processing.

 

[dancingbear]

$1100 processed? So 600 lbs live weight, $150 a lb., that's $900.00, so $200.00 for processing. What do you figure dressed weight will be? If he dresses out around 450lbs., then that's about $2.44 per pound. That's really not a bad price, and it sounds like good quality beef. I prefer grass fed beef, provided it's a breed that finishes well on grass, and they had good quality grass/hay to finish on. The grain feeding is where you get the acid resistant e-coli strains that are so bad. So grass feeding is better, IMO.

 

[greathorse]

A six hundred pound animal will not dress to 450lbs. A 60 percent yeild on this type of animal would be very good. 6wt feeders are not brining anywhere close to 1.50 live weight. They are more like a dollar per lb.

I have been in the slaughter butcher business my entire life.

Common terms:

Cow= female that has raised calves
Heifer= young female that has not raised calves
Heiferette= a young female that has raises one calf
Steer= castrated male
Live weight= weight of animal on the hoof
rail weight or carcass weight=weight of animal after hide head and entrails are removed
Carcass dress out= % of meat on the rail after slaughter. Anything over 60% is very good lighter cattle do not dress out as well as fats
Fats= Steers or heifers coming out of a feedlot destined for slaughter


Some Facts
Fats can weigh around 1400 lbs on the hoof and will dress out in the range of 800 to 850 lbs /this of course can be affected by genetics
Finding values for beef on the hoof is not difficult most rural areas have established markets.
Cattle with no Dairy breeding in them are worth a lot more on the hoof than beef cattle.
Price for cattle per lb. goes down as the weight goes up.
For example 400 lbs calves can bring up to 1.25 and up and 600 lb calves are less

IMO the farmer should be compensated at market value for the animal, should be comensated for delivery to processor etc. and if they have added other value such as organic, natural, or whatever suits your needs there should be some compensation for that as well.

Cattle are a very market based commodity and finding their actual value takes a minimal amount of research

 

[CoopCrazy]

So it seems her live weight price is high at $1.50lb.. But with these being Beef cattle lines does that make it worth more??? Sorry I have never bought a whole cow before so I have a lot of questions..

 

[Bossroo]

Quote:
I do believe there is a wee bit of a difference between a grass fed beef in Ky. and one grass fed in Ca. or any arrid area of the West. They don't call Cal. " The Golden State" for nothing. That is the collor of the range grasses for the better part of the year. I have eaten steak here that was presented on the menu to be " grass fed Angus beef" at restaurants quite often that was quite chewy tough as shoe leather... sorry, give me a steak from a beef that was fed on quality springtime green grass pastures then alfalfa and corn in the feed lot for at least 90 days to atchieve proper marbling of the meat. Then hung for 2+ weeks in a cooler for proper aging. As for e-coli, just don't order your steak in the moo phase. Proper cooking to 160+ degree interior temp will kill any evil doer organism.

 

[greathorse]

Most cattle at 600 lbs are grass fed. This is the weight at which many if not most are weaned off their mother's and most run on grass or are fed a hay ration if the weather does not permit grazing.

I can't decide for you the value of that cattle in your market, but 1.50 would certainly in my opinion imply that you are paying for some amenities, I.e. organic or some such


Average weekly cattle prices in Kentucky
Feeder Steers Medium and Large 1-2
Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price
13 200-240 224 95.00-120.00 108.24
30 250-298 281 96.00-117.00 108.17
32 300-347 324 92.50-121.00 105.83
58 350-390 368 90.00-119.00 104.78
110 400-448 427 84.50-108.50 98.25
107 450-495 466 85.00-105.50 95.11
214 500-548 523 77.50-101.00 92.22
301 550-596 568 82.00-98.50 91.62
208 600-648 626 76.00-92.00 83.53
163 650-698 669 72.00-96.00 84.09
153 700-742 727 73.00-87.50 80.83
116 750-788 770 67.50-86.50 81.16
450 800-848 829 72.00-88.60 86.64
193 852-882 869 70.00-87.70 85.27
68 910-911 911 78.50-84.95 84.19
62 993-995 993 72.00-80.90 80.76

 

[EGGTASKTIC]

Speaking as one who loves the moo phase. I could not eat a steak at 160 internal temp.
I agree with cooking hamburger well done. I will still take my chance on a good rare steak.
I wish people would realize the benefits of grass feed beef overall. I am working on providing our family with beef and chicken we raise.
The large scale processing plants scare the heck out of me.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
The prices everyone is talking about are for beef animals, dairy goes for a lot less. A good way to educate yourself about what the going price in your area is is to look up the local livestock auctions online. I don't know if it is the same in your area as it is in mine, but I can get the sale prices from last weeks auction online. They have everything broken down by size, type, and beef or dairy animal. For ex. it will show that beef steers under 100lbs avg. at $1.45 lb and 400-600 weight animals avg at $1.00 lb, steers in the 1,000 lbs and up might go for .85.

I made the prices up for demonstration, but I'm sure you get the idea. The other thing I would suggest is that if they are not actually weighing the animal before processing and you are not comfortable judging live weight you should work out a deal to pay by hanging weight instead.

If you want to pm me with your number I'd be happy to answer what questions I can for you. I have a VOIP phone so don't have to worry about long distance charges. We've been raising our own beef and selling a steer or three for several years now. Not any kind of big operation, just enough so I know what I'm feeding my kids.