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Started By
Message
Anybody out there buy a 1/2 or 1/4 cow?
Posted on 5/12/20 at 8:54 am
Posted on 5/12/20 at 8:54 am
I'm looking at stocking up a freezer. Does anybody on here do this? I'm looking for quality beef, I don't need prime, but I don't want cheap stuff that I need to boil to make tender...
What is a good price?
How long does 1/4 cow last?
How long do the vacuum sealed packages stay good?
What should I look for or avoid in selecting a farm to buy from?
What is a good price?
How long does 1/4 cow last?
How long do the vacuum sealed packages stay good?
What should I look for or avoid in selecting a farm to buy from?
10
Posted on 5/12/20 at 9:02 am to Jax-Tiger
I've got 1/4 cow on order (splitting a half with somebody). Should have it in a week or so. I've never bought beef in bulk before and am curious to see how much I like the taste, cost effectiveness, convenience etc.
Posted on 5/12/20 at 9:06 am to Jax-Tiger
I do. I buy direct from a friend who has Angus on grass only. First, be sure you have the storage space for it. Second, be honest with yourself about your cooking/eating habits. Do you plan ahead and actually defrost stuff, or are you the disorganized type who has to run to the store every time you want/need to cook bc you need something you can cook right this instant?
Regarding prime etc, the meat you are buying won’t be graded. You’re buying it on the hoof so that it can be slaughtered for you, meaning that it isn’t going through the usual channels of inspection and grading. You can have it cut and packaged any way you like—and the vacuum sealing will hold up great unless you carelessly throw stuff around in the deep freeze and tear up the packaging.
Buy as locally as possible—you can get to know a farmer and/or a slaughterhouse/meat market. If you don’t know any farmers, go down to the nearest slaughterhouse—there is often a bulletin board full of sale notices for everything from rabbits to goats and cattle. Ask the butchers for a referral.
Prepare to be patient—this is not like a supermarket experience. You may have to stand in line, listen to some long stories and weather forecasting, but It beats the hell out of tray packed factory meat processed by people so desperate that they’ll work when sick who are paid very little.
Regarding prime etc, the meat you are buying won’t be graded. You’re buying it on the hoof so that it can be slaughtered for you, meaning that it isn’t going through the usual channels of inspection and grading. You can have it cut and packaged any way you like—and the vacuum sealing will hold up great unless you carelessly throw stuff around in the deep freeze and tear up the packaging.
Buy as locally as possible—you can get to know a farmer and/or a slaughterhouse/meat market. If you don’t know any farmers, go down to the nearest slaughterhouse—there is often a bulletin board full of sale notices for everything from rabbits to goats and cattle. Ask the butchers for a referral.
Prepare to be patient—this is not like a supermarket experience. You may have to stand in line, listen to some long stories and weather forecasting, but It beats the hell out of tray packed factory meat processed by people so desperate that they’ll work when sick who are paid very little.
Posted on 5/12/20 at 9:12 am to Jax-Tiger
I think 1/4 is about $9lbs, a 1/2 is around $8lbs. another thing to make sure you ask is if their cows are grain or grass fed, taste will be different. I prefer grain fed, grass fed is a little to lean for me, you might prefer that though.
Posted on 5/12/20 at 9:43 am to USMCTIGER1970
quote:
I think 1/4 is about $9lbs
roughly how many pounds does a 1/4 get you?
Posted on 5/12/20 at 9:46 am to iAmBatman
This is how it was explained to me. I’m just copy/pasting the below:
It all depends on the weight of the animal after killed. It’ll be skinned and also the head cut off and they also cut the feet off and we will have a weight of how much it weighs at that point. The processor will have all that information. I can give you a good example.
So say a cow weighs 1000 pounds. You will average 650# of meat.
Take 650x4.00 a pound= $2600.00
The processor chargers $40 to kill it as well as .60 per pound to cut and pack the meat.
So you’re looking at .60x650= $390 plus the 40 to kill. So $430
430 plus 2600 would be $3,030
Now that’s 650 pounds of meat! (Make sure you’d have the freezer space)
So that’s like $4.67 average per pound and that’s hamburger meat, chuck roast, shoulder roast, beef tips, and steaks. Can get ribeyes, t bones whatever you’d like.
I hope that helps!
And don’t let 3,030 scare you. Buy a 1/4 or a 1/2 and you could go from there?
1/2- roughly $1500
1/4 roughly $750
Let me know , thanks! ??
Also understand that was based on a cow being 1000 pounds. Most will average a lot less so the prices are going to be less, but I wanted to
Shoot high on the weight just in case
It all depends on the weight of the animal after killed. It’ll be skinned and also the head cut off and they also cut the feet off and we will have a weight of how much it weighs at that point. The processor will have all that information. I can give you a good example.
So say a cow weighs 1000 pounds. You will average 650# of meat.
Take 650x4.00 a pound= $2600.00
The processor chargers $40 to kill it as well as .60 per pound to cut and pack the meat.
So you’re looking at .60x650= $390 plus the 40 to kill. So $430
430 plus 2600 would be $3,030
Now that’s 650 pounds of meat! (Make sure you’d have the freezer space)
So that’s like $4.67 average per pound and that’s hamburger meat, chuck roast, shoulder roast, beef tips, and steaks. Can get ribeyes, t bones whatever you’d like.
I hope that helps!
And don’t let 3,030 scare you. Buy a 1/4 or a 1/2 and you could go from there?
1/2- roughly $1500
1/4 roughly $750
Let me know , thanks! ??
Also understand that was based on a cow being 1000 pounds. Most will average a lot less so the prices are going to be less, but I wanted to
Shoot high on the weight just in case
Posted on 5/12/20 at 9:46 am to Jax-Tiger
I got a whole cow last November.
600 lb cow
1.25 lb
200 to process
Best beef I've ever had. It was a smaller cow so it's very tender but that does mean smaller steaks.
600 lb cow
1.25 lb
200 to process
Best beef I've ever had. It was a smaller cow so it's very tender but that does mean smaller steaks.
Posted on 5/12/20 at 9:47 am to LSUballs
quote:
I've never bought beef in bulk before and am curious to see how much I like the taste, cost effectiveness, convenience etc.
That's me. I am interested to find out about the taste. I generally plan ahead on grilling/smoking, so I would just need to clear out room in my freezer.
Posted on 5/12/20 at 9:56 am to LSUballs
How big a freezer we talking?
Posted on 5/12/20 at 10:07 am to AUCE05
quote:
How big a freezer we talking?
Here is what I found:
"A quarter beef will take up approximately 3.5 cubic feet, meaning that (with some planning) it can fit into most residential freezers."
Posted on 5/12/20 at 10:09 am to BoogaBear
That's really cheap! Who did you order from?
Posted on 5/12/20 at 10:28 am to USMCTIGER1970
A friend of ours father runs a small farm. I will be ordering a whole cow a year from him as long as I can.
Posted on 5/12/20 at 10:54 am to hungryone
quote:
Prepare to be patient—this is not like a supermarket experience. You may have to stand in line, listen to some long stories and weather forecasting
This is me when I pick up my weekly order from my local farmer. Dude is super nice, raises great quality chicken and pork....but damn he likes to talk.
Posted on 5/12/20 at 11:18 am to Jax-Tiger
I just had one of my steers butchered in March. He was 690 lbs. on the hoof. He takes up about two smaller chest freezers. I love the taste. I had all the hinds turned into one pound ground meat packages. That was 160 packages of ground meat. These prices today make me think I rich!
Posted on 5/12/20 at 11:22 am to Jax-Tiger
Very informative thread..Thanks..
Posted on 5/12/20 at 11:47 am to hungryone
quote:
hungryone
why is everything you post so goddamn preachy???
Posted on 5/12/20 at 12:23 pm to iAmBatman
I thought Hungryone’s post was well thought out and informative.
Posted on 5/12/20 at 1:14 pm to Chipand2Putts
Who wants to split some cows?
Posted on 5/12/20 at 1:28 pm to fatboydave
Let's dewit
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