how much to sell quarter of a cow?

[Hillary_Indiana]

Hi guys,
We have a black angus cow that we're getting ready to butcher. We've been feeding him cattle feed from the co-op and hay. He is one year old now. I was wondering how much would you charge per pound to sell to co-workers, family, etc. We aren't looking to make a lot of a money, but we sure don't want to lose any more money than we have to. I called the local meat locker and they sell a quarter of a cow at 2.50/lb. We are confused because we see black angus hamburger at the grocery store for 3.00/lb. Anyway, the customer would be getting steak, roasts, hamburger, etc.

What would you charge?
We are in Indiana.

 

[backhoeboogie]

We get the steers and set fair market value for them and price them. "Friends, family and co-workers" are charged that price. Generally two people will split one. I feed out my own and will feed out the others. The feed bill is split amongst everyone with interest in it. When I haul my own to the processors, I will haul as many as need be. Most I have done at once is 6. The cut sheets are prepared for each person's animal. They come back each year.

 

[dun]

Don;t know how you would figure it. The front quarter doesn;t have the expensive cuts that the hind quarter does

 

[mitch2]

Hi guys,
We have a black angus cow that we're getting ready to butcher. We've been feeding him cattle feed from the co-op and hay. He is one year old now. I was wondering how much would you charge per pound to sell to co-workers, family, etc. We aren't looking to make a lot of a money, but we sure don't want to lose any more money than we have to. I called the local meat locker and they sell a quarter of a cow at 2.50/lb. We are confused because we see black angus hamburger at the grocery store for 3.00/lb. Anyway, the customer would be getting steak, roasts, hamburger, etc.

What would you charge?
We are in Indiana.

Sell by a "split half"
Did the locker intend for the $2.50/lb price from the hanging weight? Maybe clarify that. Very nice price if it is.
Is the animal finished the way your customers want it finished?

Our last animals was sold at $1.45/lb hanging weight, plus the customer is to pay the processing charges Around here that averages $.33 per pound, on the hanging weight, plus kill and splitting charges are split equally.

Consider those prices are on hanging weight, and then you have the cutting loss, and let's say that is 45%.

Your effective price per pound to the customer is approx $2.64 plus the processing fees approx .35/lb for a take home price of $2.99....but you are correct in that includes hamb, steaks, roasts, etc.

Michele

 

[backhoeboogie]

Your effective price per pound to the customer is approx $2.64 plus the processing fees approx .35/lb for a take home price of $2.99....but you are correct in that includes hamb, steaks, roasts, etc.

Michele

Michele that sounds about right, in the end. The steaks are better than the $11.99 per pound butcher shop steaks. That is why customers come back year after year. They don't much care about the $2.99 hamburger. It is the steak that gets them. Too many times I hear, "I can't buy steak that is that good...."

 

[funky 4-Her]

we sell ours for $ 2.00 a pound, that is just the meat already butchered and wrapped ready to go in the freezer.

 

[USMCRanchGirl]

Here is a link that will give you some information about how another one of the posters here (sorry, can't remember who) does it every year. A lot of info on here, but gives an excellent plan for selling quarters IMO.

http://www.sellfarm.com/prod01.htm#nutshell

We're doing something similar to this. That way, we make a good profit and the clients are very happy. If you give special deals for family and friends, just make sure you cover your expenses all the way. If you give it to them too cheap, they'll expect the same year after year.

 

[Daisy452]

Hi guys,
We have a black angus cow that we're getting ready to butcher. We've been feeding him cattle feed from the co-op and hay. He is one year old now. I was wondering how much would you charge per pound to sell to co-workers, family, etc. We aren't looking to make a lot of a money, but we sure don't want to lose any more money than we have to. I called the local meat locker and they sell a quarter of a cow at 2.50/lb. We are confused because we see black angus hamburger at the grocery store for 3.00/lb. Anyway, the customer would be getting steak, roasts, hamburger, etc.

What would you charge?
We are in Indiana.

What we do is add up all the hay and grain expenses, plus what you payed for the steer, then divide it into 4 since ur quartering. and thats what the person pays for, no matter if it friend, co-workers, or family

 

[Jogeephus]

If at all possible don't sell less than a 1/2. Let them split it if they want to but you tend to have more problems with folks when they get a quarter and they don't get 50 lbs of steak. JMO

 

[6M Ranch]

$4/lb. based on package weight. 1/2's or wholes only. More for smaller packages.

 

[hughnews]

thats the adv going price here in W ny state for spring 07 I sold 1/2 and then 1/2 and keeped that last 1/4

 

[Susie David]

Do a search of past posts on the subject...alot of folks have gone into detail on the selling of freezer beef.

If some other fella wants to give his beef away for feed money then let him take it in the wallet....know how much it costs to grow your animals and then see if you can be competative in the market place. Hint...the clock starts at conception.

We have spent a few years cultivating a customer base and spent a few $$ on customer education and marketing....the result...our fall production is almost sold out and we will have a waiting list on the production board.

Just my two bits worth....asked for or not...Dave Mc

 

[MrBilly]

HEY Thanks for advertising our site,

http://www.sellfarm.com is our site

and we continue to sell that way. If you can't make a profit, forget it. There is really too much work if you do it right, that is guarantee the product, feed grain for six months, select for animals with the largest ribeye, go to the cuttings to obtain carcass data, etc, etc.

Billy

 

[mnmtranching]

I don't like to sell 1/4 either. But sometimes. We take 1/4 of everything, like 1/4 the "T Bones" 1/4 the "Rib Eyes" 1/4 the burger etc. We sell a dime above market hanging weight. I think now that would be about 155. per hundred weight?
The customer pays the butcher at pick up, including their share of the processing. All are happy.

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

Be sure and keep your eye on obama.

:lol:
Go:
http://iowapresidentialwatch.com/images ... uit-Md.jpg

 

[SCRUBS620]

I am a little confused. I thought that by law you have to sell them the animal (i.e by live weight) unless you are cleared to do otherwise by the USDA. I know you can sell a half or a quarter of an animal and that is OK. I thought you had to get cleared by them to sell processed meat (i.e. inspections, labeling etc.). Am I just wrong, am I missing something or has something changed? :?: :?:

 

[somn]

I am a little confused. I thought that by law you have to sell them the animal (i.e by live weight) unless you are cleared to do otherwise by the USDA. I know you can sell a half or a quarter of an animal and that is OK. I thought you had to get cleared by them to sell processed meat (i.e. inspections, labeling etc.). Am I just wrong, am I missing something or has something changed? :?: :?:

Never heard that before. We have always charged by the hanging weight? If the half weighed 490 each quarter weighed 245. We have never sold front or hind quarters only sell by a split half, a half, or wholes.

 

[SCRUBS620]

From the USDA website,

EXEMPTIONS

Sec 23 (a) The provisions of this title requiring inspection of the slaughter of animals and the preparation of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at the establishments conducting such operations for commerce shall not apply to the slaughtering by any person of animals of his own raising, and the preparation by him and transportation in commerce of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals exclusively for the use by him and members of his household and his nonpaying guests and employees;

(the above section means that you can slaughter your own animals and be exempt from inspection as long as you dont sell the meat)

nor to the custom slaughter by any person firm or corporation of cattle sheep swine or goats delivered by the owner thereof for such slaughter and the preparation by such slaughterer and transportation in commerce of such carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals exclusively for the use by him and members of his household and his nonpaying guests and employees...

(this section says that you can take an animal to a custom slaughter plant and have it killed and processed without having to have it inspected as along as the owner of the animal delivers it for slaughter and the meat will not be sold afterwards)

Basically the way I read this and what I have been told before is that the owner of the animal is exempt from the regulations about inspection and labeling. That means the person must own the animal before slaughter so it must be sold on a liveweight basis. Maybe I am interpreting this wrong. I dont know if a sale contingent upon the hanging weight is considered ownership before the slaughter.

 

[SCRUBS620]

Before someone jumps on me, I dont mean that it has to be physically delivered by the person who owns it. It can be transported by whoever but the "delivered" in this instance I believe is referring to intention to have the animal slaughtered.

 

[somn]

From the USDA website,

EXEMPTIONS

Sec 23 (a) The provisions of this title requiring inspection of the slaughter of animals and the preparation of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at the establishments conducting such operations for commerce shall not apply to the slaughtering by any person of animals of his own raising, and the preparation by him and transportation in commerce of the carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals exclusively for the use by him and members of his household and his nonpaying guests and employees;

(the above section means that you can slaughter your own animals and be exempt from inspection as long as you dont sell the meat)

nor to the custom slaughter by any person firm or corporation of cattle sheep swine or goats delivered by the owner thereof for such slaughter and the preparation by such slaughterer and transportation in commerce of such carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products of such animals exclusively for the use by him and members of his household and his nonpaying guests and employees...

(this section says that you can take an animal to a custom slaughter plant and have it killed and processed without having to have it inspected as along as the owner of the animal delivers it for slaughter and the meat will not be sold afterwards)

Basically the way I read this and what I have been told before is that the owner of the animal is exempt from the regulations about inspection and labeling. That means the person must own the animal before slaughter so it must be sold on a liveweight basis. Maybe I am interpreting this wrong. I dont know if a sale contingent upon the hanging weight is considered ownership before the slaughter.

How you come up with a price doesn't matter it was when you set the price that matters if a sale was agreed upon before slaughter of the animal is the key. Along with the words Not for Sale clearly stamped on the processed meat. I could sell it on a packaged weight basis if I wanted to as long as the sale was agreed upon before slaughter. How you set the price makes no difference to USDA. Only when you make the sale matters.