What to charge.

[lennie]

We are sending our first steer to the processor in December. My question is, I don't know how much to charge my buyers who are taking the other 3 quarters. I know there should be a price by hanging weight. I think when he gets there he is gonna weigh approx. 1000 lbs live weight. I can't go by how much $ I have into the animal or I would have to charge a fortune (there is no profit in small scale beef). Can someone give me an "average" of how much to charge hanging weight.

(We just sold some pigs for 1.25lb hanging wt.) Please tell me I'll get a little more for my beef! (Didn't make any profit on the pigs, but they taste good!

 

[Angus Cowman]

I sell mine by live weight but I think I figured on one that they were paying around$2.25 -$2.50 hanging weight and then they paid for processing

 

[Rustler9]

Charge $2.25 to $2.50 per lb hanging weight and the customer pays the processing fee. Either get a list of how they want the meat cut or have them call the processor and tell them how they want it done. That's how we do it here.

 

[HerefordSire]

One rule in business to never forget:

You can always lower a price but you cannot easily increase a price.

 

[1982vett]

Lennie, you mention quarters of beef. How do you intend to sell? Side quarters or front and hind quarters?

 

[lennie]

They call them mixed quarters here...I assume that is what you are calling a side? Some front and some back cuts I believe.
When we sold our pigs this year most everyone took halves (front and back) and they paid us the hanging weight price and the processesor for cut,wrap and smoke.
I assumed that it would be the same with beef, I just didn't know how much per lb. (For what I have into the darn thing I'd have to get $50.00 a lb to break even :roll: ) Although if you look at it another way we haven't had to brush hog the land in a couple years.

 

[Limomike]

I charge 1.20 cents per pound live weight. The customer foots the slaughter house kill fee and picks up their own beef from the slaughter house.

Just curious, when you go to the slaughter house, how do you know you are getting your own beef back?

 

[Earl Thigpen]

I charge 1.20 cents per pound live weight. The customer foots the slaughter house kill fee and picks up their own beef from the slaughter house.

Just curious, when you go to the slaughter house, how do you know you are getting your own beef back?

$64K question I've always wondered about too. I think you never really know but you have to trust someone sometimes.

 

[SRBeef]

Lennie, you mention quarters of beef. How do you intend to sell? Side quarters or front and hind quarters?

I sell only "split halves" as they are called around here. Each customer is really only getting 1/4 of the carcass but getting a little of every cut. No hasslling over front quarter or rear quarter.

The processor basically takes a half and makes two equal boxes - so every one gets a bit of every cut on the animal. It also keeps the total weight of each portion/split half to about 110-140 lb which is manageable for most customers as far as freezer space and cost.

 

[jonbri55]

The butcher I use tags our beef halves after he kills them so I know that I'm getting my beef or hog.

 

[1982vett]

They call them mixed quarters here...I assume that is what you are calling a side? Some front and some back cuts I believe.
When we sold our pigs this year most everyone took halves (front and back) and they paid us the hanging weight price and the processesor for cut,wrap and smoke.
I assumed that it would be the same with beef, I just didn't know how much per lb. (For what I have into the darn thing I'd have to get $50.00 a lb to break even :roll: ) Although if you look at it another way we haven't had to brush hog the land in a couple years.

Reason I asked I wanted to make sure you knew hind quarters (rump) are worth more that front quarters (front shoulder). Selling split or mixed sides gives customer some of each. Wasn't sure you already knew that.

 

[terra8186]

I struggled with this question last year. I went to the local butcher and asked him what other producers are charging for hanging weight. He told me the going rate was around $1.65/lb. He also charges $0.38/lb to process and $40/kill. There are a few extra charges for patties or individual wrapping. I sold it to my friends and I told them I wanted 90% of the going rate and they were fine with that. They paid me $1.48/lb and they paid the butcher his fees.

BTW: I also understand why you asked about hanging weight instead of live weight. The butchers around here do it by hanging weight and aren't equiped to do it by live weight.

 

[dieselbeef]

3$ lb cut and wrapped offa hangin wieght plus kill fee. you come pick it up

 

[somn]

I sell only "split halves" as they are called around here. Each customer is really only getting 1/4 of the carcass but getting a little of every cut. No hasslling over front quarter or rear quarter.

The processor basically takes a half and makes two equal boxes - so every one gets a bit of every cut on the animal. It also keeps the total weight of each portion/split half to about 110-140 lb which is manageable for most customers as far as freezer space and cost.

I don't like selling split quarters it seems nobody ever has the same cutting order ever. But with todays economy a lot of split quarters are being requested. I guess they can battle it out with each other.

 

[dieselbeef]

i sell by the half and let them figure it out.i deal w/only one buyer but usually 3 are in on it together

 

[grannysoo]

(there is no profit in small scale beef)

Yes there is.......

 

[SRBeef]

I sell only "split halves" as they are called around here. Each customer is really only getting 1/4 of the carcass but getting a little of every cut. No hasslling over front quarter or rear quarter.

The processor basically takes a half and makes two equal boxes - so every one gets a bit of every cut on the animal. It also keeps the total weight of each portion/split half to about 110-140 lb which is manageable for most customers as far as freezer space and cost.

I don't like selling split quarters it seems nobody ever has the same cutting order ever. But with todays economy a lot of split quarters are being requested. I guess they can battle it out with each other.

So far I have just a standard cutting order and get all split halves cut the same. Trying to keep it simple. It is also hard to impossible to split a half with different cutting orders! If you want something different from my standard cut list you must take a half.

 

[hopalong]

I charge 1.20 cents per pound live weight. The customer foots the slaughter house kill fee and picks up their own beef from the slaughter house.

Just curious, when you go to the slaughter house, how do you know you are getting your own beef back?

Cuz they tag it with a special tag number going in. All the meat is placed on carts with that specific animals tag number on it. This is a small slaughter house mom and pop joint. They have actually let me watch while they cut one of my animals up. Other than that I dont really know but since they give me carcass data and what not back I can only assume it is my animals beef. Besides that they have not given me a reason not to trust them yet.

While have no doubt THEY are honest, Just how were you assured that it was YOUR carcass that you watched them cut up? The special tag could be moved to any animal that they had from the time they gave you the tag and cut up tiime.

 

[dieselbeef]

[

Just curious, when you go to the slaughter house, how do you know you are getting your own beef back?[/quote]


Cuz they tag it with a special tag number going in. All the meat is placed on carts with that specific animals tag number on it. This is a small slaughter house mom and pop joint. They have actually let me watch while they cut one of my animals up. Other than that I dont really know but since they give me carcass data and what not back I can only assume it is my animals beef. Besides that they have not given me a reason not to trust them yet.[/quote]

While have no doubt THEY are honest, Just how were you assured that it was YOUR carcass that you watched them cut up? The special tag could be moved to any animal that they had from the time they gave you the tag and cut up tiime.[/quote]

you cant unless ya butcher it yerself..maybe you can but i cant...guess ya just gotta go along w/it and hope its eatible...but when my customers tell me its the best theyve eatin in a long time then im not really worried about it...sure id like to eat my own but im not gonna post an armed guard on it for 2 weeks while its hangin. youll never get an answer to this cept for ..well,i just trust em...like the peole buying the meat trust you

 

[BC]

[/quote]While have no doubt THEY are honest, Just how were you assured that it was YOUR carcass that you watched them cut up? The special tag could be moved to any animal that they had from the time they gave you the tag and cut up tiime.[/quote]

As dieselbeef said - you just have to know and trust who you do business with. The same goes to the people buying from you. They have to have trust and confidence in your product.