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Post by wanette on Oct 11, 2011 8:54:18 GMT -5
We just processed our 6 yr. old bull into hamburger and thought I would share some info on him.
His live weight was 1080 lbs., hanging wt. 669 lbs. and meat brought home and weighed was 603 lbs. so that's about 56%. We are please, considering he was on pasture until the last three or four weeks and it was such a hot summer.
We grilled some burgers and they were great, had to cook slow because the meat is so lean. Fried up some loose meat for tacos and it is really nice meat and a mild flavor which suprised me, for a bull I was expecting a stronger taste.
We saved the brisket and ribs to smoke, which will be next weekend, the neighbors are already lining up.
I haven't had time to add up the total cost but processing cost was $.63 per lb. of meat.
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Post by kansasdexters on Oct 11, 2011 15:15:14 GMT -5
Hi Wanette,
How did you determine his live weight? Did you actually weigh the animal on a scale or did the processor estimate the live weight from the animal's hanging weight?
The processor determines the hanging weight on a certified scale and the cost of processing is based on the hanging weight (which includes the bones, tendons, and fat). Did your processor weigh each package of the cut meat and label the packages, or did you weigh the boxes of packaged meat? If you weighed the boxes of packaged meat, each standard cardboard meat box weighs about 2 pounds empty, so that needs to be subtracted from the final weight to determine the package weights. Did you have the meat paper wrapped or plastic-wrapped? It makes a difference in the actual weight of packages because the paper wrap (and the amount of it) adds weight that needs to be subtracted to determine the actual product weight. If the processor weighs each cut, he normally wraps it after he weighs it. (Our processor charges $20 extra per animal to do all the weighing, but that way we know actual weights of each package of product, based on a commercial scale that is legal for the trade.)
You should have received a receipt for the amount of the total cost of processing which includes the slaughter fee, the disposal fee (if any), the processing cost (i.e. $0.63/lb) and any additional costs for specialties (like summer sausage, pre-made patties, beef jerky, etc.) and sales tax.
Patti
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Post by wanette on Oct 11, 2011 21:03:35 GMT -5
Pattie, I had to make a list so I could try and answer all your questions.
When we dropped off the bull he was weighed on certified scales before being put in a pen, 1080 lbs. Our reciept shows a hanging wt. of 669 lbs. processing fee of .75 per lb. a $40 fee for beef butchered, and .30 per bag of patties.
We calculated the bulk beef packaged in 2lb. bags and patties 1 1/3 lb. each wrapped in plastic, then weighed the brisket and ribs. (The patties are 1/3 lb each with 4 in each bag - 1 1/3lb per bag.)
I think we have a close weight count for the meat and it is delicious, and my kids had no problem lining up to take a share home.
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Post by rezzfullacres on Nov 30, 2011 8:11:49 GMT -5
We just sent our 4 year old bull to freezer camp, unsure of his live weight but his hanging weight was 600 lbs. We had him hung in the cooler for 18 days before processing and the meat is great.. We have had steaks, burgers and roasts so far and it is all tender and sweet tasting. We paid .40 cents per pound for processing (this included cutting, wrapping, freezing, burgers) and a $35 slaughter fee..
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Post by midhilldexters on Nov 30, 2011 11:08:04 GMT -5
I wish more people would be brave and eat their bulls when the time came. Glad you posted your results it will be good to see that old myth that bull meat is no good to eat, GONE.
Carol K
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Post by rezzfullacres on Nov 30, 2011 12:17:01 GMT -5
This wasn't the first bull we have eaten. We have found that if you keep the bull seperated from the cows for a bit before you slaughter the meat does taste better than if you slaughter an actively breeding bull. IMHO I believe a bull in with cows is always on alert for another looking to pilage his herd so he always has a little bit of adreniline in his system whereas a bull in with some steers, or in our case with the horses and mules, seems to calm down and relax a bit. Of course this only works if you can kep the cows and the bull out of scent range too....
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Post by cddexter on Nov 30, 2011 13:38:31 GMT -5
Ah, I'm envious of your prices. Beng on an Island, all our feed comes over on the ferry (translation: about $16 for 44 lbs of 16% dairy ration and $14 for 44 lbs of cob), then the slaughter cost is $80, and the cut/wrap/freeze cost is 75 cents/lb.
Bulls are just fine to eat. I always tell the butcher when the knife starts to act dull, that's the time to convert to hamburger; otherwise I still get all the high end cuts, and they're tasty and tender.
Maybe those old ranchers were eating aged range bulls, without hanging them very long, but I've said for years that bulls get a bad rep unfairly.
Glad you went ahead with it, and thanks for sharing. c.
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Post by thegoodag on Dec 1, 2011 22:02:34 GMT -5
Just processed a 25month steer that came in at 300# and a 3 yr old bull that came in at 450# hanging weight. I was a little dissappointed but I guess having no grass for a year wore them down. I did not get live weight.
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Post by carolinagirl on Jan 11, 2012 8:05:39 GMT -5
This thread gives me some hope. I am currently planning to get a couple of Dexters, possibly a bull calf and heifer. I am thinking about keeping the bull intact until my heifer is old enough to breed, and then butchering him instead of keeping him around to breed my heifer a second time. I don't think it makes much sense to maintain a bull just for my single cow. We eat deer a lot and many of those animals are old mature bucks....they taste just fine although some cuts need to be cooked differently than I would a young buck. I would imagine a bull is the same way, although my bull will be less than 18 months old when he is butchered.
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Post by prairieboy on Jan 11, 2012 11:39:27 GMT -5
If the price is where you want it to be, butchering the bull after he gives you a calf is a great plan.
It would stop being a great plan( for me anyway) if you have to pay a hefty price for a nice bull only to get 1 calf. He would be expensive meat that way also.
If you feed the bull a grass/hay diet, you can easily wait until he is 24-27 months old before you butcher him....but 18 months will work also. One of the benefits of having your own cattle is that you can work it anyway you desire and it will not be incorrect.
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Post by carolinagirl on Jan 11, 2012 12:00:48 GMT -5
The price on the bull calf is excellent. she has an excess of them and needs to move some out. So it would be worth getting him just for the freezer, even if I never bred him.
If he turns out to be a nice bull and is easy to handle, I may just keep him after he "does the deed". But it's nice to know that butchering him is a good option in case he is too much to manage.
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Post by lakeportfarms on Jan 21, 2012 7:22:46 GMT -5
I'm happy I live in Michigan after seeing some of your prices. Our latest price is $50 kill fee (this is $15 more than usual because of an "emergency") and .35/lb. Hung for 15 days, quick frozen, wrapped in plastic then paper. He was a 15 month old bull who broke himself on a girl  He tastes just OK though nothing to write home about. Of course, don't try to get an appointment during deer season! |
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