Buying whole pigs/cattle?

[phylodog]

I'm 100% ignorant but curious about buying whole or half a pig or cow. I assume it saves money? If so, why?

That said, I'm interested in buying so if we have any members in the business let me know.

 

[BigRed]

Definitely saves $ on a per pound basis

 

[2in1evtime]

If you butcher yourself you will see a huge savings, i am in the process of setting up my portable cooler to hang a beef in in the coming weeks. I don't process hogs any more as i prefer beef, and just buy pork tenderloin when it on sale.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The folks I used to buy from said the biggest issue right now is getting an appointment at a processor. We’ll process deer ourselves no issue, but that’s because we cut out the tenderloins and grind everything else. It takes more skill to get good cuts of meat from cow and pig.

 

[Thor]

If you buy already butchered make sure you are very specific about what you want. Tell them you don't want a freezer full of ground beef and that you won't pay them for it (unless of course you want a freezer full of ground beef).

 

[KLB]

It saves a lot of money. You pay for the animal on a per pound basis, and then you pay for it to be processed. You save money because you are not paying the markup for the more desirable cuts. Ground Beef, Round Steak, NY Strips, Filets, etc all cost the same per pound. You tell the processor what cuts you want, and then the rest ends up as ground beef.

You'll need a large freezer for a side of beef, and a medium size freezer for a pig. When we get a side of beef it usually ends up around 400lbs.

The first step would be to find a processor near you. Someone on here can hopefully suggest a good one.

 

[Ballstater98]

The 1st year, we talked with the locker and went over a cut sheet. Have in mind the things you want and they can guide you through the estimate if what you can get per animal. The 1st year is the adjustment year. Keep a paper somewhere listing the adjustments to the cut sheet when the locker calls you the next year (packaging, cut thickness, items, etc.) For example, one year I will have to switch the packaging of 2 steaks/chops per package to 3 per for this family of 3. Kid is just not old enough yet. We discovered year 1 that our smoked ham sizes were too big and had to cut them in half the following year.

The initial investment of a freezer and writing the checks to the farmer(s) and locker once a year is the hardest part for people who can't save and budget. My processing for the hog is more than the hog itself. Speaking of the freezer, we have a deep freezer. When we replace it, the wife wants an upright. She is shorter and is tired of struggling to reach things at the bottom.

The piece of mind and quality is typically better too.

1/2 a beef and 1/2 a hog feeds this family for an entire year (obviously eating chicken, fish, etc. throughout the year)

 

[Expat]

I am picking up a whole hog that I had processed tomorrow. I think you save some. Probably not as much as some people think. I got charged hanging weight. How much bone, skin and other waste did I pay for? But the way things are going, what will the price of meat be in a couple months.

 

[Ballstater98]

I keep a file. Here is a some old cut lists and this past year's locker fees of ours (1/2 beef, 1/2 hog) to give you and idea. I can't remember what the hog was per pound last year (i wrote a check under $80), but I believe the cow was $1.25 per pound, but I get a better deal than that since Dad is a cattle farmer. Prices will probably go up about $0.12 per pound this year with all the input costs.

Edit: Figure a whole cow will be roughly 1,200lbs.

 

[Ballstater98]

We also had to invest in a couple more large coolers for transport of the meat from the locker to the house.

 

[cburnworth]

I just paid $140 processing fee for a 1/4 beef. roughly 175 lbs. (37 lbs gorund beef)total cost $620 with processing(beef from a friend). Different processor last year in greenwood cost me $300 more.

 

[phatgemi]

A lot of processors are making appointments about a year out. If you dont have a slot available, you're late in the game.

 

[Ballstater98]

A lot of processors are making appointments about a year out. If you dont have a slot available, you're late in the game.

Dad is booked 3 years out.

 

[eldirector]

We have a 1/2 beef coming next spring (he is eating his way thru the pasture right now). Will order a full hog in the next couple of weeks.

I think we are between $7 and $8 per pound for beef. 160# or so for the finished product. The hog is less. IMHO: ends up a bit cheaper than grocery, but for significantly better quality. Pretty sure I could save even more finding a cheaper farmer and cheaper processing. But, I'm happy with what we have.

Need a source for bulk fish.

 

[Mongo59]

Had a local guy take two heifers to the locker plant and they would only pay 70 cents/pound. He told them to load them back up and took them to a friend and he gave them $1 per pound.

A local grocery has top round $9.95 per pound, just who is getting rich here?

 

[Kozaturf]

We got a 1/4 beef middle of last month and after paying for the beef and the processor we're at less than 1/2 the cost of buying at the store.
The worst part was trying to buy a new upright freezer. Nothing of any decent size in stock and if it was it was only the super fancy $3k+ models. Got lucky and found one right off the truck that hadn't made it in to inventory yet. Checked in and sold in seconds.

 

[cg21]

I raise beef, pork, lamb, rabbit, chicken, and eggs. You save money but for a lot of people they get sticker shock still when buying it all at once. They aren’t used to going into the grocery store and buying 400# of beef. That being said even if you didn’t save money…. You’re getting a far superior product (most of the time, know your farmer) We raise all our animals as naturally as we can. They aren’t in cement feed lots they get grass, sun, they get to be animals. No weird chemicals or medicines. We supplement with local non gmo grain. I had two choices become a vegan or raise my own. Don’t like supporting the factory farms I love meat but respect animals as well.

We have a beef going in Jan 3 in northwest Indiana. and pork in early spring.

 

[dprimm]

Not only can you save money but you can get a better product. I have our beef hang for 3 weeks. In college the professors insisted 24 hours was enough. That is how commercial plants do it.

You can also get exactly what you want. When I brought home ours I also had bags of the bones for broth. I could have gotten anything else I wanted as well.

For those new to buying suck large amounts I go through the cut sheets for them. Give guidance and suggestions based on how they like things.

Once you get GOOD beef you won’t buy at the store anymore.

 

[hooky]

@phylodog if you still haven't gotten this figured out, I may have an option for you for beef.

 

[Ballstater98]

Found a cut sheet from long ago when we first started that may also help.