Red Boots Farm
Well-known member
Our usual butcher was booked so far ahead we were forced to find another one for our British White beef steer. Picked up the beef today and was disappointed on a number of fronts, which is sad because this was the first calf we raised here and were really looking forward to great yield as big as he was. The hanging weight was 850 lbs. Of the two quarters we brought home (one for us and one for a family member), one yielded 116 lb (55%) and the other, 107 (50.5%). The discrepancy between the two was in the steaks and roasts. I had asked about fat cover and they said "it's right where it needs to be" so there wasn't excess outer fat to trim. The steaks were huge too so I just feel the yield is off somewhere.
We typically get about 60-65% conversion from hanging to finish. For comparison, our largest steer was 880 lbs hanging weight and we got about 132 lbs of meat per quarter, and that steer had excess fat cover, the butcher told us.
In addition, this new butcher didn't stamp the customer name or date on the packages; there were blood spills on several of the packages; they surprised us with a higher price upon pickup (their prices went up in the week between quoting us and picking it up and they didn't inform us); they refused to hang for 10 days (they only do 7); charged us for organs; and they never asked about brisket (they just ground it) or cuts like strip or porterhouse - instead just sticking to the plain and simple.
I guess we're spoiled with our regular butcher, who is very skilled, gets great yield out of a carcass and always does the brisket and porterhouse. Also, they throw in all the suet, organs, and dog bones for free that we want.
Thoughts?
We typically get about 60-65% conversion from hanging to finish. For comparison, our largest steer was 880 lbs hanging weight and we got about 132 lbs of meat per quarter, and that steer had excess fat cover, the butcher told us.
In addition, this new butcher didn't stamp the customer name or date on the packages; there were blood spills on several of the packages; they surprised us with a higher price upon pickup (their prices went up in the week between quoting us and picking it up and they didn't inform us); they refused to hang for 10 days (they only do 7); charged us for organs; and they never asked about brisket (they just ground it) or cuts like strip or porterhouse - instead just sticking to the plain and simple.
I guess we're spoiled with our regular butcher, who is very skilled, gets great yield out of a carcass and always does the brisket and porterhouse. Also, they throw in all the suet, organs, and dog bones for free that we want.
Thoughts?