Disappointing butcher yield

[Red Boots Farm]

Ours is a 14 day hang time as well. One time we had to use a different slaughter guy, it took him two shots to drop the steer, at 20 feet away. When we went to pick the meat up on a steer that was huge, he comes out with two boxes of meat for an entire steer. That he hand carried out, he knew when I looked at him that I knew he was trying to rip us off. He starts handing us packages of pepperoni from someone else's pile. It almost ended up in a fight right there. Turned out the old owner had passed away and these crooks where trying to scam people to fill out their storefront. They lasted less than two months and we're out of business. I'll wait several months if I have to for my regular guy.

Oh my gosh. That's horrible. Now I'm for sure willing to feed a couple of extra months if it means using our trusted butcher.
Are there butchers who don't have a retail storefront? Would those be more trustworthy?

 

[Farmerjon]

The butcher we use now is supposedly the last one in the state (Indiana) that doesn't mix all the beef cuts and grinds hamburger once a week and just gives you the weight estimated. Which means that you get grindings from every bovine butchered that week. This shop grinds our beef and packages it. If you get your hog slaughtered there, again, your sausage is ground alone. Most don't do that. Ask yours.

 

[chaded]

Oh my gosh. That's horrible. Now I'm for sure willing to feed a couple of extra months if it means using our trusted butcher.
Are there butchers who don't have a retail storefront? Would those be more trustworthy?

If they are dishonest they will find a way to be so.

 

[faster horses]

I've heard (statements from Angus enthusiasts) that Herefords will put on quite a bit of back fat and won't marble. I know the part about not marbling is not true. We usually sell our black calves and feed out Herefords. The black calves sell better, but the Herefords turn out great beef too. It's been well marbled and tender,

While it might be a bit harder to sell a Hereford calf, buyers just LOVE Hereford yearlings.
Local store here sells Hereford beef and the meat is really good. They have a good following to buy their meat that they advertise as Hereford.

 

[gusea305]

The difference between a good hair cut and a bad hair cut is two weeks

The difference between a good hang time and a bad hang time is also about two weeks.

 

[SBMF 2015]

My wife thinks he had too much finish and could hardly walk.

I bet he tasted good though!

 

[Red Boots Farm]

I've heard (statements from Angus enthusiasts) that Herefords will put on quite a bit of back fat and won't marble. I know the part about not marbling is not true. We usually sell our black calves and feed out Herefords. The black calves sell better, but the Herefords turn out great beef too. It's been well marbled and tender,

That's good to hear, as we're picking up a weaned Hereford feeder steer Thursday. It's about 8 mo old, maybe 600-700 lb. Fed organically and I got a decent price for it (around here anyway!) We need to keep the cow company, too, for heat detection.

Anyway..... I finally opened a pack of rib steaks from the steer that we took to the questionable butcher that started this thread. I was almost afraid to look. Frustrating when you wait 9.5 months plus another 17 months to see how your experiment turned out. Looks like decent marbling though. Just wish there was MORE packages of it....

 

[Hpacres440p]

That's good to hear, as we're picking up a weaned Hereford feeder steer Thursday. It's about 8 mo old, maybe 600-700 lb. Fed organically and I got a decent price for it (around here anyway!) We need to keep the cow company, too, for heat detection.

Anyway..... I finally opened a pack of rib steaks from the steer that we took to the questionable butcher that started this thread. I was almost afraid to look. Frustrating when you wait 9.5 months plus another 17 months to see how your experiment turned out. Looks like decent marbling though. Just wish there was MORE packages of it....

That's a lot of extramuscular fat anyway-glad he didn't trim close or you may have been very disappointed. Strange cutting so high on the rib. I plan to go to the TAMU processing course this summer to figure out how there can be so much difference in cutting style. Not a pattern of cut I've seen with our central Texas processors.

 

[mwj]

That's a lot of extramuscular fat anyway-glad he didn't trim close or you may have been very disappointed. Strange cutting so high on the rib. I plan to go to the TAMU processing course this summer to figure out how there can be so much difference in cutting style. Not a pattern of cut I've seen with our central Texas processors.

To my eye it appears to be a chuck steak.

 

[Silver]

I like some fat and good marbling, that's too much fat for me.

 

[greybeard]

Fast forward to the next year, I load and ask where they are going and the wife informs me they are going to the OLD slaughter house. I'm like, "what????" and she tells me, "we got too much meat from your slaughter house!"

There is no such thing.

 

[Farmerjon]

There is no such thing.

??? As in there is no such thing as to much meat? If this is what you meant, yeah it was a weird moment in time for sure.

 

[Ridgefarmer63]

I've always thought that butchers who sell meat out front seems to be a conflict of interest, but that'd make me a cynic I guess. Trust in thy fellow man, until you note otherwise and then move on or learn to butcher and do it yourself. The devils in the details as we all know. I've done the rail to box ratio on and off for 20 years. Worst I've seen is 50 %, best is 70% with most falling in the 58-62% range. Deboning everything, hang time (shrinkage) excess cover all affect the final outcome.

In our area (and I suspect other areas too) putting a USDA facility on your farm could be a money maker.

 

[HDRider]

I've always thought that butchers who sell meat out front seems to be a conflict of interest, but that'd make me a cynic I guess. Trust in thy fellow man, until you note otherwise and then move on or learn to butcher and do it yourself. The devils in the details as we all know. I've done the rail to box ratio on and off for 20 years. Worst I've seen is 50 %, best is 70% with most falling in the 58-62% range. Deboning everything, hang time (shrinkage) excess cover all affect the final outcome.

In our area (and I suspect other areas too) putting a USDA facility on your farm could be a money maker.

Take the business plan to your bank and find out. Pencil a plan with $500 per square foot cost and with no qualified labor pool and small market potential.

There is a reason almost all of the small processors went out of business in the last 50 years.

 

[Ridgefarmer63]

Take the business plan to your bank and find out. Pencil a plan with $500 per square foot cost and with no qualified labor pool and small market potential.

There is a reason almost all of the small processors went out of business in the last 50 years.

I agree with you on the labor pool. Hopefully that'll change when the pandemic blows over. I disagree about the market. Most butchers are booked for six months to a year or more out. I've been in south central NH since 1964 and most the butchers are still here, unless they died. I am talking fully USDA meat house's (3 ) and many custom butchering shops.

Either way, I more n likely wouldn't do it. I am sure there are a lot of headaches involved with running a meat shop. I've heard of angry butchers that have to deal with people who don't have a clue how to cut but feel it's OK to question them in their cutting style/ quantity received.

I have thought of working part time (or work for processing trade) at a local meat house after I retire from my day job just so I know what I'm talking about instead of googling everything and thinking I'm an expert.

People..... That's why I spend most my time around cows and making hay. Rant over...

 

[HDRider]

Most butchers are booked for six months to a year or more out.

Because were had a tectonic shift with the big four processors. They could not deliver, and it created an opportunity for small processors. We have had two new small USDA facilities open up here. I hope they succeed. It is good for me as a freezer beef seller. I hope it was not a temporary blip.

I have thought of working part time (or work for processing trade) at a local meat house after

I did that. I had the idea of opening a USDA facility. I am actually in negotiations to buy one now. My original intent is about 7 years old, and was squashed when I better understood the economics of it by working in one. That calculus has changed. I don't know if the change is permanent, or short lived. The big four are very powerful.

 

[Ridgefarmer63]

Because were had a tectonic shift with the big four processors. They could not deliver, and it created an opportunity for small processors. We have had two new small USDA facilities open up here. I hope they succeed. It is good for me as a freezer beef seller. I hope it was not a temporary blip.

I did that. I had the idea of opening a USDA facility. I am actually in negotiations to buy one now. My original intent is about 7 years old, and was squashed when I better understood the economics of it by working in one. That calculus has changed. I don't know if the change is permanent, or short lived. The big four are very powerful.

Opening a facility is scary and exciting all at the same time. Not everyone is cut out to be a butcher. I wish you well.

 

[greybeard]

??? As in there is no such thing as to much meat? If this is what you meant, yeah it was a weird moment in time for sure.

That is exactly what I meant.

There can be 'not enough freezer space' but that problem is easily fixed.

 

[HDRider]

Opening a facility is scary and exciting all at the same time. Not everyone is cut out to be a butcher. I wish you well.

I will not be a butcher. I will own a staffed facility.

I have to say I am 50/50 on committing to it.

I am not doing it for the money. It is just something I have a passion for. That said, it has to be profitable.

 

[mwj]

I will not be a butcher. I will own a staffed facility.

I have to say I am 50/50 on committing to it.

I am not doing it for the money. It is just something I have a passion for. That said, it has to be profitable.

The advantage of large processors is in the sale of the ''drop'' or byproduct. Small processors pay for removal and the big packers sell for enough to cover there labor cost.