butchering a calf?

[saltbranch]

I have never done this for various reasons. I now have a the room and freezer space with a new 24cu.ft. freezere. At what weight do you like to butcher at? I do not want to butcher larger than my freezer can hold. Our local place is 40.00 kill fee, then .50 per pound cut/wrap.

 

[Jogeephus]

Depends more on the frame and type cattle to me. Most of mine finish out between 1000-1300 lbs. I just watch the fat. No need and raising more fat than you are going to eat.

 

[kenny thomas]

What Joe said. I like them big so they are finished but we dont use that much only being two of use. I usually sell half to someone else. Helps pay for the feed and trouble also.

 

[dun]

We used to put a steer (1200-1300 lb waking around) and a hog in our 24 cu foot chest freezer. Just need to stack in properly. We caught on to using plastic milk crayes to stack the meat in it.

 

[Kingfisher]

Why not do it yourself? Put the kill fee,transport& butcher fee into a food knife and slicer? By the end of the second "calf" you'll know what you like and need.?.?. Just saying...

 

[saltbranch]

Why not do it yourself? Put the kill fee,transport& butcher fee into a food knife and slicer? By the end of the second "calf" you'll know what you like and need.?.?. Just saying...

Lack of time and inexperience to be honest. I am 100 miles from our property and I do not have the facilities to butcher an animal that large there and then transport to my home in the city. It would be interesting to see what my neighbors thought about a calf being winched up in a tree in front of the house and dressed out though. :banana:
I did that with a deer about 10-12 years ago and it was interesting to say the least. People stopping and saying stuff. Even had the police come by because someone called. They asked if I could take it to the back yard? No tree there I replied as I was skinning it out. they drove off.

 

[Kingfisher]

Close the garage door this time.....

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Take the hoof weight times .60 to get the carcass, then take that by .60 to get the pounds of beef in the freezer. You can usually get 30-40 pounds per cu. foot of freezer.

 

[wacocowboy]

with the prices I get at the sale I cant bring myself to butcher one.

 

[highgrit]

I would have the calf processed myself. Just because I like mine to hang for 25-30 days.