Finish for private treaty sale

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HybridMike

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I'm curious to know what people are selling home grown beef for. I was just feeding for myself but now others are begging to ask if I'll raise and feed one for them. Are you selling by live weight or hanging? What kind of pricing? Does that price include the harvesting?
 
Most sell hanging weight, which includes delivery to butcher and buyer pays butcher for processing.
Technically farmer selling finished product that has not been USDA inspected is against the law.
Selling the animal either live weight or hanging and buyer pays processing is completely legal.

Currently most are 2.50 - 3.99 lb hanging plus processing (to get over $3 lb the beef needs to be of exceptional quality)
 
Generally, I will sell the animal 'on the hoof' and the price includes me filling out their cut sheets, and hauling to the processor. The buyers are responsible for the cost of kill, cut & wrap.
 
Be sure you have some idea of what they expect!!! Some people have no concept of yield of meat from live weight, processing costs, or the roasts and soup bones that comes with the steaks and burger. You will be the ''bad guy'' in there world and they will inform the world.
 
Workinonit Farm":330jnhfm said:
Generally, I will sell the animal 'on the hoof' and the price includes me filling out their cut sheets, and hauling to the processor. The buyers are responsible for the cost of kill, cut & wrap.

That's what we do. We generally sell a handful each year to folks I work with. Generally we sell them at around 800 pounds ( live weight) for $1.80/pound and we'll haul them to the processor. I have the buyer meet me at the processor so I can help them with the cut sheet, etc. It's worked well for all concerned. There is a "learning curve" for the buyer at first, especially for folks who have no idea about butchering an animal. I had one lady who thought she could put all the meat from a calf in her refrigerator's freezer! I had to explain that she would be getting hundreds of pounds of meat. :eek: . She bought a chest freezer and has been buying from us for several years.
 
$2.80/lb of HCW, buyer pays processing, we deliver the steer to the processor and bring the meat back to town. Processer is ~85 miles one way and out of the way. Average this year on HCW is ~740lbs..
 
May I ask how you all usually market for sale and how much headache it is to coordinate with people? If it isn't through work do you use Craigslist?

I have always thought it would be a pain coordinating halves or quarters if people don't want a whole steer.
 
I sold three this year for $1.60 per lb live weight. I haul them to the processor and they pay the processing and pick the boxed meat up.
 
wood8670":35r6l05c said:
May I ask how you all usually market for sale and how much headache it is to coordinate with people? If it isn't through work do you use Craigslist?

I have always thought it would be a pain coordinating halves or quarters if people don't want a whole steer.

I don't actually market fed steers. It seems when people hear I'm feeding one they come out of the woodwork. From church, Facebook etc... I think I could sell 10 per year without advertising. Nice thing for me is that most of my friends and neighbors are city folk that moved out here and still commute to the big city for work. They don't want to raise them but they want to eat beef that was raise correctly with no hormones and proper antibiotic withdrawal periods were followed. It makes them feel country if they can go to the processor to pick up a few ice chests full of beef. Nice thing is most have done it at least once and liked the experience.
 
Clod Hopper":808c8emu said:
I sold three this year for $1.60 per lb live weight. (average weight 1240 lbs)
I haul them to the processor and they pay the processing and pick the boxed meat up.
Mike - mwj made a good point about expectations.
Being new to selling 1/2s both you and your friends/customers should talk with the butcher who will be doing the
processing to answer questions you'll both have about what to expect.

1240 lbs should yield 60.5%+ = 750 lbs hanging
1240 x 1.60 = $1984
750 x 2.65 = $1988

hanging weight or live weight... it's a horse a piece

Advantage using hanging weight, no hassle, weighing done by independent 3rd party who needs to weigh it anyway
to process and rewards grower for producing higher yielding steers.

Advantage using live weight, may trick inexperienced buyers into thinking the total price is cheaper than hanging
weight and rewards producer of lesser yielding steers.

Being able to sell entire steer to one buyer will make your life a lot easier than selling 1/2s or 1/4s
I would either discount to buyer of entire steer or raise price to buyer of a 1/4 or 1/2 for the extra hassle.
 
texan@heart":308iefxo said:
Has anyone ever asked for a grass fed beef? The price would have to be higher???


A lot of the grass fed that I see is heifers that did not breed or young cull cows.
 
mwj":2oxj5pp7 said:
texan@heart":2oxj5pp7 said:
Has anyone ever asked for a grass fed beef?
The price would have to be higher???

A lot of the grass fed that I see is heifers that did not breed or young cull cows.
I sold a young cull cow for $1.89 lb hanging + processing to a customer that wanted grass fed beef only.
I Explained exactly what she was and what to expect... both of us were very happy with the transaction.
 
Son of Butch":3ly3a6cv said:
Max price I've ever seen has been grass fed beef from a certified organic farm... $3.99 lb hanging 1/4 minimum order


http://www.wattersonranch.com/
$5.93/lb 1/4 carcass approximately $700 not the highest or the cheapest around. Of course you have to be within 75 miles of Austin. I'd rather pay more and live somewhere else.

I'd have to be pretty hungry to eat any grass fed beef. But, I'd sure sell it.
 
We sold three steers in late December for $3.90 per pound hanging weight, with the cost including everything (kill fee, cut and wrap fee, split fee, tallow fee). We do halves or quarters. Buyer has option of picking it up at butcher or we will pick it up and deliver to their home if it is close by if they can't pick it up. Mostly grass-fed beef, with a little alfalfa and a touch of grain.
 

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