Beef-- live weight, hanging weight, etc, Q?

[milkmaid]

So I have a buchter date set in October for these two steers I'm feeding out, and one is for us, the other I'm selling. For someone doing this the first time, what are the pros/cons of setting the price based on hanging weight, or selling on the hoof, or what's the best way to go about this? And is it OK to advertise two months in advance and ask for a deposit, or...? Suggestions or comments?

Thanks!

 

[Sir Loin]

Milkmaid,
Re:

what are the pros/cons of setting the price based on hanging weight, or selling on the hoof, or what's the best way to go about this? And is it OK to advertise two months in advance and ask for a deposit, or...? Suggestions or comments?

Let me tell you how I do it and we can go from there.

First I don't have to advertise I already have a customer list I can't fill, but there is nothing wrong with advertising in advance to locate customers.
Second I conduct all transactions strictly as a business transaction weather they be family, friend or stranger. They all get treated alike, except on price.

As a rule of thumb dressed weight will be 60% of live weight so if you know the live weight you can estimate the dressed weight before hand.

I notify my customers 30 days in advance of scheduled butcher date that I will be sending their animal on that date and it should be ready for pick up within two weeks.
This gives them plenty of time to get their freezer cleaned out and their money ready.
I also give them an estimate of the weight of the live animal. The last one I did in July was estimated @ 900 lbs and was sold as dressed weight.

I ask them if they would like to pay by live weight now as I have a scale or dressed weight when it is ready for pick up along with the butcher bill estimated @ $250, which is nor refundable.
The amount of the butcher bill is required now as a deposit in both cases and the balance of the purchase is due and payable prior to pick up. I always get the nonrefundable butcher bill up front incase something goes wrong as I am responsible for it.

My butcher charges a $30 slaughter fee, a $10 waste disposal fee and $.38 per pound processing fee and the animal is in the butcher shop under my name.

In July when the butcher called and told me my steer #448 is ready for pick up, he gives me the dress weight which was ironically 540 lbs and his total bill was $235.
As I sold this baldy steer for $2.25 per lb dressed weight the cost of the processed meat was 540 X 2.25 or $1,215.
The butcher bill was $235.
Total $1,450
Less 250 deposit
Bal due $1,200

I then call the customer and tell them their meat is ready and can be picked up any time and the Bal. due is $1,200 and that they will have to bring me cash, check or money order before picking it up.
When I have been paid I pay the butcher and advise him to release steer # 448 to Jane or John Doe.
Now here is something else you need to know.
When you locate and receive your deposit you need to find out how your customer wants it processed because the butcher will be asking you.
Ask them "how many people in the family, how thick they want their steaks, how you want the ground meat packages (1 or 2 pounds, patties?)

I suggest you visit the butcher you intend to use and go over all this before advertising and talking to a potential customer.

Hope this helps
SL

 

[Sir Loin]

Milkmaid,
Oh. One more thing.
We also need to talk about selecting the right butcher shop.
There are good ones and far to many bad ones.
SL

 

[Mongoose]

So you made 1,200 bucks on a 900# Live Weight Steer?

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

So you made 1,200 bucks on a 900# Live Weight Steer?

In round figures yes.
But I didn't weigh him as he was sold as dressed weight.
The 900 was just my best guess to have a starting point to estimate the butcher bill to set the deposit.
SL

 

[Gate Opener]

I would like to hear about how to select the butcher shop, do tell.

 

[VanC]

First I don't have to advertise I already have a customer list I can't fill,

Why can't you fill all the orders? Just curious.

 

[Jogeephus]

I prefer to sell it on the hoof. I let the folks pick out the one they want once they are finished. I also require full payment BEFORE the animal leaves the farm and BEFORE its killed and processed. This way I don't have to eat the loss.

 

[Sir Loin]

Van,
Re:

Why can't you fill all the orders? Just curious.

Long story.
I am retired and do what I do just for the fun of it. I'm now a hobby cattleman.
All my calves are/were orphans and are given to me. I provide the meds and milk replacer. I turn ½ of those given to me back to the ranch in return for feed and hay to feed the ones I keep. Plus some neighbors have given me a few.
Right now I have 6 with 3 going back to the ranch and 2 of my 3 spoken for.
That's as big as I want to get. Then there is my 4 horses to care for and about 300 head of cows and bulls, not counting their calves.
To me it's just for fun, but as you know it is also a lot of work and for me 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, at my age is enough.
Then there is the fact that I am running my little enterprise on leased property that could end and I would have to find another location to have fun and it my not be as close to my home.
I got lots of reasons why I don't go bigger but the real reason is been there done that and now I'm retired.
SL

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

I prefer to sell it on the hoof.

The only problem with that is you need to have a scale or at least know where one is availible.
I have used a quarry scale and a bulk feed mill scale in the past.

The only time I use on the hoof price is when the customer wants to select his butcher instead of using mine. And I may then charge him extra for delivery of the animal if it is farther then my butcher.
And I make it clear to him that after the animal is paid for in full and delivered, it will be delivered in his name to the butcher and he will be fully responsible for the butcher bill and any problems that may occur. Specifically that if he does not get his own meat back, and he is unsatisfied with the meat, that's his problem.
And it does happen far too often.
But we can discuss that when we discuss how to select a butcher.
SL

 

[Stepper]

Van,
Re:

Why can't you fill all the orders? Just curious.

Long story.
I am retired and do what I do just for the fun of it. I'm now a hobby cattleman.
All my calves are/were orphans and are given to me. I provide the meds and milk replacer. I turn ½ of those given to me back to the ranch in return for feed and hay to feed the ones I keep. Plus some neighbors have given me a few.
Right now I have 6 with 3 going back to the ranch and 2 of my 3 spoken for.
That's as big as I want to get. not countinThen there is my 4 horses to care for and about 300 head of cows and bulls,g their calves.
To me it's just for fun, but as you know it is also a lot of work and for me 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, at my age is enough.
Then there is the fact that I am running my little enterprise on leased property that could end and I would have to find another location to have fun and it my not be as close to my home.
I got lots of reasons why I don't go bigger but the real reason is been there done that and now I'm retired.
SL

300 head of cows, their calfs, bulls & 4 horse's is hobby farming ?

 

[milkmaid]

Anyone sell at just a flat, per head, price? I don't have a scale for live animals, and I'd prefer to have the money in hand prior to butchering -- as opposed to them paying for carcass weight.

 

[Txwalt]

Van,
Re:

Why can't you fill all the orders? Just curious.

Long story.
I am retired and do what I do just for the fun of it. I'm now a hobby cattleman.
All my calves are/were orphans and are given to me. I provide the meds and milk replacer. I turn ½ of those given to me back to the ranch in return for feed and hay to feed the ones I keep. Plus some neighbors have given me a few.
Right now I have 6 with 3 going back to the ranch and 2 of my 3 spoken for.
That's as big as I want to get. not countinThen there is my 4 horses to care for and about 300 head of cows and bulls,g their calves.
To me it's just for fun, but as you know it is also a lot of work and for me 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, at my age is enough.
Then there is the fact that I am running my little enterprise on leased property that could end and I would have to find another location to have fun and it my not be as close to my home.
I got lots of reasons why I don't go bigger but the real reason is been there done that and now I'm retired.
SL

300 head of cows, their calfs, bulls & 4 horse's is hobby farming ?

He meant to say "at my age it was enough" not "is enough". Atleast I hope

Walt

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

300 head of cows, their calfs, bulls & 4 horse's is hobby farming ?

Yep! It is for me because the 300head of cows and their calves aren't mine, only their orphans are. And that don't include the time I spend at the main ranch helping out there with those 200 head and their calves.
SL

 

[Txwalt]

Well, I guess I got it all wrong. You think 12 hr days 7 days a week is hobby farming?

Walt

 

[Stepper]

Ok i misunderstood you. I thought the 300 head were your cattle. :lol: I was going to say this fella must have been into cattle big time if 300 head is a hobby ! :lol:

 

[Sir Loin]

Milkmaid,
Re:

Anyone sell at just a flat, per head, price? I don't have a scale for live animals, and I'd prefer to have the money in hand prior to butchering -- as opposed to them paying for carcass weight.

That's a tough nut to crack. And it sure narrows the field of potential buyers as most people know nothing about cattle even when they are looking at them.
And for sure they will ask you how much do they weigh so they can do their own math for their butcher bill and compute their cost per pound.

The closest I ever came to a flat price per head were sold to a butcher who had an over the counter bisiness and a small meat packer who both had their own buyers that would come out and look at the cattle and give you a lot price and a check when they were delivered or picked up.

But then you are not selling to the end user and therefore not getting top dollar.
You are just cutting out the sale barn and going to a distributor.

If you don't mind me asking:
How many animals per year are we talking about?
Your best guess of weight and breed.

You might want to consider a joint ownership program.
SL

 

[WORANCH]

Milkmaid,
Re:

what are the pros/cons of setting the price based on hanging weight, or selling on the hoof, or what's the best way to go about this? And is it OK to advertise two months in advance and ask for a deposit, or...? Suggestions or comments?

Let me tell you how I do it and we can go from there.

First I don't have to advertise I already have a customer list I can't fill, but there is nothing wrong with advertising in advance to locate customers.
Second I conduct all transactions strictly as a business transaction weather they be family, friend or stranger. They all get treated alike, except on price.

As a rule of thumb dressed weight will be 60% of live weight so if you know the live weight you can estimate the dressed weight before hand.

I notify my customers 30 days in advance of scheduled butcher date that I will be sending their animal on that date and it should be ready for pick up within two weeks.
This gives them plenty of time to get their freezer cleaned out and their money ready.
I also give them an estimate of the weight of the live animal. The last one I did in July was estimated @ 900 lbs and was sold as dressed weight.

I ask them if they would like to pay by live weight now as I have a scale or dressed weight when it is ready for pick up along with the butcher bill estimated @ $250, which is nor refundable.
The amount of the butcher bill is required now as a deposit in both cases and the balance of the purchase is due and payable prior to pick up. I always get the nonrefundable butcher bill up front incase something goes wrong as I am responsible for it.

My butcher charges a $30 slaughter fee, a $10 waste disposal fee and $.38 per pound processing fee and the animal is in the butcher shop under my name.

In July when the butcher called and told me my steer #448 is ready for pick up, he gives me the dress weight which was ironically 540 lbs and his total bill was $235.
As I sold this baldy steer for $2.25 per lb dressed weight the cost of the processed meat was 540 X 2.25 or $1,215.
The butcher bill was $235.
Total $1,450
Less 250 deposit
Bal due $1,200

I then call the customer and tell them their meat is ready and can be picked up any time and the Bal. due is $1,200 and that they will have to bring me cash, check or money order before picking it up.
When I have been paid I pay the butcher and advise him to release steer # 448 to Jane or John Doe.
Now here is something else you need to know.
When you locate and receive your deposit you need to find out how your customer wants it processed because the butcher will be asking you.
Ask them "how many people in the family, how thick they want their steaks, how you want the ground meat packages (1 or 2 pounds, patties?)

I suggest you visit the butcher you intend to use and go over all this before advertising and talking to a potential customer.

Hope this helps
SL

So your 900lb steer dressed 540? :lol: Are you sure it was'nt alot of BULL.. :lol: :lol:

 

[WORANCH]

So I have a buchter date set in October for these two steers I'm feeding out, and one is for us, the other I'm selling. For someone doing this the first time, what are the pros/cons of setting the price based on hanging weight, or selling on the hoof, or what's the best way to go about this? And is it OK to advertise two months in advance and ask for a deposit, or...? Suggestions or comments?

Thanks!

Try to find a scale to weigh the steers , and get your money before you carry them to the butcher .
If you can't weigh them sell by hanging weight most processers will know the hanging weight . some of them have scales for live weight , give them a call and find out .


One more thing MM you have forgotten more about cattle than sir lion will ever know............

 

[milkmaid]

If you don't mind me asking:
How many animals per year are we talking about?
Your best guess of weight and breed.

You might want to consider a joint ownership program.
SL

Right now it's just one steer -- I'm feeding two and we're eating one, and the other needs to take up residence in someone else's freezer.

Depending on how these two go, I may pick up two more at Christmas time to feed out and sell. Most definetly not a big operation by any means. LOL.

The ones I'm feeding now are angus/holstein cross but look angusy and should be around 1200-1250lbs at slaughter, if I pick up some in Dec they'd be red angus (only because I have a connection for RA calves).