How much to butcher a cow?

[Uncle Doug]

Might check with the local High School Ag Dept. in your area. Has saved us hundreds!!

We did this with a deer & hog and it was some of the best sausage we have ever had made. Processing was cheap also.

[JeffJ]

Butcher and kill fee will be $4-700 depending on weight.

Dont expect to save money unless you are going straight grass fed. We feed ours for 4 months.

Month 1-2 is good coastal hay with about 150lb of feed a week. Month 3 is coastal hay and about 200lb of feed. Month four is very little hay and all the beef developer and cracked corn he can eat. The last week he eats about 75% cracked corn and 25% feed.

We are feeding our second steer right now. Our first one was a touch over 1300lb if I remember. We are aiming for about 1100 on this one. A lot of people say you can feed out pretty much any breed. If I had my pick I would feed out a char/angus cross. Second choice would be a straight angus.

You could easily look at the following breakdown of cost:

Steer Calf: $500-750
Vet: $50
Hay and feed: $1000
Butcher: $600

You are looking at $2k.

[Txjourneyman]

I would be going grass feed. My grass is all coastal.

[Pistol&Pearls]

check with a university.

I am not sure what it would cost but if you decide to sell half let me know. I bought half a cow on here a couple of years ago and the meat lasted forever. It was very tasty as well.

I agree with checking with a high school agriculture department or university just remember this is used for teaching purposes and may not come out perfect. I know Sam Houston State University does this and even sells grass fed beef that they raise and butcher to fund some of the materials for the course! Its a great teaching tool and I loved taking the class then helped teach it!

[Pistol&Pearls]

I would be going grass feed. My grass is all coastal.

Good choice. It does taste better!

[rladner]

That's a lot of meat. Better make some freezer space. You can store some at my place if you need Greg

[Txjourneyman]

That's a lot of meat. Better make some freezer space. You can store some at my place if you need Greg

Ha! Don't forget that with my bowhunting skills finding room in the freezer is never a problem! LOL!

[Chunky]

I had two very small bull calfs done about the first of the year. They charged me .60 per lb. hanging weight, plus a 45 dollar kill fee.

[RiverRat1]

I had two very small bull calfs done about the first of the year. They charged me .60 per lb. hanging weight, plus a 45 dollar kill fee.

1 arrow costs less than $45

[JeffJ]

Good choice. It does taste better!

I guess if you have REALLY good grass it would be fine. Cant fathom it being any better than the one we fed grain to.

Im thinking of doing two next time time. Have heard that if you feed two they will compete for feed and eat more and thus potentially feed out faster. I would probably sell one but I need to figure out a pricing method.

I guess I could do it by just selling the steer up front then splitting feed and charging a small hassle fee.

[txmuleyman]

I can't see why you would pay to process a low quaility calf. Without supplementing you will likely not see even close to 2lbs ADG. Takes a long time to finish on grass. Go to the grocery store and pick out the crappiest steak you can find your calf will be like that or worse. Buy a couple calves and sell them, take money go to HEB.

[Cantcatch5]

I would be going grass feed. My grass is all coastal.

You still need to finish them on feed.

[Txjourneyman]

Ok. Well, I was asking because I have no idea what kind of costs are involved. Just curious to see if I would come out ahead
raising my own beef. I thonk the answer I s no.

[TimH]

I guess if you have REALLY good grass it would be fine. Cant fathom it being any better than the one we fed grain to.

Im thinking of doing two next time time. Have heard that if you feed two they will compete for feed and eat more and thus potentially feed out faster. I would probably sell one but I need to figure out a pricing method.

I guess I could do it by just selling the steer up front then splitting feed and charging a small hassle fee.

Agreed!

Of all the years we have raised and fed livestock, pure grass fed cattle never taste as good as grain fed and are a bit tougher, mainly due to less marbling. I always run gelatinized corn through mine for at least a month, preferably much longer, before butchering.

Smithville did our last steer, 970 lbs live weight, cost $420.

[Osceola]

Ok. Well, I was asking because I have no idea what kind of costs are involved. Just curious to see if I would come out ahead
raising my own beef. I thonk the answer I s no.

You may not get out cheaper but the meat will taste better than store bought meat.I would feed them out for 45 to 60 days before processing them.