Up to date ? On farm raised beef

[Alan]

A couple of questions on selling farm raised beef, I currently sell farm raised beef for $2 a pound hanging plus slaughter, cut and wrap fees. I grain the steers for 60 to 90 days, plus they have free choice hay or grass. I'm feeling with feed cost that's too cheap.

1. What are you charging for your farm raised beef and do you grain the beef before slaughter?

2. What is your ideal live weight for the beef at slaughter time?

Thanks,
Alan

 

[thommoos]

I am selling mine for $3.00 a pound delivered. My cost include the same a you probably but the processing fee is 40 kill fee and .40 for processing based upon hanging weight, wrapped in paper, .5 if vaccummed packed. I split mine down from a side to 1/5 or 1/6 depending on size, to where I sell a "portion 1/5 or 1/6" of 40lbs for 120.00, I can sell 12 portions for 120.00 easier than 1/2 or side of beef, and still put some in my freezer and I have not cheated a person. based upon a 1200 steer.

 

[goddy]

We are selling ours on a liveweight basis ( we have electronic scales on farm) $1.10/lb for a half or whole and $1.20 for a quarter, plus the buyer pays c & w and kill. We do on farm slaughter, for beef quality reasons ie no stress on animal, so its not USDA but we invoice and get paid the week prior to slaughter so the animal or part animal belongs to the client at time of kill.

Ours are all grass finished, kill weights for steers ave 1350 lb and heifers 1180 lb - they range from 16 - 17.5 months of age at time of kill.

Goddy

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Goddy, wouldn't they bring that running through the sale barn or am I missing something here?

 

[snickers]

the weight for grass finished seems alittle heavy to me without any grain, but i guess you have better pastures than i do. i have three heifers that are 16 months and they are 950# maybe give or take a few lbs.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep. Grass steer I have now at 20 months is 900 give or take. Must be some great grass or great genetics.

 

[alisonb]

Yep. Grass steer I have now at 20 months is 900 give or take.

:shock:

 

[ga.prime]

Yep. Grass steer I have now at 20 months is 900 give or take.

:shock:

My steers average over 700 at seven months. Grass and milk fed. Then they're sold to the highest bidder.

 

[Anonymous]

First calf out of a heifer. Dud if you ask me. Next calf she had(heifer, pics posted already) with diff sire is 300lbs at 3 months.

 

[Anonymous]

And I've learned a lot in the last 20 months. I don't think it would have made much of a difference tho

 

[AllForage]

We are selling ours on a liveweight basis ( we have electronic scales on farm) $1.10/lb for a half or whole and $1.20 for a quarter, plus the buyer pays c & w and kill. We do on farm slaughter, for beef quality reasons ie no stress on animal, so its not USDA but we invoice and get paid the week prior to slaughter so the animal or part animal belongs to the client at time of kill.

Ours are all grass finished, kill weights for steers ave 1350 lb and heifers 1180 lb - they range from 16 - 17.5 months of age at time of kill.

Goddy

Boy you guys are really taking a risk there. This is similar to raw milk cow share that was just struck down here in a lower court. Now I am probably the most anti-gov person here, but you have to protect what you have worked so hard for. I will not risk my herd or farm for a quarter or less. One misdirected e-coli infection and word gets to doc that it was "home-butchered" you better watch out! Not sure your laws in Oregon, but here that would never stand up in court. Just being friendly and trying to make you aware.

I charge #3.25 hanging weight (standard processing included) for grassfed and customers must meet me at butcher for organized pickup days. I will be raising my price next year.

 

[Alan]

Boy you guys are really taking a risk there. This is similar to raw milk cow share that was just struck down here in a lower court. Now I am probably the most anti-gov person here, but you have to protect what you have worked so hard for. I will not risk my herd or farm for a quarter or less. One misdirected e-coli infection and word gets to doc that it was "home-butchered" you better watch out! Not sure your laws in Oregon, but here that would never stand up in court. Just being friendly and trying to make you aware.

I charge #3.25 hanging weight (standard processing included) for grassfed and customers must meet me at butcher for organized pickup days. I will be raising my price next year.

The post got a little hijacked, but glad too see it kinda back on track. In Oregon it's legal to sell non USDA approved beef if you sell all or a part of a live animal, so I sell a half or half-half of a live animal, then the customer picks up the cut and wrapped meat at the processors after I'm paid in full. We also home slaughter, but to give you a clear picture of home slaughter here's a steer we did and I posted a few years ago.

Alan

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=54641&p=628222&hilit=+Graphic#p628222

 

[goddy]

Boy you guys are really taking a risk there. This is similar to raw milk cow share that was just struck down here in a lower court. Now I am probably the most anti-gov person here, but you have to protect what you have worked so hard for. I will not risk my herd or farm for a quarter or less. One misdirected e-coli infection and word gets to doc that it was "home-butchered" you better watch out! Not sure your laws in Oregon, but here that would never stand up in court. Just being friendly and trying to make you aware.

Thanks for the concern but you seem to have missed my point that the client owns his/her portion of the animal while it is still alive so we remove liability and can go the USDA exempt way.

To those who doubted my weights can I ask if you have 30+ years experience with grass finishing , growing, rotational grazing etc or is you grass finishing experience of the " don't give them any grain and see how they do" kind ? I can see why you would doubt when you quote the weights you are getting - I would question why you keep animals that perform like that

cheers

Goddy

 

[Anonymous]

No need to get your panties in a wad goddy. And I didn't post what's in your quote. Anyway. That's why I said you must have really good grass or genetics. Wish I had either or at this point. More power to ya, but you may want to rethink your attitude

 

[Alan]

Okay, please relax and maybe we can get back to the original questions and I can get some more folks anwering them. Thanx Goddy for your reply, very helpful.

Alan

 

[goddy]

No need to get your panties in a wad goddy. And I didn't post what's in your quote. Anyway. That's why I said you must have really good grass or genetics. Wish I had either or at this point. More power to ya, but you may want to rethink your attitude

Sorry about the wrong post attributed to you - not sure how that happened. You're right I didn't need to go off half cocked , I know what I do and the defensive attitude doesn't do any good.

Consider attitude rethought

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I'm still confused as to how the pricing works on your situation. I'm not being a smart azz I really would like to understand.

Thanks,

TT

 

[Anonymous]

What kinda cattle are you running goddy? I'd like to know more about your operation. Stockpiled grass, # of head etc. Pm me if you'd like, but we all may be able to learn something.

 

[goddy]

I'm still confused as to how the pricing works on your situation. I'm not being a smart azz I really would like to understand.

Thanks,

TT

It works because of the weights I reach at a relatively young age. If I tried to sell 1300+ lb steers through the sale barn I wouldn't get anywhere near $1.20/lb. I could sell them earlier and lighter if wanted to go that route but I like producing a quality beef product for local buyers and enjoy the challenges involved. Obviously the sale barn is a back up for any poor doers - had 1 this year that went that way.

Might not make sense to you but it does to me ....I think

 

[goddy]

What kinda cattle are you running goddy? I'd like to know more about your operation. Stockpiled grass, # of head etc. Pm me if you'd like, but we all may be able to learn something.

Our cows are Red angus and red baldy from a strong forage performance background and up to now have stuck with red angus sires. I am seriously thinking about using red poll next year.

We have a combination of sub irrigated pastures and K-line irrigation with a strong clover presence in our pastures which presents some management challenges ie bloat but is really great weight gain feed. I am a transplanted New Zealander , go All Blacks in the rugby world cup final next weekend, and have grown cattle on all grass there and here for quite a few years .

Again I apologise for getting prickly earlier - getting old sucks!