How much to ask for a side of beef?

[Hovey Hollow]

I would ask this in the cattle forum but there seems to be a bigger audience here and I want opinions from producers and consumers, so I'm going to post it here.
We are going to have our Angus steer butchered soon and was thinking about selling half. We have a local food co-op but I didn't pay attention to the prices of beef previously and there isn't much listed right now. The only half beef listed at this time is a half of certified organic for $5.10/pound. My steer isn't organic, but pretty close. I don't buy organic feed, but he's had no hormones, or antibiotics, etc. He does occaisonally get a dose of Cydectin for deworming/fly control. That's it as far as medications. He's mostly grass/hay fed but gets a scoop of grain daily for a treat. So, I know he doesn't rate certified organic prices, but I don't want to undercut other venders either.
For cuts of meat there is NOTHING listed under $3/pound except soup bones. Most steaks are $10+ per pound.
So, is $4/pound reasonable for a half beef? Or am I dreaming? I need to know what to ask for him as I need to get this written up ASAP if I'm going to get it listed in this months Co-op.
Also, is this going to be a bad time? Should I wait til after Christmas? As it is he would be ready RIGHT before Christmas. So, do some people stock their freezers for Christmas?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Can't tell you much about prices, but I would imagine most people wouldn't be stocking their freezers during the holidays due to other purchases, on the other hand maybe their purse strings are open and they will go ahead and buy beef during the spending frenzy. I guess this isn't much help...

[The Paw]

I can't give you a specific figure, but based on my experience buying sides of grass-fed beef here are some things to consider:

1. You need to be clear about whether you are charging for hanging weight or "weight in the freezer". One year my beef guy used a different butcher and wastage was much higher, so the quoted hanging weight price was ridiculously poor value. We eventually negotiated a price equal to the average retail price for the cuts that actually went into my freezer.

2. Most people expect to get a break in price by buying a side at a time. If they pay the equivalent to retail, why front the money? In my example above, I figured giving up a "bulk buy" discount was equivalent to paying a premium for grass fed beef. My guy had articles and web sites to support the argument for benefits of grass fed (which is why I went to him).

3. Not only can you charge a bit of a premium for grass fed, but it is my understanding that Black Angus is valued a little higher as well.

Hope this helps. Good luck,

[Hovey Hollow]

I did check with the processor and they do rent out lockers for $10/month so I guess if I don't get a buyer now I could try again the next month. I was hoping to recoup processing costs the same month though, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I didn't.

[Hovey Hollow]

Nother question......if he get some grain daily is he still "grass fed" I don't want to mislead anyone.

[Pony]

Originally Posted by Hovey Hollow

We are going to have our Angus steer butchered soon and was thinking about selling half. We have a local food co-op but I didn't pay attention to the prices of beef previously and there isn't much listed right now. The only half beef listed at this time is a half of certified organic for $5.10/pound. My steer isn't organic, but pretty close. I don't buy organic feed, but he's had no hormones, or antibiotics, etc. He does occaisonally get a dose of Cydectin for deworming/fly control. That's it as far as medications. He's mostly grass/hay fed but gets a scoop of grain daily for a treat. So, I know he doesn't rate certified organic prices, but I don't want to undercut other venders either.
For cuts of meat there is NOTHING listed under $3/pound except soup bones. Most steaks are $10+ per pound.
So, is $4/pound reasonable for a half beef?

That depends. Is that $4/pound including processing? That's around what my friend pays when she purchases a processed half steer that's been "farm-raised" (which is another way of saying "close to organic").

Pony!

[Pouncer]

You can sell by live weight too. That's how I buy sides, when I can. The farmer gives me an estimate on the live weight...12 or 1500 pounds. This means I am paying for half that weight. Since nearly all beef is a 50% yeild (a few breeds are slightly higher, some crosses are less) this means I end up with a 750 pound side, of which I will get about half as actual cuts. Or, somewhere between 350 and 375 pounds. Of course the weight you end up getting depends on whether or not you can get all your bones back, etc.

I am paying $1.15 a pound for live weight. I pay for processing myself, which can get REAL expensive and it pays to shop that around.

To help establish your market weight, check to see what they are selling for on the markets. I once paid $1.75 a pound and it worked out to being just about $3 a pound by the time I was done paying someone else to wrap it for me. Since I don't have an endless supply of money, I now use my own vaccum sealer, lol I won't pay more than market price, even for "organic" beef. I prefer a farm raised steer/bull, the only difference between organic and where I buy my side is that there is *some* fertilizer applied to the feilds the hay was grown on. Andf not much at that.

[bergere]

I buy 1/2 sides of beef from a local Farm, that raises grass feed beef on their own farm. Nor are they feed hormones, antibiotics or anything else like that. Cut and well wrapped in white freezer paper costs me $2.20 a lb.
And it is really good quality beef.

[Pony]

Just checked with my friend. I was mistaken on the price she paid. She just paid $2.19, processed, for a split side; it would have been cheaper if she bought a whole side. This was a farm-raised, grass-fed (no antibiotic/no hormone) steer.

Sorry for any confusion.

Pony!

[Sherri C]

I just bought a side of Angus earlier this month for $2.59/lb cut and wrapped. It was grass-fed, no hormones or antibiotics. The butcher was running a special where you buy a side of beef and get a half hog for free.

Another thing to think of is that around here most butchers won't be doing any more beef until after deer season is over. If you slaughter your animal now are you going to have anywhere to get it processed?

[Hovey Hollow]

He has an appointment for the processor on Dec 14th.

[Crystal H]

We don't buy a whole side so we pay a little more at we get it for$3 a pound cut and wrapped for steaks, roasts, ground, stew, ribs, we dont get organ meat or bones.

[unioncreek]

I'm getting $1.75/pound hanging weight and they pay the cut and wrap. You can't legally sell it already cut and wrapped unless it's cut up at a USDA inspected plant. When you sell it make sure that whoever is buying it writes a check to you for the beef and another to the butcher for the cut and wrap.

Bobg

[Wendy]

We are getting half a beef in January from my BIL. He charges 75 cents a pound for live weight. These are Holstein, so much leaner than beef breeds, but I like them because they do not have as much fat. We have to pay to have it butchered which will run us around $150-$175 for the half. All total, we will get a half of beef for around $550-$600. They are usually 1,000 - 1,200 lbs. when he takes them in. These get grain, but it is grain he grows. They are also given no meds or hormones of any kind.

[beaglady]

Check with your processor. In some states, IIRC, you have to sell by hanging weight to avoid using a USDA processor. If you want all the bones so you can can beef stock & the all fat to make tallow, be sure to make this very clear to your butcher. Otherwise they may assume you're the average housewife & just send along a couple knuckle bones for 'soup bones' & forget to save the fat. I've learned this the hard way. And, yes, you do want to make tallow, for kick-butt good soap.

[WindowOrMirror]

$2.80/lb here... half, wrapped and in the freezer

[NWMO]

"Nother question......if he get some grain daily is he still "grass fed" I don't want to mislead anyone."

Technically, he would have been eating grass, but if I were buying "grass fed" I would expect no grain. Simply pasture and hay.

[Terri]

I worked briefly with a lady who did this.

She charged supermarket prices. If the store would sell a side of beef for $x, then so did she.

Then again, this area is not big on worrying about chemicals. It may be worth more in your area.

[Pony]

Originally Posted by Terri

I worked briefly with a lady who did this.

She charged supermarket prices. If the store would sell a side of beef for $x, then so did she.

Then again, this area is not big on worrying about chemicals. It may be worth more in your area.

I didn't know that supermarkets sell by the side! Of course, I don't know that I'd want one from the local Jewel/Albertson's...

Pony!

[Hovey Hollow]

Seems like the producers in our co-op get pretty premium prices. They seem to be getting quite a bit more than regular retail. There is a real movement towards locally produced foods. Our co-op is growing by leaps and bounds, so it looks like they are getting the prices that they are asking for. Locally produced food, from someone you can ask questions about your food, is IMHO worth more than Wal-Mart prices. I think I'm going to e-mail one of the board members and see if she can look through previous price lists and tell me what half beefs have been going for.
Thank you everyone for your responses.