it is impossible to sell freezer beef, compared to super market prices. The big slaughter plants are so efficient, they make money on all the stuff we throw away, the blood feet tail. I was told that there is 20lb of meat on the head of a beef, and local butcher throw it away.
only way to make any money is to sell the animals that have a problem, like hurt foot, pink eye problem and such. good animals but need baby sat. that are ok in a small pen.
I think there is money on butchering young open cows 3 maybe 4 year old, well fed, they can have tender steaks.
I don't agree with this. Like said, you have to find people who appreciate the product, and not looking for a sale at Walmart.
The way we do it, we put the live critter in a trailer and haul it about 10 miles. That guy kills, skins, halves for a fixed price, $40. He will cut and wrap, but we let our customers pick their processors, and most pick a local meat market who goes to this slaughter house and picks up the halves for age hanging, then processes. The meat market guy charges $0.45 per pound hanging, I think $0.50 for vacuum pack. The buyer pays for the processing, the kill (say they buy a 1/2, they pay for half the kill), and pay me my price too. At 60% yield, it usually ends up the price per pound of net meat in the freezer is right around buying hamburger ( and I mean hamburger, not ground chuck or something better) in the store. And the quality is way better. I don't have trouble finding customers, I was just looking for what others are getting for price.
There is a guy around with a portable rig who comes to your farm. It isn't much cheaper, and you're left with the mess to clean up. Pays to have several done at once if you choose this way.
