I can make money selling freezer beef

[Ky hills]

They passed a law for state inspection. They did not provide any funding.

I argued against it. State inspection is ever bit as rigorous as USDA, but you can only sell in state. In a state as small as Arkansas puts most of us within an hour of a state line. I do not like that limitation.

At first when I heard people talking about state inspection as opposed to relying on federal inspections I thought it was a step forward but after thinking about it that wouldn't really free up much. There would still be restrictions and the state inspector services would probably be no more easily found than the current federal ones.
There really just needs to be a lifting of the inspection process and regulations regarding direct agricultural sales to consumers. The narrative that the inspections and large companies that can adhere to the requirements can provide a safer product is truly fake news. It's about money the companies are able to buy political influence and have a major lobbying presence, where as individuals do not have those abilities.

 

[chaded]

I am still new to cattle. Some of you have spent a lifetime in this business, and have forgot more than I will ever know. I have now sold five calf crops.

Many of you know my opinion of how the cattle business is run. I think the deck is stacked very heavily against us. The processors own the market, they control the market as much as one can.

I have done everything I can do to keep operating expenses down. I do not include capital costs, or land in my profit loss calculation. I have sold at every weight class to feel out the market.

Feeder cattle are about $153 right now. 400# sells for $612.
Live cattle are $116. 1,000# sells for $1,160.

I can get $3.50 per pound hanging weight. 600# hanging sells for $2,100

Sure I do a little more work, but not much. Of course my expenses are a little higher, again, not that much.

I can make money selling freezer beef. The processors know that. They will do everything than can to squash small processing facilities to keep me down, and themselves up.

We need lots of new small processing plants brought online.

Are you raising your own or buying feeders ?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Are you raising your own or buying feeders ?

He raises his own.

 

[sstterry]

He raises his own.

I am curious, what is freezer beef selling for in middle Tennessee?

 

[HDRider]

I am curious, what is freezer beef selling for in middle Tennessee?

I get $3.50 per pound hanging here in NE Arkansas. Buyer pays processing and transportation to the processor if over 50 miles.

 

[Little Joe]

I get $3.50 per pound hanging here in NE Arkansas. Buyer pays processing and transportation to the processor if over 50 miles.

Sounds like I need to raise my prices, I just took a few. $2.75/lb. hanging weight and they pay processing. I have repeat customers and I haven't raised my prices in several years, but with feed prices going up I'll probably have to.

 

[HDRider]

Sounds like I need to raise my prices, I just took a few. $2.75/lb. hanging weight and they pay processing. I have repeat customers and I haven't raised my prices in several years, but with feed prices going up I'll probably have to.

This is the lowest going price here. Some are $4

 

[Stocker Steve]

I can't remember ever seeing a grass finished here. Lots of grass fed but none finished. I'm not sure one can really be finished on normal pasture grasses. It takes a lot longer to put weight on one just on grass also. Only ones I know of that are "grass fed" in my area are just pulled off low quality pasture and slaughtered.

Takes the right genetics, timing, and ice cream pasture.
Even then finishing is seasonal, so some finish in fall and winter with balage.
Neighbor is doing it with OCC genetics and some SS balage.

 

[chaded]

What kind of setup do you have @HDRider ? Do you have a lot you put the weaned calves in (how big)? I have been thinking about feeding some out myself because i get several people asking but im not quite sure what kind of space and whatnot would work best.

 

[HDRider]

What kind of setup do you have @HDRider ? Do you have a lot you put the weaned calves in (how big)? I have been thinking about feeding some out myself because i get several people asking but im not quite sure what kind of space and whatnot would work best.

I have a 15 acre spot for weaners and feeders, and where my bull takes vacation

 

[Ky hills]

@chaded I'm not HDR, but we have a small lot attached to a 5 bent barn shed that we feed ours out in. I wean them and let them run on pasture with some supplemental feed for a few months then around 4 months before the process date we put them in the lot and start slowly building up their feed. Depending on the age of the calf hanging weights have been 650-850 at 14-17 months of age.
My idea is that they don't really need to be in a very big area when fattening. I have a friend that has fed out calves for years and sells them at a fat cattle market and he kept his in a barn shed.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

@Ky hills I do somewhat the same, except I start mine right from weaning with Whole Shell Corn and some protein pellets. Start them slow, then keep increasing as they keep cleaning up. We only feed out our fall born steers (Sept/Oct) because I have a separate place to put them - don't have that luxury through winter. So, we push them and butcher in October (12/13 months of age), with an average carcass wt of 750#.

 

[Ky hills]

@Ky hills I do somewhat the same, except I start mine right from weaning with Whole Shell Corn and some protein pellets. Start them slow, then keep increasing as they keep cleaning up. We only feed out our fall born steers (Sept/Oct) because I have a separate place to put them - don't have that luxury through winter. So, we push them and butcher in October (12/13 months of age), with an average carcass wt of 750#.

That's much better performance than I get out of fall calves. I could probably come close to getting that carcass wt and time frame with spring calves feeding them as you do from weaning. Our current calves for beef are about ready to be pulled off pasture and starting a progression of feed. One is younger a September calf, I know he will be a little smaller carcass wise than we have done, the other is a June calf that should make one of our biggest.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I only have Sept/Oct falls and Jan/Feb "spring" calves. The spring calves are weaned 1st week in Sept. I do not have any place to feed during the winter, so I don't finish that age group.

 

[dodger2]

There is a start up here called Elkhorn Meat Solutions. They do the selling and take care of the money collection. They are marketing and financial professionals. They work with both grain and grass fed. Fat steers and burger cows. They sell and deliver the meat to the coast where the high populations live. They need a couple months notice of approximately when the animals will be ready to go. They pay the ranchers $3.00 a pound hanging. The customers pay $3.50 plus the processing. They take the $0.50 for their services. It seems to be going . I hope it flies. I know a banker who left his 15 year career to join this team.

This sounds like a good plan, a lot of time can be taken up dealing with the customer.

 

[Dave]

This sounds like a good plan, a lot of time can be taken up dealing with the customer.

Too much time for me to get serious about doing it again.

 

[C-Ranch]

I sell to across state lines but also have all meat packaged and labeled at a USDA certified plant. I use to sell the cow like others are doing but found it harder by the year to sell a whole, half, quarter of beef. Once I started selling already packaged meat I can't keep it in stock. I see more and more older couples coming to buy because they only want a few pounds as the kids all grown and gone so don't need a lot. Believe it or not I butcher over 50% of the steers and cows into hamburger, why? Because that's what the folks asked for. Everyone seems to have a steak or roast in the freezer but no hamburger, especially during spring and summer months. Currently trying to get a walk in freezer installed in my garage that will hold more meat since freezer space and getting more slots at the plant are my two limitations.

 

[dodger2]

I sell to across state lines but also have all meat packaged and labeled at a USDA certified plant. I use to sell the cow like others are doing but found it harder by the year to sell a whole, half, quarter of beef. Once I started selling already packaged meat I can't keep it in stock. I see more and more older couples coming to buy because they only want a few pounds as the kids all grown and gone so don't need a lot. Believe it or not I butcher over 50% of the steers and cows into hamburger, why? Because that's what the folks asked for. Everyone seems to have a steak or roast in the freezer but no hamburger, especially during spring and summer months. Currently trying to get a walk in freezer installed in my garage that will hold more meat since freezer space and getting more slots at the plant are my two limitations.

Can you get enough per pound for hamburger to pay for the cooler and utilities?

 

[mwj]

Can you get enough per pound for hamburger to pay for the cooler and utilities?

Good burger should be sold as a premium product. Most people have paid for a good steak a few times, but very few have had a good quality burger. Grinding that wet aged trim does not make a tasty burger.

 

[shaz]

Good burger should be sold as a premium product. Most people have paid for a good steak a few times, but very few have had a good quality burger. Grinding that wet aged trim does not make a tasty burger.

What is the key to a tasty burger in your opinion?