Beef question????????

All country · #1 08/26/05, 02:33 PM

We have agreed to buy a steer off of a friend for $1.00 per pound on the hoof. He estimates they will be around 1,100/1,200 pounds when he takes them in at the end of October. (Angus/Hereford cross) We will be splitting this with another family.

For $40.00 we will have the locker plant slaughter and hang the meat for 10 days. We will then bring the sides home to cut and wrap the meat ourselves. We are used to butchering. We already have all the equipment needed for the job. e.g. electric meat saw, grinder, cuber, wrap.

We have never bought our beef this way before. In fact, even though we like beef, we seldom have it because of the hormones, and antibiotics used in raising them. Since these are pasture raised without hormones and antibiotics we have decided to give it a try.

What can I expect the hanging weight to be on a steer this size? I am trying to figure out how much freezer space we will be needing. Also trying to figure out our approximate price per pound.

agmantoo · #2 08/26/05, 02:36 PM

650 lbs.

OD · #3 08/26/05, 03:22 PM

We sold half of a beef for $1.20 a pound last spring. He weighed 980#, & I figured that the buyer had about $2.60 a pound in his meat. We each had 280# of wrapped meat.
That's not a bad price for beef that has been raised in a clean environment, with no harmones or antibiotics.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #4 08/26/05, 04:03 PM

What does he weigh now?? My guess is he is about 900-950 pounds if he is going to finish out at at 1100+ lbs. The end of October is only 60 days away and on grain he will gain about 2.5 to 3.0 lbs per day. On grass only he won't get there unless he isheavier than 1000 already.

I sure think I would start running about 15-20 pounds of medium cracked or steam rolled corn/grain a day thru that critter soon. The taste and tenderness will benefit greatly.

All country · #5 08/26/05, 05:19 PM

They are still on pasture, but he has recently started giving them some grain to finish out.

mysticokra · #6 08/26/05, 07:14 PM

If your beef is the only one in the locker, make sure they retard the cooling.
If you age the beef 10 to 14 days, that's great. But if it cools too quickly right after slaughter, it will be tougher than with a gradual cooling.

All country · #7 08/26/05, 09:25 PM

There are at least 8 that are being taken in at the same time. I appreciate the information you are sharing.

Shepherd · #8 08/26/05, 09:45 PM

We have been feeding our steers (that will be butchered) corn for about 6-7 weeks now. I LOVE growing our own meat! I LOVE passing by the meat section of the grocery store! I LOVE knowing what I'm eating isn't injected with all kinds of junk and growth hormones.

PS - GREAT price... $1 per pound.

Christiaan · #9 08/26/05, 10:34 PM

Maybe its because I raise Highlands rather than the heavier beef breeds, but mine are completely grass/hay fed and don't suffer a bit from lack of flavor or tenderness. In fact I find the flavor to be a bit "beefier" than grain fed or finished beef. IMHO

**Ross** · #10 08/26/05, 11:01 PM

We used to say hung weight is 50% of live and then there's about 5% trimmed off that. Still a heavy steer will finish better than that by around 5% too!

Beeman · #11 08/27/05, 08:52 AM

I hope you start eating a lot more beef then you have been as you will have quite a bit. Also the taste is usually a little different, and you will have a whole freezer full of it.

Cravenwas · #12 08/27/05, 09:45 AM

The general rule of thumb is the hung weight will be 50% of the live weight. Depending on how much deboning you do you can lose up to 30% of the hanging weight. We prefer to hang our beef 14 to 21 days. With sufficient fat cover we have hung for 28 days. That was so tender you could BBQ chuck steaks and cut them with a fork. If you don't have enough fat cover you can't hang it as long because it will dry out.

buspete · #13 08/27/05, 10:43 AM

How and where do you hang it?

Does this need to be done in a big walk-in cooler, or can you let it hang outside in cool weather, the way you would a deer?

All country · #14 08/27/05, 02:36 PM

This will be hung in a large walk in cooler.
We would have liked to do the whole process ourselves, but we cannot depend on the temperatures to remain steady enough over a 2 week period. Also a steer is very large and heavy, DH has 2 fractured vertebrae in his back and I know that he will not stay back and let the kids and I do it. He has spent the last 2 weeks working on his trucks before heading off to work

I am hoping for his back to heal and didn't think trying to work with a 1,100# plus animal would help it. I had to make arrangements for this steer BEFORE telling him! We plan to install a large walk in cooler of our own before next fall.

Would having it hang for 14 days instead of 10 make much of a difference? We do have that option.

chas · #15 08/28/05, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by All country

This will be hung in a large walk in cooler.
We would have liked to do the whole process ourselves, but we cannot depend on the temperatures to remain steady enough over a 2 week period. Also a steer is very large and heavy, DH has 2 fractured vertebrae in his back and I know that he will not stay back and let the kids and I do it. He has spent the last 2 weeks working on his trucks before heading off to work

I am hoping for his back to heal and didn't think trying to work with a 1,100# plus animal would help it. I had to make arrangements for this steer BEFORE telling him! We plan to install a large walk in cooler of our own before next fall.

Would having it hang for 14 days instead of 10 make much of a difference? We do have that option.

Yes the longer the better.The muscle starts to break down,you could say first stages of rotting ,but that dosen't sound appetizing!The processors like to say ,the enzymes start to work

I have access to a little country processing plant on a farm near me for any thing larger than a deer or goat.Otherwise I use a couple refrigerators in my cellar.And I use absolutely no grain to finish my animals.I want the good fat high in omega 3 to keep colesterol down and fight cancers(it's also high in carotin which shows in yellow fat that is good for you)The Japanese now want the white fat in our grain fed animals and now are facing the same health problems as Americans.Grain fed are extra high in omega 6 or bad fats.
If your going for the health angle go all the way and eat pasture only beef!
Ok off the soap box!
Chas