A
Anonymous
No worries goddy. We're good
Up to date ? On farm raised beef
- Thread starter Alan
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
hillsdown
Well-known member
Does anyone have their beef graded ?
Kyle goes in Nov 1 ,for our own use, and I am having him graded just so I know where we are at with our grass finished GV beef. I had grain finished graded before and the one steer did phenomenal ,he was a Holstein.
Fwiw, our kill charge is $65.00 and cut and wrap is 82 cents a lb for vacuum seal 72 for brown wrap . :shock: Very very expensive but at least they know how to cut beef properly . Everything is inspected and stamped .
Kyle goes in Nov 1 ,for our own use, and I am having him graded just so I know where we are at with our grass finished GV beef. I had grain finished graded before and the one steer did phenomenal ,he was a Holstein.
Fwiw, our kill charge is $65.00 and cut and wrap is 82 cents a lb for vacuum seal 72 for brown wrap . :shock: Very very expensive but at least they know how to cut beef properly . Everything is inspected and stamped .
goddy":1lr145ny said:
I'm a green pea goddy so very little makes sense to me but I'm trying to learn.
Thanks
chippie
Well-known member
Many producers are advertising at www.Craigslist.org. I would check there and see what people are charging in your area. Use "grass fed beef" as your search.
Here (near Houston, TX) prices range from $3.00 per lb hanging weight to over $4.00 per lb hanging weight including processing.
Here (near Houston, TX) prices range from $3.00 per lb hanging weight to over $4.00 per lb hanging weight including processing.
inbredredneck
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2011
- Messages
- 683
- Reaction score
- 0
Thats a very fair price for everyone involved.goddy":3psr8kma said:
inbredredneck
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2011
- Messages
- 683
- Reaction score
- 0
Gets pricey to call out a USDA grader for just one or two head.hillsdown":11y2qqx1 said:
hillsdown
Well-known member
inbredredneck":36ftoo9w said:
The abattoir we use , the owner/head butcher is certified to grade. Quite a few around us that are like that . They usually charge 2 cents a pound more to grade.
edit to say grade ,not inspect
inbredredneck
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2011
- Messages
- 683
- Reaction score
- 0
Grading and inspection are two distinctively seperate divisions of the USDA. One is taxpayer funded, one is user funded. Heavily user funded I might add.
hillsdown
Well-known member
inbredredneck":1sj4pkcz said:
I edited , as I meant he is certified to grade; all of our inspectors are government regulated .
Okay, I'm about ready to give up on the clicks that live here. I asked 2 questions and the first two responses where right on line. It got off line and I asked for it to get back on, never happen, all I want is answers to my questions. No I'm not sorry and yes I'm pizzed, just wanted and answer to my f$@@@&$ing questions and asked the post to get back on track when it got off track, ignored!
Nice!
Alan
Nice!
Alan
chippie
Well-known member
Prices vary across the nation.
http://houston.craigslist.org/grd/2606316417.html
http://www.homegrowncow.com/cake/farms/profile/?Name=/birthplace-of-texas-beef
This is a friend's website. The FAQ page has information about their business.
http://www.heritageleanbeef.com/index.html
http://houston.craigslist.org/grd/2606316417.html
http://www.homegrowncow.com/cake/farms/profile/?Name=/birthplace-of-texas-beef
This is a friend's website. The FAQ page has information about their business.
http://www.heritageleanbeef.com/index.html
Thanks chippie and to the other poster who suggested craigs list. I have been on crags list many times in the past to check what the competition is doing, unfortunately I don't get the whole picture from their ads. Someone who simply grass feeds, without grain, can sell a lot cheaper than I can. many ads claim to be organic, when I would lay down money they haven't a real idea what organic requires. So while CL will give me the market price it does not give me the cost of production and finished weight is part of the cost of production. So I was disappoint to check for answers last night to see out of 30+ responses I got 2 folks that answered and a couple of folks that gave me a half an answer. I have been on CT long enough to know that's what happens often enough, but this time I was hoping for input on questions that were important to me.
Thank you to the posters who responded.
Alan
Thank you to the posters who responded.
Alan
Alan,
Marketing beef is no different than any other product. If you get 4 folks to pay you $5 per pound then more power to you. There is no shame in making a good profit. With that said, in order to command a higher price than the average you must have a niche strategy. With conventional beef that might be breed based or no by-products, something like that. Once a reputation is developed then people will go to you with trust. Grass-fed is not necessarily produced cheaper per se. Up north and most of the US it takes 24 months to finish an animal. That is 2 winters and 2 and a half summers plus I am maintaining a momma cow because of my closed system. I can charge more due to a niche market. People are willing to pay more for something that there is not a lot of, hence commodities. Plain beef is a commodity unless you find something to set yourself apart. Craigslist is a good start to get a basic price range, but you need to pencil it out what you want to make. This may piss folks off, but in my sector CL is bottom feeders who do not put the time in marketing through productive channels, sorry. Hope this helps some.
Marketing beef is no different than any other product. If you get 4 folks to pay you $5 per pound then more power to you. There is no shame in making a good profit. With that said, in order to command a higher price than the average you must have a niche strategy. With conventional beef that might be breed based or no by-products, something like that. Once a reputation is developed then people will go to you with trust. Grass-fed is not necessarily produced cheaper per se. Up north and most of the US it takes 24 months to finish an animal. That is 2 winters and 2 and a half summers plus I am maintaining a momma cow because of my closed system. I can charge more due to a niche market. People are willing to pay more for something that there is not a lot of, hence commodities. Plain beef is a commodity unless you find something to set yourself apart. Craigslist is a good start to get a basic price range, but you need to pencil it out what you want to make. This may piss folks off, but in my sector CL is bottom feeders who do not put the time in marketing through productive channels, sorry. Hope this helps some.
vclavin
Well-known member
We charge $2.55lb swinging weight plus kill charge ( anywhere from 50 to 75 per animal) Price includes .40 lb processing fees.
Our beef is from virgin bulls that do make it as breeders for one reason or another. They are ultrasound tested at yearling, we only sell those that are choice or better. They have been fed a high fiber diet since weaning. No hormones and no antibiotics added. Can't say orgainc as I have to buy feed from local feed dealer. Weight depends on frame size, usually around 1200-1300 lbs but did have one at 1800lbs.
A neighbor raises his own grain and sells "organic" beef in the city restaurants for $6 lb and never has enough. I do believe he earns that $6 lb, it's hard work to do what he does.
Valerie
Our beef is from virgin bulls that do make it as breeders for one reason or another. They are ultrasound tested at yearling, we only sell those that are choice or better. They have been fed a high fiber diet since weaning. No hormones and no antibiotics added. Can't say orgainc as I have to buy feed from local feed dealer. Weight depends on frame size, usually around 1200-1300 lbs but did have one at 1800lbs.
A neighbor raises his own grain and sells "organic" beef in the city restaurants for $6 lb and never has enough. I do believe he earns that $6 lb, it's hard work to do what he does.
Valerie
Thank you very much for such a complete answer to my questions Valerie, I believe at this point I'm going to raise my price to $2.50 hanging. But trying to get a clearer idea on how the market is going to react, in a long term scope, to the problems the south dealt with and massive dumping of cattle due to the drought. Every time I go into the super market I check the price of prime steaks, roast and hamburger and they are sure jumped their price a bunch. I'm finding that I'm also gaining more customers from referrals. Thanks again.
Allforage, I agree with your thoughts on craigs list, I feel that a lot of folks don't take any consideration to what they are doing and what kind of product they are putting out. It bothers me that in my area so many of the ads are claiming to be organic, I'm sure to look more attractive to the greenies on the Portland area.
I know what the hay cost and quality in my (and my competitors) area is. Just trying to get a better picture to see what the farm raised market is doing.
Thanks to you also for your response.
Alan
Allforage, I agree with your thoughts on craigs list, I feel that a lot of folks don't take any consideration to what they are doing and what kind of product they are putting out. It bothers me that in my area so many of the ads are claiming to be organic, I'm sure to look more attractive to the greenies on the Portland area.
I know what the hay cost and quality in my (and my competitors) area is. Just trying to get a better picture to see what the farm raised market is doing.
Thanks to you also for your response.
Alan
SRBeef
Well-known member
Alan,
I sell mine as split halves only, USDA inspected, for $4.00/lb, I pay all processing etc. Quarters generally work out to about 100 lb of beef and include all cuts. I have it trimmed for minimum bone and fat and aged for 2-3 weeks. These 100 lb quarters are manageable for many potential customers in terms of cost and freezer space required. I keep only the best as roasts to increase the amount of very good hamburger in each quarter. A lot of families these days have little use for an arm roast.
As far as grain before harvest, I have a somewhat different approach as I have mine grazing standing unharvested corn the last 3-4 months prior to harvest.
As far as weight, mine go to the processors the third week of April ready or not. I don't think mine are really "finished" as most folks would think of fats coming off of a feedlot, but I harvest my Herefords at 13 months: calved in late March and go to the processor late the following April.
My goal is to get them as heavy as possible in this time. I leave them on the cow as long as possible in the fall (now). About 2/3 of my calves are still nursing on my better milking cows. I will fenceline wean them around the 1st of Nov. Then the steers and any heifers to be harvested will be on hay for about a month then controlled graze standing unharvested corn for about 120 days.
Some of mine will get close to 1050 lb by harvest. I notice a big difference between calves based on genetics. Some grow a lot earlier than others. This past spring I also noticed a big difference in the yield from various animals. Being heavy at 13 months is not much use if the weight difference is in bone/frame and not in beef. I am learning it takes certain cattle genetics to fit into my system.
At 13 months with 4 months of that grazing standing corn plants they are not fleshy but very tender and flavorful. By limiting the grazing until they eat about 2/3 of the corn plant (but not forced to eat the lower stalk) they are a cross between "grass fed" and conventional corn fed. I think this mixture of grain, cobs, husks and the upper corn plant with free access to hay, mineral, salt and good water produces very good beef. It also spreads the manure and reduces residue for next year's strip tilling for corn. And it is largely "self service" with the cattle doing most of the feeding work and manure handling, not me.
I don't use implants either. Because of the timing of my corn growing system, the third week in April they go to the processors, ready or not. This way I only have 2 years calves on hand for about 1 month of overlap. And since the new calves are 100% on mama for that month this increases my effective carrying capacity for the grazing season which starts here generally around May 5th.
Obviously a very tight calving period (hopefully one cycle) beginning the third week in March is very beneficial in this system. Get as much age on them as possible but hopefully avoid calving in the snow and mud of early March in WI.
I will probably be increasing my price in the future since I can sell more than I can produce. A good sign is customers calling back for more. I hope this answers your original question plus a bit. I haven't been on this site much recently and apologize if I have bored long timers. My system is evolving. Best of luck to you.
Jim
I sell mine as split halves only, USDA inspected, for $4.00/lb, I pay all processing etc. Quarters generally work out to about 100 lb of beef and include all cuts. I have it trimmed for minimum bone and fat and aged for 2-3 weeks. These 100 lb quarters are manageable for many potential customers in terms of cost and freezer space required. I keep only the best as roasts to increase the amount of very good hamburger in each quarter. A lot of families these days have little use for an arm roast.
As far as grain before harvest, I have a somewhat different approach as I have mine grazing standing unharvested corn the last 3-4 months prior to harvest.
As far as weight, mine go to the processors the third week of April ready or not. I don't think mine are really "finished" as most folks would think of fats coming off of a feedlot, but I harvest my Herefords at 13 months: calved in late March and go to the processor late the following April.
My goal is to get them as heavy as possible in this time. I leave them on the cow as long as possible in the fall (now). About 2/3 of my calves are still nursing on my better milking cows. I will fenceline wean them around the 1st of Nov. Then the steers and any heifers to be harvested will be on hay for about a month then controlled graze standing unharvested corn for about 120 days.
Some of mine will get close to 1050 lb by harvest. I notice a big difference between calves based on genetics. Some grow a lot earlier than others. This past spring I also noticed a big difference in the yield from various animals. Being heavy at 13 months is not much use if the weight difference is in bone/frame and not in beef. I am learning it takes certain cattle genetics to fit into my system.
At 13 months with 4 months of that grazing standing corn plants they are not fleshy but very tender and flavorful. By limiting the grazing until they eat about 2/3 of the corn plant (but not forced to eat the lower stalk) they are a cross between "grass fed" and conventional corn fed. I think this mixture of grain, cobs, husks and the upper corn plant with free access to hay, mineral, salt and good water produces very good beef. It also spreads the manure and reduces residue for next year's strip tilling for corn. And it is largely "self service" with the cattle doing most of the feeding work and manure handling, not me.
I don't use implants either. Because of the timing of my corn growing system, the third week in April they go to the processors, ready or not. This way I only have 2 years calves on hand for about 1 month of overlap. And since the new calves are 100% on mama for that month this increases my effective carrying capacity for the grazing season which starts here generally around May 5th.
Obviously a very tight calving period (hopefully one cycle) beginning the third week in March is very beneficial in this system. Get as much age on them as possible but hopefully avoid calving in the snow and mud of early March in WI.
I will probably be increasing my price in the future since I can sell more than I can produce. A good sign is customers calling back for more. I hope this answers your original question plus a bit. I haven't been on this site much recently and apologize if I have bored long timers. My system is evolving. Best of luck to you.
Jim
Nice post Jim, don't be a stranger.
SRBeef
Well-known member
Thanks, TN Tux. We only have so many hours of precious life on this planet and we need to be very careful how we spend them. When arguments develop and degenerate into personal attacks then time should be spent on other things.
All the best.
Jim
All the best.
Jim
