Almost every month, we sell shares in a live animal for people to use as freezer meat. We sell shares for a quarter, half, or whole animal. We deliver to the processor with the buyer’s cutting instructions. Each share can come as a mix of roasts, steaks, brisket, ribs, and ground beef. Anything the customer does not want, will go to hamburger meat.
Pricing for freezer beef is based on live weight at the time of harvest. Our animals usually weigh between 1,200-1,400 lbs on harvest day. We charge $3.00 per lb live weight on harvest day. Processing is based on the carcass weight, which is usually 55%-60% of the live weight. We use 57% to be in the middle. Customers can double the price of a quarter to get a half. Processing charges are $0.85 per lb carcass weight (roughly 57% of live weight), plus $60 facility fee & box fee.
Below is what shares with a live weight of 1,200 lbs would run.
1,200 lbs x $3.00/lb = $900 per quarter
Processing fees estimated at $160.35 per quarter.
TOTAL estimated share charges for a QUARTER share would be $1,060.35.
For comparison, shares with a live weight of 1,400 lbs would be as follows.
1,200 lbs x $3.00/lb =$1,050 per quarter.
Processing fees estimated at $184.58 per quarter.
TOTAL estimated share charges for a QUARTER share $1,234.58.
The take home weight depends on how the customer wants the meat cut. There is usually a shrinkage of around 57% from live to carcass, and the carcass to take home. A 1,200 lb animal will yield around 95-105 lbs per quarter take home weight. An animal weighing 1,400 lbs will yield about 110-120 lbs per quarter take home weight. It just depends on the cutting instructions. Anything the buyer does not want, will go to ground beef.
This is what WE kept in a QUARTER for ourselves. With it being just the two of us, unless we had company or a church dinner, a quarter lasts us about a year. The last time we got beef, the live weight was 1,200 lbs. From that quarter, we got the following:
This will not be the exact count for a different live weight. This is just to show what can be received.
1” thick (2 per pack), with three packs of New York strip steaks (T-bone steaks are available). They and the NY strip/filet combo come from the same cut of meat, so the T-bone steak just has the bone left in. The other two cuts do not. Customers would need to make a choice on that.
3 packs filets
3 packs rib eye steaks
4 packs sirloin steaks
8 minute steaks (2 per pack) (Minute steaks come from tenderized round steaks. Round steak can stay as round steak, become minute steaks, become a round roast, or go to hamburger. Any cut you don't want will go to the hamburger.)
5 chuck roasts (All roasts were 3 lbs each.)
1 arm roast
1 rump roast
2 sirloin tip roasts
1/4 brisket - one piece or two pieces (Ribs are an option also. We just didn't get any.)
48 lbs ground beef.
Condensed version: Live weight 1,200 lbs, meat and processing estimated total cost for a quarter $1,060.35. If the live weight is 1,400 lbs, the estimated total cost would be $1,234.58. Double for a half, times four for a whole. We send our live animals to the processor with your cutting instructions. When the meat is ready, we will contact the customer to arrange a convenient meeting place for delivery. We use Owl Holler Processing in the Amos community of Scottsville. This is the cut sheet they use.
We do require a deposit of $300 for quarters, $500 for halves, and $1,000 for a whole beef. Balance is always due at pick up. Some people will continue to make small payments so they don't owe much at the end, but that's up to each customer.
If you have any questions about our freezer beef, or if you'd like to order beef, email Kay at tnffamom@gmail.com or on Facebook.