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Overthinking
Chillin' with the herd
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- Oct 24, 2021
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Haha i like that
Want to know more about raising cattle
- Thread starter Overthinking
- Start date
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Don't worry about the 'herd animal" thing. A single steer will be fine in your small property. Just start with one. It will be easier for you to handle and cheaper for feed.
Also check out the cost of butchering. If you are planning to sell part of the meat you will need to schedule a date for butchering as soon as you buy your steer and know how long you will be keeping him. Knowing the cost of processing will also allow you to figure out how much $$ you will be paying per lb. for the packaged beef. If you are splitting the beef with someone or selling it, you will need to know how much to charge per lb., not forgetting to allow something for your labor and the water it will drink. Don't sell individual cuts either, since that will not be to your advantage. There are only so many choice cuts on a carcass. Selling by the half steer means you each will get the same amount of cuts. You can tell the butcher you want the liver, heart, tongue, etc. for yourself if you like those parts.
Also do you have a large enough freezer to store a full or half steer? Another expense if you don't already have one that is usually half empty. If your freezer is always full, you will need another. If you need a freezer you will have to order it soon - delays on new freezer deliveries are 3 months and more. They are apparently all sitting in cargo ships off the California coast!
We just ordered a 3rd freezer and were told it would take over 3 months. Our fingers are crossed that it arrives. The appliance guy said to order the one that was out of stock (which we really wanted) because they had a guaranteed order arriving in 3 months. The ones that were shown to be in stock (not what we wanted but would have taken) he said often have to be hunted for and then often take more than the order time to arrive or will show up in the computer after several months to actually be out of stock!
Unless you have plenty of pasture, raising a steer is costly but can be fun. Beef prices have almost doubled in the past year and look to keep rising. You need to know the price per pound of what you are raising once processed and wrapped. The head and hide of a steer can weigh 150lb. and the hanging weight (minus the organs) will still be more than the finished meat weight due to trimming of bone, etc.
Also check out the cost of butchering. If you are planning to sell part of the meat you will need to schedule a date for butchering as soon as you buy your steer and know how long you will be keeping him. Knowing the cost of processing will also allow you to figure out how much $$ you will be paying per lb. for the packaged beef. If you are splitting the beef with someone or selling it, you will need to know how much to charge per lb., not forgetting to allow something for your labor and the water it will drink. Don't sell individual cuts either, since that will not be to your advantage. There are only so many choice cuts on a carcass. Selling by the half steer means you each will get the same amount of cuts. You can tell the butcher you want the liver, heart, tongue, etc. for yourself if you like those parts.
Also do you have a large enough freezer to store a full or half steer? Another expense if you don't already have one that is usually half empty. If your freezer is always full, you will need another. If you need a freezer you will have to order it soon - delays on new freezer deliveries are 3 months and more. They are apparently all sitting in cargo ships off the California coast!
We just ordered a 3rd freezer and were told it would take over 3 months. Our fingers are crossed that it arrives. The appliance guy said to order the one that was out of stock (which we really wanted) because they had a guaranteed order arriving in 3 months. The ones that were shown to be in stock (not what we wanted but would have taken) he said often have to be hunted for and then often take more than the order time to arrive or will show up in the computer after several months to actually be out of stock! Unless you have plenty of pasture, raising a steer is costly but can be fun. Beef prices have almost doubled in the past year and look to keep rising. You need to know the price per pound of what you are raising once processed and wrapped. The head and hide of a steer can weigh 150lb. and the hanging weight (minus the organs) will still be more than the finished meat weight due to trimming of bone, etc.
Bruce
Herd Master
Isn't that true whether you plan to sell some or not (unless one plans to do the work themselves) since the slaughterhouses are already booked out a year in advance?
Baymule
Herd Master
Everything @Ridgetop said!
I have to book a slaughter date a year or more in advance, before I even have the steer or pigs!
For chicken to eat, buy Cornish Cross chicks. That’s the same breed of chicken sold in the grocery store. BUT you feed them yourself, fermented feed, raise in a chicken tractor-moved to fresh grass daily (and away from the gobs of poop) and the meat is delicious! I name them. I name them Dirty Birdies. LOL
I have to book a slaughter date a year or more in advance, before I even have the steer or pigs!
For chicken to eat, buy Cornish Cross chicks. That’s the same breed of chicken sold in the grocery store. BUT you feed them yourself, fermented feed, raise in a chicken tractor-moved to fresh grass daily (and away from the gobs of poop) and the meat is delicious! I name them. I name them Dirty Birdies. LOL
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Yes. Even my longtime guy who guaranteed to fit me in could only fit me in December 10! Booked it for next group of lambs but had to take 3 ready to slaughter to auction. Decent money though so I will be taking more to auction next month.
