Did we get taken by the butcher?

njenner · #1 09/15/14, 04:49 PM

My hubby grew up on a dairy farm and we've been buying calfs at auction, and raising them to butcher. Last year, we butchered a "runaway" that he estimated at about 800 pounds. (he literally ran through the fence and came "home in the freezer"). The box weight was 234 (for half) pounds to the freezer so he was about 100 pounds bigger than hubby thought.

A couple weeks ago, we had our next steer ready. Hubby estimated him at 1100 pounds and he was a good 3 months older than last year and clearly taller angus. We were astonished to only get 153 pounds (for half) - box weight to the freezer. Hubby has NEVER been 300 pounds off estimating live weight.

Since we have no evidence that they skimmed - but we are looking at 170 pounds less overall meat than what was apparently a smaller steer last year.

Next time we will take our trailer in and weigh it; then load steer and re-weigh.

Anybody had this happen - or are we just smoking too much?????

topside1 · #2 09/15/14, 06:04 PM

In my neck of the woods the slaughterhouses base the total cost on live weight. Right off the trailer, into a chute, and digitally weighed for all to witness. Shop around for another place to do business that's my advice. "Smoking to much?" Can't help ya there. Topside

haypoint · #3 09/15/14, 06:24 PM

No scales for live weight at most places. Live weight just gives you a very rough estimate. Hanging weight should be much closer. When you picked up your boxes, did you ask them?
I once was involved in a half a pig that weighed over 300 pounds. I paid by hanging weight and wen I got my boxes, it was over 50 pounds lighter. I questioned it and they showed me the 4 inch thick back fat. I discovered that after the pig got to 240 pounds (market weight) he was switched over to dairy whey. Just gained fat.

Often guys bring in deer and are puzzled by the lack of meat. The butcher trims off the places where the guts splashed on the meat or where the leaves, dirt and twigs got on the meat, plus around the 4 or 5 bullet holes.

topside1 · #4 09/15/14, 06:54 PM

I agree hanging weight is the best method for payment/weight providing you are able to witness it's hanging wt, otherwise as you know the amount that ends up frozen depends on honesty...Topside

Awnry Abe · #5 09/15/14, 10:47 PM

306 lbs boxed
470 lbs hanging
723 lbs live
(65% on all transitions)

I'd expect much more, too. If it truly were 1100, and I don't doubt you, that sounds more like an honest mistake from disorganized chaos than cheating.

njenner · #6 09/15/14, 11:09 PM

Thanks; like some said; we had no way to "verify" the hanging weight which did back out to the box weight. Next time we will weigh and "KNOW".

njenner · #7 09/15/14, 11:31 PM

here is pic the day before went to butcher; does it look like 850 pound steer?

idigbeets · #8 09/16/14, 05:54 AM

He looks alright, but Id say bone/meat ratio will be a little high. I don't think your butchers numbers are way off there. Did you ask for a hanging weight? We pay by hanging... live weight is just not the right way to pay...

Gravytrain · #9 09/16/14, 07:17 AM

That amount of finished product would be appropriate for a 700-800lb steer. From the picture, your steer appears larger than that, but not by 300-400lbs. Hard to tell from a pic, but my guess would be 900-950. Either way, your freezer is probably lighter than it should be.

njenner · #10 09/16/14, 02:31 PM

Thanks for your thoughts.

Awnry Abe · #11 09/16/14, 09:51 PM

About 900.

Jennifer L. · #12 09/17/14, 05:26 PM

If you have an actual appointment with the butcher, as in , the animal is butchered right off the truck, it never hurts to hang around and shoot the breeze until you see the hanging weight. Doesn't take that long and you learn a lot about your animal. And there will be no funny business with amounts if everyone knows what the weight is.

Wanda · #13 09/18/14, 05:37 AM

I always like to go the evening they are killed and check the fat cover on the carcass. I then tell them how long to age the beef and pick up the liver and heart fresh.

idigbeets · #14 09/18/14, 05:43 AM

Agreed, if possible stay and watch.. you'll learn a lot too. I've done this a number of times, talked to the USDA inspector, he pointed out a few health issues on a few of our cows, nothing bad or dangerous, but like.. a little spot on the lung, or heart, and he can tell if that animal might have gotten sick as it aged etc, It's pretty cool