Lets talk hamging weights

[darcelina4]

I had two processed this week. The steer 18 months (beefmaster/shorthorn) 1300 pounds. Processor said he hung at 718. Red Angus 28 month old heifer that failed to get pregnant weighed I guessed 1100 plus. They said she hung at 492. I questioned it. What do you all think?

 

[kenny thomas]

If it's a guessed weigh you have no real idea if it's wrong or not. But if heifer did weigh 1100 she did not cut out very well. That's 44%.

 

[Dave]

44% is a pretty sorry kill cow. Are those life weights a guess or are they actual scale weights?

 

[Son of Butch]

I had two processed this week. The steer 18 months (beefmaster/shorthorn) 1300 pounds. Processor said he hung at 718. Red Angus 28 month old heifer that failed to get pregnant weighed I guessed 1100 plus. They said she hung at 492. I questioned it. What do you all think?

Industry standard for boxed beef is 600-900 lb h.w. carcasses

Actual individual live weights vary greatly based on gut fill.
Eye balling weight depends on the experience of the eye, a buyer who does it 4-5 days a week should be more accurate than a producer who does it 2-3 times a month. Processor pricing is by h.w. so no reason to report lighter than actual.

1300 lb str h.w. 718 = 55.2%
1100 lb hfr h.w. 492 = 44.7%

Sounds to me like you received very lean beef and both animals would have benefited from another 42 days (6 wks) of high energy (corn) feeding.
That does not mean they needed to be 42 days older.
In the future start finish feeding 6 weeks earlier. We all learn as we go.

 

[Hpacres440p]

I am lucky enough to have a processor with a live scale-they said they did it to eliminate a lot of arguments of "was that really my animal"? Also helps producers with feedback on real carcass info.

 

[darcelina4]

The steer was a show steer that weighed 1287 at the fair 12 days before. He was on show feed until the day before so there is zero doubt that he weighed over 1300. The heifer had been on feed 80 days and was fat. Not finished fat but looked good. I had not weighed her her own mate was a show heifer that 6 weeks ago at a fair weighed 1010 and this heifer was the same frame but fatter than the show heifer. I have zero doubts on their weights.

 

[MurraysMutts]

It can be a pain but I usually weigh mine when I take em. Coop scales.
I have discovered I caint guess good.

My experience is heifers usually dont yield as much

 

[jscunn]

Darcelina,
A couple of things..

1. as far as the heifers go, you cant ever guess a weight based on comparing it to other animal, I have weighed hundreds of steers/heifers in that range and there is always some in every group that you say hmm, cant believe he weighed xxx he looks bigger/smaller than his brother.. muscle, fill, etc just make too much of a difference.

2. The steer- he probably didnt lose any weight in 12 days but the trip to/from the fair could have knocked him off schedule. any kind of stress like that could have an effect. We have had steers that have come back from a show and gain 7 lbs in a week and some that gain 50 lbs..

3. How far of a haul did they make to the processing facility? Shrink could be a difference maker here.

4. Did the processor weigh the heifer/steer with the liver in or out? That is 15lbs makes about 1% difference on the steer.

5. Could the scales at the fair be off? I would bet the processor scales are certified but maybe not.

We haul our freezer beefs 90 miles one way to the processor and usually end up with dressing percentages in the 55% - 62% range pretty regularly heifers will normally be 55-58% steers are sometimes 55 but normally 57-62%.

The other thing if you have to question your processor you must have some facts to back it up.. or find one you trust..

 

[Silver]

I agree with S.o.B:

Processor pricing is by h.w. so no reason to report lighter than actual.

 

[darcelina4]

I'm sure the fair scales were accurate. At the county fair on 9-5 he weighed 1185. At the Tulsa state fair on Oct 4th he weighed 1287. It was a 40 mile drive to the processor. Nice weather. The steer had been to 6 shows so he was used to traveling. The heifer did not seemed stressed. I had weight taped her early Sept. It said 1050 then. She had gain really well since then. She was eating unlimited very nice grass hay and 25-30 pounds of high gain pellets and honey grain a day for 80 days. She was not a things we drug out of the pasture and hauled to the processor. She wasn't butterball fat but in very good flesh. She was fairly fined bone too but wide and long

 

[Ky hills]

We had a HerefordX heifer that didn't claim her calf. The processor that we took her to was closing down for a while to do some hogs so we didn't have but around a month to have her in feed. She was probably similar age to the heifer in the op. She wasn't in finished out condition but wasn't thin either. I would guess her around 1000 lbs give or take, she hung at 460. Over the last few years we have also had 2 steers and 2 bulls processed at 16-18 months old. They were all fed out for 90 days plus. The steers hung at 640 and 760, and the bulls at 820 and 800.

 

[Son of Butch]

I took a steer to the butcher on Tuesday
7/8 black angus 1/8 holstein 16.9 months 140 days on feed
1430 lbs l.w. 874 h.w. = 61.1%

sold him to a repeat customer for 2.10 lb + processing

 

[sim.-ang.king]

2 year old cow has a lot of guts, and bigger bones than a yearling, so the lower dress % should be expected.

 

[Son of Butch]

Bigger bones = higher hanging weights not lower.

rule of thumb:
smaller head = smaller skeleton = higher % of h.w. as take home.

 

[FungusProudKY31]

Bigger bones = higher hanging weights not lower.

rule of thumb:
smaller head = smaller skeleton = higher % of h.w. as take home.

Bigger bone = lower cutout weight. I've never understood the fascination for some of "big boned" cattle. Adequate bone is fine.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Bigger bone = lower cutout weight. I've never understood the fascination for some of "big boned" cattle. Adequate bone is fine.

I guess if you sell by HW instead of cutout weight it makes your wallet happier

 

[Hpacres440p]

Just took in an Aberdeen/Santa Gertrudis cross today, just under 2 years old. Live weight 1046. Moderate frame, grass-fed primarily. I'll update with HW and total meat weight received back. I like tracking carcass info.

 

[Hpacres440p]

HW 586, did not keep liver, heart, kidneys. 56%- grass fed, did not hold feed or water, so shrink included basically out of pasture + 45 mile trailer ride, and they provide hay and water for "overnight guests".

 

[darcelina4]

I picked up the meat. I did not weigh the packages. The half of steer I kept took up 2, 5 cubic square feet of freezers plus 5 packages in the fridge. My sister got the same. I'm going to estimate we got. Just under 500 pounds of packages meat from the steer. The other I had sold I think they each got about 180 so about 360 pounds of packaged meat. So the next day we had no electricity for 12 hours. We never opened the freezers. If the power had not come back by the next morning I was going to break out my generator. I bought it in january2008. It is still in the box in my garage. I think it would still work. We so far have eaten to rib-eyes, and a couple of roast. Really good. I was worried I would not be able to eat him since I raised him and touched him everyday. No problem however. I feel blessed to have enough meat for a year in my freezer.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Sounds like you don't trust your butcher. That sucks, because it sure is difficult to find a "choice" around here. Butchers are swamped.