Raising your own beef for consumption....

[Jolyn]

Ok i'm so sorry if this is not the appropriate area for this post........If a mod could please move it if it's not in the right place......or let me know if i shouldn't post it on this board.


I know many of you are concerned with the meat you eat and that is why you raise your own meat birds......but does anyone raise or sell cattle for meat?

Dh and i have been thinking of getting a calf and raising it for the meat. We however have been put in contact with someone who has a ranch and he's starting to free range his cattle and go the organic route. He's a friends dad.

Sooooooooooooo i am wondering.....for those that do raise their own beef. How old are the cattle when it's time for them to be processed? How much meat do you get from one cow and does it get you through a year? How much would you expect to pay for the cow and the processing?

Any info at all would be greatly appreciated.

Again i do hope it's ok to post this here,
Jodie

 

[gervais22]

I thinks it's a good idea, but your will need a big fridge for all the meat, a butcher to butch the meat, and remember cows/beef are social animals so if you do try not to get too attached if your going to chop his head.

 

[turnerstar31]

We raise ours until they are about two. They are almost full grown by then so you get quite a little bit. I have an upright freezer and fill mine between a pig and a cow that we butcher every year. However I also split the meat that I get between my animals with my aunt so really I get almost a full freezer from one cow. I on average cook about two packages of meat every night and it seems to last me for a year. If you have any more questions just pm me. Also just to let you know if you go the organic way the feed price is going to be crazy.

 

[Jolyn]

Quote:
That's why we have decided to buy it instead of raise it ourselves. I don't think i could do it if i raised it.

 

[rooster0209]

Every year we butcher a steer.

You will not find better steaks or hamburger anywhere. Last year we had to butcher a young steer that had chronic bloat so we ended up with lots of hb. Even the aroma from cooking is completely different.

I am not sure what it costs these days for processing $200-$500 I think for a whole sfull grown teer cut to how you want it.

I wouldnt know how to pick out beef in the grocery store.

 

[sweetshoplady]

Actually, I'm looking for a calf to raise up to do just that. I plan to get a chest freezer to put the meat in. I raise bucking stock and had to cull one and I am using the money from the sale of her to buy one to eat in her place.

FYI, they grow til they are 3. You can breed them at 1 year. At 3 is when a rider can safely get on a bull to buck him.

I figured I'd wait about 6 months or so and then take it to the slaughterhouse.

Turnerstar, may I pm you also if I have questions?

 

[mmajw]

We raise our own every year and we also own a meat shop (custom). I have not bought beef, pig or chicken in a grocery store in about 5 years and it is wonderful. You can truly taste the difference in homegrown. Our friends and family are hooked on homegrown food.

 

[morelcabin]

We used to have 2 butchers in the area that raised thier own meat and sold it. We were a family of four and 1/2 a cow used to do us for one year in beef. It was the best...but regulations got too strict and they both shut thier doors. Now we have to buy the real poison at the grocery store...

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

We have looked into raising a cow ourselves. Right now we just do not have room and we are still in the research stage. Do you know what kind of calf you are looking at getting? We purchased a locally raised longhorn last fall and split it with my sister and her family. The beef did taste different. It was good just different.

 

[wynedot55]

you asked alot of good qs.if you buy a 1200 lb finished steer.you can expect to get 600 to 700lbs of usable meat.now for the age of the calf at butcher.the age depends on how fast the calf gains weight.lets say you start with a 600lb 7 month old steer.youll have to graze that calf on summer an winter pasture for him to gain weight.an feed him hay an some feed during that time.you could butcher a calf at 15 to 18 months old.an he should weigh 1100 to 1200lbs.