Hanging weight vs final product

[Chocolate Cow2]

I had a steer butchered. He was no prize. He took forever to appear ready to butcher. Kept getting taller and taller and even grew scurs along with an attitude. I didn't expect much and wasn't disappointed today when I picked up the meat. He hung on the hook at 704 pounds. I brought home 330 pounds of meat. I had most of him ground into hamburger. Sure seems like he didn't yield much. He wasn't one of mine. He belonged to a neighbor. The steer wouldn't stay home and was always in my pasture with my cows so I bought him with the plan of putting him in the freezer but he sure didn't take up much room in the freezer today. Figured he was a holstein - Angus cross. or Holstein - limmi or holstein - poodle or somethin........ :shock:

 

[kenny thomas]

Unless he has been fed good and finished that's probably about right. I got one like him that will go in January. It will be mostly burger. But he wouldn't bring much on the market now.

 

[Son of Butch]

1280 lb live weight x 55% = 704 lbs hw x 46.9% yield = 330 lbs take home

 

[kenny thomas]

1280 lb live weight x 55% = 704 lbs hw x 46.9% yield = 330 lbs take home

Unless finished I would think 55% is ok. I guess it lots went into burger the 46.9 isn't bad.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

For a under-finished steinX 46% wouldn't be bad.

 

[Son of Butch]

1280 lb live weight x 55% = 704 lbs hw x 46.9% yield = 330 lbs take home

Unless finished I would think 55% is ok. I guess it lots went into burger the 46.9 isn't bad.

I'm thinking as long as he didn't over pay for the steer and depending on how much the butcher charged, he should've come out okay on the deal.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

I've told some that this steer had more corn through him than a Gleaner combine. I'd wormed him but didn't implant. He would start to put on weight and look good, then he'd hit another gear, go up in height and look like he'd lost 250 pounds. He was over 2 1/2 years old when he went to slaughter. I was tired of the feed expense and his attitude. I know that sucker thought he had his own 5 gallon bucket and was set for life. I'm not complaining about how he yielded. It's just genetics and an educational lesson.

 

[farmerjan]

I have found that anything that is 1/2 dairy will be approx 1/4 of live weight in actual take home meat. So a 1200 lb live weight would be about 300 lbs. take home meat. If you consistently figure that then when you get a little more it will be a bonus. Yes it depends on the "finish" but that is about a good overall consistent amount to figure. I tell people who are getting jersey beef from me that if it weighs 1000 live, it will hang at 500 and get 250 lbs meat average.

Considering that here he is worth about $.40 lb live weight.... meat in the freezer is a much better choice.

 

[Son of Butch]

Considering that here he is worth about $.40 lb live weight... meat in the freezer is a much better choice.

Not to be overly nit picking...... but
Boning/Utility dairy cows sold from .46-.58 lb here this week
Cutters .39-.49
light & shelly .15-.37
So a Holstein dairy steer has to be worth at least $.49 lb lw rock bottom
and a 1/2 Holstein x 1/2 poodle cross should be worth at least .54 and up to .70 lb
Premium slaughter cows were .54-.65 lb

Finished Holstein Steers
Low Grading .65-.70
Good/mixed .78-.84
High Choice/prime .85-.91
Pime Overnight stand Holsteins brought .94

finished colored cattle mostly 1.08 - 1.18

 

[farmerjan]

SoB; I WISH our prices were even close to that. Cull cows were $.16 to $.31 TOPS yesterday. Feeder beef steers were in the $.60 to $1.20 range. My son sat through the sale and saw some breds bringing from $250 to $500. Our Tuesday sale is small compared to Friday, but last Friday they were not much better.... like $.20 more on steers and not over $.35 for cull cows. We have really taken a hit on prices here and don't figure it will get any better before the first of the year.