Price for beef

[janij]

Our steer is about 4 weeks out from a date with the packing house. We are really excited to be raising our own meat finally. However, we have some people who want to buy half of him. The slaughter house we use does not weigh the animals live. What is the going rate for hanging weight? The other people would split the kill fee and pay their out cut and wrap. Beefer has been raised on pasture and hay. The only thing they get extra is some range cubes to keep them friendly. But the 4 cows split less than a 6tq bucket of the range cubes a day. Any ideas? What do you sell yours for?

[Jovid]

The last ones we sold we charged $2.00 a lb hanging weight and they pay for all the processing.

The next ones will be $2.25 a lb based on the price of cattle now.

[janij]

We paid $500 for him at weaning and they had him cut. So maybe $2.00 would be good. That makes it only $2.65 a lb total. Pretty cheap still.

[matt_man]

We get $2.25/lb hanging weight - they pay processing.

[oregon woodsmok]

Ask at the butchers what they sell their sides for. Deduct what your customer would pay for kill, cut, and wrap (because that is included in the price the butcher charges). Then maybe take off another 5-10 cents to make it a deal.

Take a look in the super market at beef prices. I sure wouldn't sell a side for $2 a pound.

[sammyd]

Then maybe take off another 5-10 cents to make it a deal.

I would never operate under any notion like that...
The reason you direct market is to take advantage of the fact that your product is not like everyone else's.
The butcher does not raise his own beef, you do. The folks you are selling to can see what it is they are paying for and know exactly what goes into it.
We usually price ours over what the butcher is advertising and pay the kill and processing fees. It evens out to around 2 to 2.25 a pound hanging.
Probably be more in the future though.

[Jennifer L.]

I'd have them pay at least $2 a pound and they would pay for the processing on the whole animal. You've done the work, might as well get paid for it. They would STILL be getting a bargain at that price.

Jennifer

[lonelyfarmgirl]

I wouldn't charge the same or less than what the butcher charges. His beef is CAFO corn fed yuck. Yours is grass-fed. It's healthier and is worth more.
We charge 3$ per pound HW. The average for grass-fed beef is 2$-3$ per pound, plus all processing fees.

[janij]

Thanks for all the input. We are new to farming and raised 4 pigs and did not charge near enough. Know better next time. But with a cow, it is mostly grass. I think I will do at least $2.25 a lb and them pay the processing. I am just excited not to have to eat $5 lb ground yuck anymore!!!

[wildfrogs1]

Is Corn Yuck ?

[lonelyfarmgirl]

what do you mean is corn yuck?

What I meant, was cows raised on corn are fatty and tough (after a certain age). the meat doesn't have the omega 3's it does when raised on grass. It's not natural for the cow and less healthy all the way around. And most corn is GMO anyway.

Hence corn-fed yuck.

[Gabriel]

"Ground yuck" is a play on words. Better chuck than yuck...

In the past, we've been charging $2.75 per Lb, plus they pay butcher fees. People who didn't care what they ate looked at us in shock, but those who do care paid it happily and thanked us for being so much cheaper than the equivalent quality in grocery stores. What we charge in the future depends on what beef prices do, our costs won't go up as much so it'll look even better as prices rise.