what time of year to butcher

[dexterfarm]

We butcher in early summer. To give them plenty of time on good grass but before the heat gets bad. The reason we do this is so that they will be in good condition when they go. we do not feed grain.
It has been suggested that the meat has a better taste if butchered in the winter. Possibly because they are on hay or possibly because of the cold affecting the fat. we see the difference in the taste of milk from season to season is there also a difference in the meat taste?

[Gorignak]

We do the "hillbilly" Autumn, on farm, butchering. I don't know if the time of the year could affect the taste of beef. But, there are a few considerations that we have learned over the years. We have yet to do our first beef...it is all pig, chicken, Muscovy duck, turkey, and deer.

Sell your sows and only butcher barrows.....a sow in heat tastes way to "piggy" for us. So, if you were butchering a cull heifer, it would be good to plan ahead.
We always wait until the temperature drops to where it will not be over 50 degrees during the day.....and not much colder than 28-30 at night. Too cold, and any kind of quick outside freeze will trap heat inside and taint the meat. That would be important on a bigger carcass.
The way alfalfa hay sweetens milk....I am going to opt for a couple weeks of good alfalfa hay before I slaughter my first. We do not have uniform, even quality hay around here. So, measuring the effect of feeding hay would be hard. I do know that acorns make pigs, chickens, and turkey meat taste good. We feed acorns whole to pigs, and run them through a small chipper for the chickens, ducks, and turkeys.
Stress can really have an effect....so a long ride after a rough loading, and a 24 hour wait at a butchers, all seem to make meat more "fiery" or rougher tasting. If we are unlucky enough to have to track a deer for over a mile or so....he/she gets ground up for sausage. We have only had to do that once in the past 5 years.
I'm sure you will agree.....ya' can't trust anyone anymore. So, I would need to be on really good terms with a butcher to trust one again. I don't buy into the argument that "I didn't get MY meat back" ..... most peoples flavor problems can be traced easily to mistakes they made.
We have ONE local butcher...."Das Butcher Haus"....a bunch of Mennonites that are GOOD. They are ALWAYS booked up more than 6 months ahead.

My $.02

[janmar]

For me the best time is when I have time. It is sometimes hard to get in the butcher shop so we get in when we can. I have butchered all times of year and haven't noticed any problems.

[dexterfarm]

I don't have any complaints about our meet. I was just wondering about comments I had seen elsewhere stating that beef harvested late fall early winter tasted better. I will take it by the lack of comments here confirming that. That if there is a difference not many have noticed it.

[Dahdo]

We have only finished two so far. They were grass finished, harvested in mid July which is when our grass starts to Peter out. They were 26 months and on the gain and yielded the best beef we have ever had. Our two customers were also thrilled. Some grass finished beef producers around here will harvest in the fall after fattening on a flush of grass we often get when the rains return. I considered this, but I am glad I didn't because our pastures were short on grass all summer and we did not get much of a flush of grass in the fall. I have one to harvest this year and I will like likely do it in July again if he is ready, but he will only be 24 months, so I may have to wait.