Hamburger cow

[Dave]

I know in the past we have discussed hamburger cows. I picked up this on Wednesday at the sale. I have a kill date for here on next Friday. Figured I shouldn't wait until the last minute to buy her. She weighs about 1,280 and cost $0.64. She was preg checked to be open and aged to be a broken mouth cow. In pretty good shape for a broken mouth cow. So I am sure she has been eating well. Those heifers who lost a calf like I bought last year were costing $0.75 to $0.95 so I passed on them.

 

[Stocker Steve]

What is the best use for wet bag heiferettes? Freezer beef?

 

[Dave]

What is the best use for wet bag heiferettes? Freezer beef?

That would be what I would want to do. Sort of depends on how many you have, your market (both in package form and live) and ability to get them processed. Here where cattle way out number people it is tough to sell freezer beef. On the other hand I got this March 26 kill date in late January. And with $0.95 at the sale with no hassle...... that looks good too.

 

[SBMF 2015]

She'll eat well. Will be curios how she yields?

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Looks like she's in good flesh!

 

[Son of Butch]

I know in the past we have discussed hamburger cows. I picked up this one Wednesday at the sale. I have a kill date for here on next Friday. She weighs about 1,280 and cost $0.64. She was preg checked to be open and aged to be a broken mouth cow. Those heifers who lost a calf like I bought last year were costing $0.75 to $0.95 so I passed on them.

Hope you'll update with hanging weight, processing costs and take home weight.

My guess is 2.99-3.39 lb take home
Processing costs and how it's processed influences take home price.
On my last one, the butcher charged 4.75 lb to make all beef hotdogs.
They were really good, but spendy.

I would tell the butcher - 1 package of 2 NY Strip Steaks 3/4" thick,
package the tenderloin, 1 nice 3 lb brisket - grind the rest for hamburger
and keep the hamburger lean (personal preference)

1 pack of steaks as a test to see if it's worth it for next time.
Tenderloins are worth saving no matter the cow's age.
I'd give the brisket to a friend who has just gotten into smoking briskets as
a challenge to see what he can do with one from a broken mouth old cow.
just my 2 cents

 

[HDRider]

You are very lucky to get a processor spot. My guy is booked solid until the end of the year, and will not even take a reservation. It is like that all over the state.

There is a real shortage of processors here.

 

[Dave]

Where this one is going it will be 100% burger. Last year the processor charged $100 for the kill, $0.79 a pound to cut and wrap, and there was a $20 disposal fee. I am going to question the disposal fee. Last year when they killed it I took the head, hide, guts, and legs out to my bone yard. That would be the majority of what they have to pay to have hauled off. I was surprised when they tossed the hide into the tractor bucket but they said they have to pay to have the hides hauled off.

 

[C-Ranch]

I thought they sold the hides...Maybe that's something of the past..

 

[SBMF 2015]

I thought they sold the hides...Maybe that's something of the past..

I think the price for hides just kept falling until it wasn't worth the extra work for smaller butchers.

Kinda like how my dad remembers a time when packers rendering plants paid YOU for dead livestock. Now it costs $75 per cow.

 

[Son of Butch]

Where this one is going it will be 100% burger. Last year the processor charged $100 for the kill, $0.79 a pound to cut and wrap, and there was a $20 disposal fee. I was surprised when they tossed the hide into the tractor bucket but they said they have to pay to have the hides hauled off.

Butchers still sell the hides here.
I know because 1 butcher bxtched to me about another butcher who charged him a premium when he needed to buy a couple of hides to fill out an order.

I remember the days long ago when the butcher bought the hide by giving you credit for it on the processing bill. Now it's add every little thing they can think of to the bill. I divide the check I write to them by the h.w. to compare 1 butcher to another. But it's gotten to just being happy to get one scheduled.

I just had my first USDA inspected steer processed, with custom packing, weight and labeling on each package. They did a nice job. but with the added expenses the total cost came to 1.13 lb hanging weight.

 

[Dave]

One of the neighbors has a friend who does a lot of work with raw hide. I am going to ask if that guy would want the hide. Better than letting the coyotes chew on it. In this part of the world virtually every ranch has what they call a bone yard. Some out of the way place where dead animals go to decompose and coyotes go to dine.

 

[farmerjan]

Yep, I remember when they paid for a dead animal for rendering...newly dead not anything stinking..... $50, then $25 then free pickup... to now they charge...We can take ours to our local landfill for free still.... or find a spot out in the "back".... but the coyotes get too interested in going after the calves and sheep .... there is one real big one here, but have not seen him around the cattle....as long as he stays away from the calves and sheep.... Have a guy that came out with a night scope to get the da#@ed coyotes that got into the sheep... got 2 and no problems since....

Dates here are 1 1/2 years out. We have dates for August - November - Dec 2021, then I have 3 more in 2022 July - August - September.... don't know what we will need so took the dates... this is a small local processor that we have dealt with for years.... he said that they have a list of people wanting cancellations so not a problem to cancel down the road.... Got a charolais heifer I was going to breed that is as high headed as they come... comes right in the barn to eat, but will go right over a gate if she gets crowded... can't get a date to kill, and they are only worth $.70 at the market....
got my jersey steer to go in August and he is not worth $.50 at the sale so going to eat him.... not going to keep this heifer that long....
Sure wish we had a mobile unit around here.... she would be perfect to shoot in the field without any upset.... then do her from there....she's been on silage with the feeder calves we just sold.... grrrrrr

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Bull hide and steer hide only thing paying around here. Slaughter guy said heifer hide was $5.

 

[kenny thomas]

Yep, I remember when they paid for a dead animal for rendering...newly dead not anything stinking..... $50, then $25 then free pickup... to now they charge...We can take ours to our local landfill for free still.... or find a spot out in the "back".... but the coyotes get too interested in going after the calves and sheep .... there is one real big one here, but have not seen him around the cattle....as long as he stays away from the calves and sheep.... Have a guy that came out with a night scope to get the da#@ed coyotes that got into the sheep... got 2 and no problems since....

Dates here are 1 1/2 years out. We have dates for August - November - Dec 2021, then I have 3 more in 2022 July - August - September.... don't know what we will need so took the dates... this is a small local processor that we have dealt with for years.... he said that they have a list of people wanting cancellations so not a problem to cancel down the road.... Got a charolais heifer I was going to breed that is as high headed as they come... comes right in the barn to eat, but will go right over a gate if she gets crowded... can't get a date to kill, and they are only worth $.70 at the market....
got my jersey steer to go in August and he is not worth $.50 at the sale so going to eat him.... not going to keep this heifer that long....
Sure wish we had a mobile unit around here.... she would be perfect to shoot in the field without any upset.... then do her from there....she's been on silage with the feeder calves we just sold.... grrrrrr

So different here now. I had 2 scheduled for April 2 and they called yesterday and ask if i could bring them Monday morning.

 

[farmerjan]

Da@# @kenny thomas ... wish there was a place around here that I could sneak this charl heifer in somewhere.... How far are you from Lexington Va?????

 

[C-Ranch]

I take two into the plant on Tuesday. I'll find out then the next available date for the next two is. Sure hate the long waiting periods.

 

[kenny thomas]

Da@# @kenny thomas ... wish there was a place around here that I could sneak this charl heifer in somewhere.... How far are you from Lexington Va?????

4 hours Jan

 

[Dave]

If I had been at the house Thursday afternoon instead of out checking for new calves I could have moved the kill date up. But wasn't there to answer the phone and by the time I got a hold of him some one else moved their date up.

 

[Banjo]

One of the slaughter houses around here compost all their disposal and use it on their farm and sell some of it. They mix it with sawdust.