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laek
Well-known member
I agree 100% the numbers aren't adding up and I think it's because I didn't have an accurate weight before sending them. I'm not sure how accurate it is to use a weight tape.
Steak size
- Thread starter laek
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Travlr
Well-known member
Your take home is light... both by live weight and carcass weight.
SBMF 2015
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Not by the pic of those steaks. Bone weighs a lot. Light muscled cattle will have a higher % loss between hanging and take home lbs.
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laek
Well-known member
I think so too. I'm not confident in their lw being accurate. So from hanging weight to take home, normally you'd expect to lose about 33% correct?
If you go with boneless cuts and they trim most of the fat, you're looking at 50 percent of hanging weight for the take home amount.
This is why I like 1300 to 1600 pound live weight at time of dispatch. Also why you want them wide.
If you're pushing them hard. You can put 80 to 110 lbs on an animal per month, depending on genetics. That said, try to give yourself enough time to get them to a heavier weight. You will be much happier by the sound of it.
Even if small. They're good looking steaks. I bet they are good eating!
I like to keep the cap on the ribeyes. The fat is the best part.
This is why I like 1300 to 1600 pound live weight at time of dispatch. Also why you want them wide.
If you're pushing them hard. You can put 80 to 110 lbs on an animal per month, depending on genetics. That said, try to give yourself enough time to get them to a heavier weight. You will be much happier by the sound of it.
Even if small. They're good looking steaks. I bet they are good eating!
I like to keep the cap on the ribeyes. The fat is the best part.
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laek
Well-known member
At the end of the day I'm just puzzled with the numbers. A bit of a cluster for sure!..I think that obviously they aren't from great stock and could have maybe been fed for longer.
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laek
Well-known member
I agree that fat is the best part! I'm happy with the taste and tenderness for sure had some last night very good!
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laek
Well-known member
They were from the night before sending them
Bestoutwest
Well-known member
Those steaks look like what I get for the tri-tip. Way too small for what they're supposed to be.
Travlr
Well-known member
This is my take just based on the pictures.
I doubt the animals weighed as much as you think. They don't look as large as the numbers you posted, to me. Condition of both were fine, so the steaks you got seem appropriate. The meat is decently marbled so your feed program was adequate. The fat trim seems very close so you lost some weight there.
Personally I prefer butchering animals younger and of less size, and one of the reasons is that I don't like huge portions. "Baby beef" was a thing many years ago because people liked smaller portions.
farmerjan
Well-known member
To get a better live weight do you have a set of scales at a truck stop near you? At least get a base weight for truck and trailer and then weigh with the cattle loaded. Won't give you a weight per animal, but will give you a total weight so you can get a little closer to actual weight. Weight tapes can be deceiving.
farmerjan
Well-known member
We kill ours at 25-28 months. Don't push them. They are mostly grass fed and finished with some feed and corn silage. Haven't had any complaints from customers and several are repeat. I figure that from live weight to in the package in the freezer, we get 25-35 % of live weight... Many are jersey or hol cross with angus. Tenderness has been fine and I see no reason to change our methods. Pushing them and feeding alot of grain/corn is fine if you have it, but we are looking for lower cost inputs without sacrificing the eating quality. The only tough steaks I have ever had are from 2 different brown swiss crosses... they grow slow and were harder to get finished it seemed.
The older ages seems to produce more flavor and I want beef to have some flavor, not just mild tenderness.
The older ages seems to produce more flavor and I want beef to have some flavor, not just mild tenderness.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
I don't doubt your figures, Jan, but using standard figures, it should be closer to 41%. Live vs in freezer weight.
But, I guess dairy cross will cut your yields with lighter muscles.
But, I guess dairy cross will cut your yields with lighter muscles.
farmerjan
Well-known member
They are usually smaller cut sizes even with good marbling... And I do mostly all boneless cuts... but telling people that this is what they will get on average, then they get more and are happier... There is not the mass in comparison to the hide, head, guts, bone(legs) and such.... People pay on hanging weight, so edible meat is about half hanging weight or a little more. And now even with the "laws", we have people wanting to just buy ground beef and such... so when we give them a price on a "quarter", they are very happy to pay it compared to prices and QUALITY of meat at say Walmart or even the chain grocery stores. And I give a GUARANTEE to refund 100% if they don't like it after 1 steak and a package of ground beef eaten .....does not meet their expectations.
Only have one I had to return the money and it was over the quantity.... they insisted they should get 60% of the hanging weight..... I didn't bother to fight with them as I should never have sold it to them after all the BS.... They went to the slaughter place 3 times; questioned the butcher, made comments and he (buyer) finally told him that he was being cheated... and this was a place we had dealt with for years... I went and picked up the meat and they had weighed EACH and EVERY piece of meat and proceeded to tell me where he got cheated... Returned their check and that was the end of it.
Now we give a person that is interested a pkg of ground beef and a steak or something they want, to try ahead of time. And if they say that the meat is tough after they get it, for any reason, we make it right.
Only have one I had to return the money and it was over the quantity.... they insisted they should get 60% of the hanging weight..... I didn't bother to fight with them as I should never have sold it to them after all the BS.... They went to the slaughter place 3 times; questioned the butcher, made comments and he (buyer) finally told him that he was being cheated... and this was a place we had dealt with for years... I went and picked up the meat and they had weighed EACH and EVERY piece of meat and proceeded to tell me where he got cheated... Returned their check and that was the end of it.
Now we give a person that is interested a pkg of ground beef and a steak or something they want, to try ahead of time. And if they say that the meat is tough after they get it, for any reason, we make it right.
You cam figure 37% of live weight will get you real close on what you get to take home.
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laek
Well-known member
I was looking at my numbers and I brought home 28%
but I think my LW must have been off..alot
Silver
Well-known member
Gut fill can distort your numbers a fair bit as well.I was looking at my numbers and I brought home 28%
Travlr
Well-known member
This from Google: As a general rule on a well finished 100% grass-fed steer, the hanging weight is 60% of the live weight and the cut and packaged meat is on average about 60% of the hanging weight.
And I think that's pretty close on an average beef steer. Maybe light on the 60% hanging weight. I'd say that should be closer to 70% of hanging weight.
This is why I prefer to breed stockier cattle.
And I think that's pretty close on an average beef steer. Maybe light on the 60% hanging weight. I'd say that should be closer to 70% of hanging weight.
This is why I prefer to breed stockier cattle.
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laek
Well-known member
What would you recommend breeding a second calf Hereford to? I'm going to breed her in June. I bought her not long ago and didn't see her first heat till December 16th figured I'd be better to wait to breed her
