how to price a carcass

[Dave]

Still looking for those market topping fat steers that are ready for the rail

Probably not gonna find something like that in Florida. ;-)

I am not in a cattle finishing area either but I do find a fat steer or two at most every sale (actually fat heifers seem to be what I find most often but they work too). Some weeks there will be none but some weeks there will be half a dozen. People raise a couple to eat and sell and their sales don't work out so they take the extra steer to the sale. They come in small enough numbers that the buyers aren't there putting together loads to ship to the plant. So I am able to buy them well under the real world fat cattle market.

 

[inbredredneck]

Still looking for those market topping fat steers that are ready for the rail

Probably not gonna find something like that in Florida. ;-)

I am not in a cattle finishing area either but I do find a fat steer or two at most every sale (actually fat heifers seem to be what I find most often but they work too). Some weeks there will be none but some weeks there will be half a dozen. People raise a couple to eat and sell and their sales don't work out so they take the extra steer to the sale. They come in small enough numbers that the buyers aren't there putting together loads to ship to the plant. So I am able to buy them well under the real world fat cattle market.

Wow so what you are saying is that you can in fact buy a good quality finished steer or heifer for below the market, and yet others in the area need an exorbitant amount of money for the same quality steer or heifer and they still won't make MUCH?

 

[Dave]

I am not in a cattle finishing area either but I do find a fat steer or two at most every sale (actually fat heifers seem to be what I find most often but they work too). Some weeks there will be none but some weeks there will be half a dozen. People raise a couple to eat and sell and their sales don't work out so they take the extra steer to the sale. They come in small enough numbers that the buyers aren't there putting together loads to ship to the plant. So I am able to buy them well under the real world fat cattle market.[/quote]
Wow so what you are saying is that you can in fact buy a good quality finished steer or heifer for below the market, and yet others in the area need an exorbitant amount of money for the same quality steer or heifer and they still won't make MUCH?[/quote]

When you raise it from a calf and buy feed by the sack from the local high price feed store it cost a lot to finish them. I don't buy feed by the sack. And I don't raise the ones I sell as locker beef from a calf. I often sell calves for as many dollars as I can buy ready to or near ready to butcher animals (especially heifers for some reason).
I bought a heifer about month ago. Wasn't very big but in real good shape. Weighed around 950. I paid a little over $900 for her. This week she hung up at 613 pounds. At $2.35 a pound hanging that is $1,440. I made $500 in a month on her. As I said I feel a little guilty charging $2.35. She was a little smaller than the fat cattle market wants but certainly the size that lots of people like when buying a half a beef. And she will eat real good. As I said before I am selling at the bottom end of the prices locally. I know that there are people who pass me by to pay more because they figure if it cost more it must be better.

 

[vclavin]

Just sold sides at $2.80 lb hanging weight... includes processing except kill charge. If they want heart, liver, tongue, they pay the $2.80 per lb for that also.
Valerie

 

[salebarn junkie]

I have real good luck buying 900 to 1000lb hefiers that wouldent breed graining them for 30 to 45 days i can usually pick them up for kill prices some of the easyest money you will ever make

 

[calfbuyer]

This is good info guys. Growing up on a ranch, we always butchered the nurse cows calf or one with a broke leg or something that would make it bring less at the sale barn. All grown up with my own family now, I have tried it several ways: keep back a calf at weaning and feed him out, forfiting about 700$ then another 5-600in feed, then another 200 at the butcher. You can have 1500 in one pretty easy. I have went to local small feedlot and bought steers, that worked pretty good but expensive. I have bought left over 4-h and FFA steers, expensive. I don't know why it has never dawned on me to just go to the barn and buy a big fat, open heifer and feed her for a month or 6 weeks, right now you could probably buy a 1000lb open heifer for about 900 to 950, then 150 to 200 worth of feed and your done.

 

[ohiobeef]

It's interesting to read posts like this one. you have some people who are happy to get a little over market price, ( & some still feel guilty about it ) , & then you have others who , in my opinion, charge way over the market, sometimes double, & think it's fine. I believe being fair is the best practice , not just charging all that you can get, since some people are easily taken advantage of. Wouldn't it be nice if our country ,especially the oil companies, would work this way ? :clap:

 

[TexasBred]

Well at $4.00 a pound hanging let me know if you ever get in a pinch where you need a critter, I will haul you some out.

I think we went through this last year, Inbred, and I'm not going to play the game with you again this year. Bother someone else with your keen intellect and solid understanding of their business practices and customer preferences. Bye.

Kathie I talked with a fellow a week or so ago about a side of beef. He priced is as follows: "it is based on the cattle fax weekly certified Angus beef (this is the closest quoted price for all natural). The current price is $1.90 per pound on the hot carcass weight plus $.55 for processing and packaging". Was told that the price was perhaps a bit high on the beef but a bargain on the processing and packaging so overall a good price. I'm happy with that price.

 

[mncowboy]

In my opinion, people who typically buy freezer beef/ halfs or 1/4's ect. buy it because they have a sound feeling on where it came from, and have an understanding it wasnt' standing shoulder to shoulder with another steer knee deep is sh!t- hence the reason they're willing to pay more. I dont think you can blame someone or accuse them of being greedy because they try to make as much money as possible. Its not as though you're bringing your calves to the sales barn and as they're about yell "Sold!", you raise your hand and say "why dont you take a dime of the price, I'm a nice guy." If you're the person that charges $2.00 hanging when everyone else around you is charging $2.50, then great youre a nice guy with alittle less change in your pocket but dont knock your neighbors for trying to make as much money as possible. How many bull sales have you been to where the seller is purposely pricing their bulls lower than the neighbor just for the purpose of being nice. I think at the end for most people, its just plane business.

 

[gberry]

In my opinion, people who typically buy freezer beef/ halfs or 1/4's ect. buy it because they have a sound feeling on where it came from, and have an understanding it wasnt' standing shoulder to shoulder with another steer knee deep is sh!t- hence the reason they're willing to pay more. I dont think you can blame someone or accuse them of being greedy because they try to make as much money as possible. Its not as though you're bringing your calves to the sales barn and as they're about yell "Sold!", you raise your hand and say "why dont you take a dime of the price, I'm a nice guy." If you're the person that charges $2.00 hanging when everyone else around you is charging $2.50, then great youre a nice guy with alittle less change in your pocket but dont knock your neighbors for trying to make as much money as possible. How many bull sales have you been to where the seller is purposely pricing their bulls lower than the neighbor just for the purpose of being nice. I think at the end for most people, its just plane business.

Not to mention they are always comparing different markets. Inbred always compares the price to the slaughter price while most people buying halves are comparing to the supermarket price. I don't know if you can buy halves straight from the packing plant or not. It's irrelevant here because there aren't any. Walmart ground beef is over $3 per pound. $1.79 seems pretty low when you compare to that.

 

[shaz]

I've heard numbers anywhere from 2 bucks a pound ( hanging carcass weight) up to 4 bucks a lb.
I sell at 3.50/ lb hang weight when asked. But prices for feed is much higher here than other areas. 450/ton is not uncommon

OUCH!!! :shock:

450 a ton? Holy .....!

 

[Anonymous]

Yep. 400/ton is a good deal around here

 

[ohiobeef]

In my opinion, people who typically buy freezer beef/ halfs or 1/4's ect. buy it because they have a sound feeling on where it came from, and have an understanding it wasnt' standing shoulder to shoulder with another steer knee deep is sh!t- hence the reason they're willing to pay more. I dont think you can blame someone or accuse them of being greedy because they try to make as much money as possible. Its not as though you're bringing your calves to the sales barn and as they're about yell "Sold!", you raise your hand and say "why dont you take a dime of the price, I'm a nice guy." If you're the person that charges $2.00 hanging when everyone else around you is charging $2.50, then great youre a nice guy with alittle less change in your pocket but dont knock your neighbors for trying to make as much money as possible. How many bull sales have you been to where the seller is purposely pricing their bulls lower than the neighbor just for the purpose of being nice. I think at the end for most people, its just plane business.

Not to mention they are always comparing different markets. Inbred always compares the price to the slaughter price while most people buying halves are comparing to the supermarket price. I don't know if you can buy halves straight from the packing plant or not. It's irrelevant here because there aren't any. Walmart ground beef is over $3 per pound. $1.79 seems pretty low when you compare to that.

Apparently you do not understand that you will lose about 1/2 of the hanging wt. when it is processed. That DOUBLES the 1.79 "hanging price, & then you have to add the processing charges on too. You will be WELL over Walmarts $3.00 a lb.

 

[Kingfisher]

In my opinion, people who typically buy freezer beef/ halfs or 1/4's ect. buy it because they have a sound feeling on where it came from, and have an understanding it wasnt' standing shoulder to shoulder with another steer knee deep is sh!t- hence the reason they're willing to pay more. I dont think you can blame someone or accuse them of being greedy because they try to make as much money as possible. Its not as though you're bringing your calves to the sales barn and as they're about yell "Sold!", you raise your hand and say "why dont you take a dime of the price, I'm a nice guy." If you're the person that charges $2.00 hanging when everyone else around you is charging $2.50, then great youre a nice guy with alittle less change in your pocket but dont knock your neighbors for trying to make as much money as possible. How many bull sales have you been to where the seller is purposely pricing their bulls lower than the neighbor just for the purpose of being nice. I think at the end for most people, its just plane business.

Not to mention they are always comparing different markets. Inbred always compares the price to the slaughter price while most people buying halves are comparing to the supermarket price. I don't know if you can buy halves straight from the packing plant or not. It's irrelevant here because there aren't any. Walmart ground beef is over $3 per pound. $1.79 seems pretty low when you compare to that.

Apparently you do not understand that you will lose about 1/2 of the hanging wt. when it is processed. That DOUBLES the 1.79 "hanging price, & then you have to add the processing charges on too. You will be WELL over Walmarts $3.00 a lb.

Yea but who is competing with China or the Government in his case?

 

[salebarn junkie]

Yes but your burger wont be ten percent water, or a roast thats ten days old thats gound up for burger and had red dye added. Comparing local beef to walmart or supermarket is apples and oranges

 

[ohiobeef]

Yes but your burger wont be ten percent water, or a roast thats ten days old thats gound up for burger and had red dye added. Comparing local beef to walmart or supermarket is apples and oranges

I wasn't trying to compare quality at all, just correct the price comparison. You also forgot the other 10-20 % fat they mix in on some of it. :frowns:

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Yes but your burger wont be ten percent water, or a roast thats ten days old thats gound up for burger and had red dye added. Comparing local beef to walmart or supermarket is apples and oranges

I wasn't trying to compare quality at all, just correct the price comparison. You also forgot the other 10-20 % fat they mix in on some of it. :frowns:

Just about any way you factor it, home-raised beef is better than what you buy in any grocery store, if you take proper care of your cattle. That is the reason we keep customers year after year -- we offer only local beef ( born w/in 20 miles, and directly from the producer), they know what they're fed from 6-8 months of age until butcher, how they are handled/housed, they can come out and look over the operation, and that gives our buyers a lot of peace of mind as consumers.

 

[gberry]

In my opinion, people who typically buy freezer beef/ halfs or 1/4's ect. buy it because they have a sound feeling on where it came from, and have an understanding it wasnt' standing shoulder to shoulder with another steer knee deep is sh!t- hence the reason they're willing to pay more. I dont think you can blame someone or accuse them of being greedy because they try to make as much money as possible. Its not as though you're bringing your calves to the sales barn and as they're about yell "Sold!", you raise your hand and say "why dont you take a dime of the price, I'm a nice guy." If you're the person that charges $2.00 hanging when everyone else around you is charging $2.50, then great youre a nice guy with alittle less change in your pocket but dont knock your neighbors for trying to make as much money as possible. How many bull sales have you been to where the seller is purposely pricing their bulls lower than the neighbor just for the purpose of being nice. I think at the end for most people, its just plane business.

Not to mention they are always comparing different markets. Inbred always compares the price to the slaughter price while most people buying halves are comparing to the supermarket price. I don't know if you can buy halves straight from the packing plant or not. It's irrelevant here because there aren't any. Walmart ground beef is over $3 per pound. $1.79 seems pretty low when you compare to that.

Apparently you do not understand that you will lose about 1/2 of the hanging wt. when it is processed. That DOUBLES the 1.79 "hanging price, & then you have to add the processing charges on too. You will be WELL over Walmarts $3.00 a lb.

I do understand (although we don't usually lose 50%). My point was that $1.79 is the wholesale price which is not the market people who sell halves are selling into. They are competing with retail and even Walmart beef is fairly expensive if you price steaks/roasts/etc. Try going to whole foods or some Omaha steaks and see how that compares.