Buying Custom Beef
Your beef, your way
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Buy half a cow!
Custom wholes and halves are USDA inspected and available ONLY for local pickup from the butcher.
$5/lb. hanging weight, processing INCLUDED
We know this can be a confusing process for you, especially if you've never purchased custom beef before. Therefore, we aim to make it simple.
The best thing about custom processing is that it is YOUR beef - YOUR way.
Butcher's terminology can be difficult to understand, and every butcher is different, so we have worked to make your life easier by finding the simplest solution. And better yet, we will walk with you through each step of the way!
Scroll down for additional information about buying a side of beef!
You will love having a freezer stocked full of meat!
Step 1
Reserve your Beef!
A deposit is required to hold your beef.
Whole Beef Deposit: $600
Half Beef Deposit: $300
You will be given a cut order to fill out and a date when your beef will be processed.
Step 2
Select and Pay
Fill out your cut order how you want the butcher to cut your meat and return it to me by the processing date.
On the processing date I will receive the hanging weight and get your final total.
Full payment, less deposit is due within 7 days.
Step 3
Pick Up your Meat!
Your meat will be ready to pick up at the butcher approximately 18 days after your processing date.
(Payment in full must be received before you can pick up your meat!)
Bring boxes and coolers to transport your beef!
Now, IF you are like me and need more clarity, here's the nitty gritty...
How It All Works!
I. How we sell our custom beef
Our custom beef is sold by the hanging weight of the animal.
The hanging weight, also known as rail weight, is the weight of the carcass after the animal is killed, skinned and hung on a rail. It is the weight of the cow without the blood, skin, head, hair, guts, feet and hooves. This is also known as the carcass weight.
The hanging weight is not the weight you bring home.
The hanging weight is not represented in the amount of meat you bring home, yet this the weight by which the butcher charges us to process our animals.
It is a very consistent figure across the board, regardless of how you choose to have the meat cut and wrapped. The weight of the meat you bring home, the total package weight (also known as boxed weight) can fluctuate significantly depending on how long it hangs in the cooler and your cutting instructions.
The carcass is aged for a number of days on the rail in the butcher's cooler to develop flavors, and during this time it will start to lose moisture. This evaporation (also known as shrink) results in some weight loss, as does the cutting and boning process during packaging. Therefore, the hanging weight does not represent the actual weight that is cut and wrapped, frozen and brought home to your freezer. Please see "How much meat should you expect to get back" for more detail.
Our price includes the butcher's processing fees. This means there are no other charges or hidden fees. None of that you-pay-us-and-then-you-pay-the-butcher stuff.
Any Specialty Products ordered, such as burger patties, hotdogs, beef sticks, brats, etc. are not included in our price. If you choose specialty products, these will be added to your invoice.
II. How much meat should you expect to get back
How much meat you get back depends on two factors:
(A) the size of the individual carcass and
(B) how you choose to have it processed.
A) Size. Our Angus cows are smaller than the modern breed, so they will finish at lower weights and yield smaller carcasses than what is commonly seen on the market. What this means for you is that your side of our beef will tend to weigh less, cost less and need less space to store than a typical side of beef. We aim to have live weights finish between 900 -1100 lbs. on the hoof.
Our hanging weights range between 500 and 650 lbs. So, expect the hanging weight for a half cow to weigh about 275-300 lbs.
(B) Processing. How you choose to fill out the cut sheet will have a great impact on the final packaged weight. Choosing to have everything ground up reduces the overall packaged weight you bring home. Requesting the soup bones and organs, ordering ribs, choosing other bone-IN cuts, and asking for extra fat to be packaged separately will yield higher take home weights.
III. Estimating the cost and yield of your beef.
The percentage (%) of hanging weight (hwt) to cut and wrap yield or take home/boxed weight (bwt) is important figure in determining a fair estimate of the amount of meat you can expect to take home and how much you pay per pound. This weight can VARY significantly depending on how you fill out your cut sheet instructions.
Our grass-finished hanging weights tend to average approx. 60% cut and wrap yield.
Hanging weight is approximately 60% live weight.
Hanging weight (hwt) X $5.00 = Price of beef
Hanging weight (hwt) X 60% = approximate amount of cut and wrapped meat (i.e. take home yield)
Price of beef/ approximate boxed take home yield= approximate cost per pound take home yield:
Summary:
Our beef hanging weights range 54% - 62% live weight. Expect an average yield of 60%.
Our hanging weight to boxed beef ratios are averaging 58-64% hanging weight. Expect an average yield of 60%.
Therefore, for a 1000 lb. animal, you should plan for a 600 lb. hanging weight, and a yield of approx. 360 lbs of beef to put in your freezer. If you are buying half of a beef, plan for approximately 180 lbs. to store in your freezer.
Here's how the math "maths..."
(Live wt.) X 60% =(hwt) X 60% = boxed yield (take home beef)
1000 X 60% (600) X 60% = 360 lbs. boxed yield (take home beef)
$5 lb./hwt price of beef /60% estimated boxed yield = estimated per lb. cost of take-home beef
$3000 price of 600 lb. hwt/360 estimated boxed yield = $8.33/per lb. boxed beef take home beef
Dressing percentage-
Another term you may hear is dressing percentage. The percent of live weight that yields into hanging weight is known as dressing percentage.
Average dressing percentage is approximately 60%. Average live weight to take home yield is 36%.
1000lbs. X 60% = 600 lb carcass hanging weight.
1000 lbs. X 36% = 360 lbs take home yield.
Actual Example:
#200- A 963 lb. 24 month old Angus we processed last fall. Hanging weight was 525 lb. Dressing percentage was a bit lower at 55%. Each side was sold to different customers. Each side was custom cut to customer specs and here's the yield:
Customer A requested a lot of specific cuts, including bone- In roasts. She kept all her fat and soup bones. Take home yield was 165 lbs., or 63% of the hanging weight.
(525X $5.00/lb. hwt.)/2 =$1312.50 price of 1/2 beef
$1312.50/165= $7.95 /per lb. cost of actual take home boxed beef
Customer B didn't want soup bones or extra fat and requested a higher amount of her meat to be put into ground beef. Take home yield was 152 lb., or 58% of the hanging weight.
(525X $5.00/lb. hwt.)/2 =$1312.50 price of 1/2 beef
$1312.50/152 = $8.63/per lb. cost of actual take home boxed beef
By selling based on the hanging weight, each customer paid the exact same for each side of the cow. However, based on their customized preferences and butcher cut orders, there was a slight difference in the final cost for individual take-home yields.
This is the beauty of custom beef! Your way, ALL the way!
Estimated Hanging Weight to Live Weight %
54-61%
Estimated Cut and Wrapped Weight to Hanging Weight %*
55-65%
Fatter animals have lower cut and wrapped percentages. Skinnier animals have higher cut and wrapped percentages. Boneless cut orders yield lower lbs. in your freezer. Bone-in cut orders yield more lbs. in your freezer.*
* Used with permission from Kenneth of KD Farms.
Estimate hanging weight from a 1000 lb. animal
550 hanging weight (55%)
Estimate % yield of hanging weight
63%
Estimate packaged and boxed weight
(take home yield)
346.5 lbs of beef
Step 1) Reserving your beef
A non-refundable deposit is due when you reserve your beef. Reservations are filled in the order they are received. When we reserve a beef for you, you will be given an approximate processing date. This is the date the cow will be butchered and we will receive the hanging weight.
Approximately 2 weeks to 18 days later, your beef will be ready to pick up.
If there is a potential conflict that could prevent you from being available to pick up your meat when it is ready, please let us know as soon as we discuss butcher dates. We will be happy to work with you around your schedule, however, be aware we also have to work within the butcher's schedule too.
Your beef is officially reserved when we receive your deposit.
Whole cow - $600 deposit
Half Cow - $300 deposit
Step 2) Selecting and paying
Once your deposit is received, we will give you a cut sheet and guide you through the process of filling it out. You will also be given the date your cow is to be processed. Please put this date on your calendar: Approximately 2 weeks after this processing date, your meat will be ready for pick up.
Paying in full. Currently, we accept cash or checks. Checks can be mailed upon receiving your total, and we will usually get them within 4 -7 business days.
On the day it is processed, we will receive the hanging weight and contact you with your final total, less the deposit paid. Once you are notified, your balance is due to be paid within 7 days. Your balance must be paid before you can pick up your meat.
Step 3) Picking up Your beef
Approximately 15 -18 days after the scheduled processing date, your frozen meat will be ready to pick up from the butcher! You are responsible to pick up your meat from the butcher when you are notified that it is ready.
Be sure to bring a couple large coolers and/or boxes in which to transport your meat. The butcher will generally allow a couple days for you to pick up your meat once it is ready, but please be respectful he has limited freezer space and needs you to pick up at your earliest convenience.
The butcher is located in Casey County, near Liberty, KY. You will be provided with location and address when you make your reservation.
If possible, I would love for us to coordinate so that I can meet you there and help load out and make sure all goes smoothly!
Call me today to reserve your side of beef!
call Monica at: 606.235.1473
email: Monica@FireflyFieldsKY.com
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