What do you do with your cull cows?

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have a buyer that I can sell cull cows to, that butchers them and resales the meat.
I like to have at least one a year butchered. I take out the loins for steaks, get kabobs made, cube steaks, and rest in hamburg.
What do you do?

 

[GoWyo]

Old or old and open go to sale barn. Only bring $800-900 as weighups, but I don't feel like retailing ground beef. Open yearlings go on feed and sell as freezer beef. They feed really efficiently because they are already framed up from a summer on grass.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Open hfrs get fed out. Old cows are so wore out when I get done with them, that I wouldn't want to eat one. They go to the sale barn.

 

[Ky hills]

Usually we stockyard cull cows. I did feed out a 7 or so year old cow while back and had her processed. Got some roasts, and had the rest in ground beef. The roast were good, and the ground beef is real good.

 

[kenny thomas]

Related. I'm being told that slaughter cows will be a fair amount higher after Christmas. I have plenty of grass so I will probably hold mine. Except will probably slaughter 1 of them straight off grass.

 

[TCRanch]

One 'n done. They hit the trailer. I don't have the facilities or time to fatten up what's generally already a fat (open) cow. The questionable culls, I don't look back. Plus, around here, most processors are booked until 2nd quarter of next year (especially if they also accommodate venison).

 

[Silver]

This year A&W actually bought mine. Now I gotta quit bad mouthing them every chance I get for their awful ad campaign.

 

[Dave]

The vast majority go direct to the cow kill plant in Kuna Idaho. They pay on the rail. It works out better but they want them by the pot load. The singles go to the sale. I actually buy about one cull cow a year. Generally purchased at the time of the year when the butcher shop isn't swamped. Mainly for hamburger for the church (they do one meal a week for the needy). The burger from a decent cull cow is so much better than burger from the store it is amazing.

 

[greybeard]

I actually buy about one cull cow a year. Generally purchased at the time of the year when the butcher shop isn't swamped. Mainly for hamburger for the church (they do one meal a week for the needy). The burger from a decent cull cow is so much better than burger from the store it is amazing.

For the 'church cow' does the butcher/processor grind the whole thing or pull out the loins?
I do agree too, that a cull cow makes some really good burger.
I believe that the retail burger is so bland because the big processors generally pull out some roasts and loin for sale as select/economy cuts.

 

[Dave]

For the 'church cow' does the butcher/processor grind the whole thing or pull out the loins?
I do agree too, that a cull cow makes some really good burger.
I believe that the retail burger is so bland because the big processors generally pull out some roasts and loin for sale as select/economy cuts.

All depends on the condition of the cow and space available in my freezer. It is a donation to the church so I don't feel bad about pulling a little for my own use. And before anyone says anything I am up front with the church about any I might with hold.
Last year it was a broken mouth cow in good condition she went entirely into the grinder. The year before it was a heifer who had slipped her calf. Pulled a few steaks and roasts. On the average probably 3 out of 4 go entirely into the grinder.

 

[Buck Randall]

For the 'church cow' does the butcher/processor grind the whole thing or pull out the loins?
I do agree too, that a cull cow makes some really good burger.
I believe that the retail burger is so bland because the big processors generally pull out some roasts and loin for sale as select/economy cuts.

Small processors don't add "lean finely textured beef" to hamburger. It changes the texture and flavor.

 

[wbvs58]

I don't have my own killed as I can't justify the quantity of meat that I would need to consume. I buy from the supermarket and my favorite cut is rump steak as I think it has the most flavor. Of late I have been buying to budget rump which I am sure is from cull cows, I find it has good flavor, usually leaner than the premium steak and because I only just sear either side the tenderness is good too.

Ken

 

[sstterry]

Related. I'm being told that slaughter cows will be a fair amount higher after Christmas.

Did they say why that is?

 

[Redgully]

Mine go to saleyards, used to get crap money but last two i sent averaged $1800 each. Got me looking real hard at the rest of the cows just waiting for them to do something wrong. Of course they are all on their best behaviour spitting out calves and breeding back on time!

 

[kenny thomas]

Did they say why that is?

Supply and demand is the biggest part of it. Lots of cows going to market in October and November. By January the numbers will get low.

 

[1982vett]

Supply and demand is the biggest part of it. Lots of cows going to market in October and November. By January the numbers will get low.

Yearly trend around here. If you've got the grass, October to December is the best time to buy young thin cows. Folks short on hay and grass aren't in the market and those not interested with overwintering cows are out too. Week or two before Christmas you'll usually get them $100 a head cheaper than October. I generally don't want to sell calves November/December either.

 

[Dave]

Around here the high point for kill cows is generally mid June through late August. Supply is down then with cows out in the hills raising calves. And demand is up with family get together grilling burgers and the fairs. The lows are in October and November with cows being culled and in the spring with those cows who lost calves getting sent to town.

 

[sampson farms]

I have a buyer that I can sell cull cows to, that butchers them and resales the meat.
I like to have at least one a year butchered. I take out the loins for steaks, get kabobs made, cube steaks, and rest in hamburg.
What do you do?

If a cow is being culled for lack of a calf then we will process into ground beef for our direct consumer customer. If we are talking a 12+ year old cow that has aged out, we process and donate to the local church food bank. we stay away from the markets.

 

[HDRider]

How would a 8 year old Angus bull be to eat? He has been a dandy.

He would bring very little at the barn, maybe 60 cents per pound

 

[Silver]

I wo

How would a 8 year old Angus bull be to eat? He has been a dandy.

He would bring very little at the barn, maybe 60 cents per pound

I would take my 60 cents and invest it in something more appealing.