Grass Fed Beef-What's in the Price?

Ready to purchase a half or quarter beef?

Ready to try something new in your cooking and eating routine? Maybe you're ready to buy a half or quarter beef --It’s a great way to learn about the various cuts and how to best to utilize them.

The grocery store will have you believe that some cuts are better than others; I disagree. Some cuts are easier to prepare – a tenderloin is virtually a no-fail cut. But beef heart or a rump roast can be amazing as well. It takes understanding of how to prepare various cuts, willingness to try something new, and an appreciation that each cut will have its own unique texture and flavor. A flank steak will never cut like a tenderloin, but many agree it has deep, rich flavor.

The internet is a great resource for techniques and recipes that will work well with each cut. Consider a quick Google search for Caribbean beef stew, Tacos de lengua or Thai beef with basil.

Buying bulk can save you money as well, especially if your family likes steaks and roasts as well as ground beef. For farmers, it is a more efficient way to market and helps us avoid the challenge of unbalanced inventory caused when the most sought-after cuts are sold before others.

So, what's in the price?

Grass fed Lowline Angus cattle take an average of 18-24 months to reach a mature weight of around 750lbs when they are ready for slaughter. This of course is about 1/3 smaller than a standard-sized steer on the market today. Why do we raise smaller cattle you ask? A few reasons: a) they are easier on the land--this is super important to us as we are working to build healthy soil and reduce our carbon footprint 2) they are more efficient producers of beef and yield less waste at slaughter 3) they are excellent mothers 4) they are easy going and fun to raise. Now back to the cost....

At the butcher, our 750lb steer quickly loses about 60% of its weight once the animal is dressed (i.e non-edible parts removed and disposed). But it doesn't stop there. The beef is then cut & wrapped into handy packages for the customer to take home. This process will remove another 60%, depending upon a few factors:

• Genetics– We strive to raise cattle with a higher meat to bone ratio, thus the Lowline Angus breed, known for being great producers of high quality beef that will marble on grass.

• Bone-in vs. boneless – This will dramatically affect yield; the more boneless cuts that are made, the lower the yield. It will not however significantly affect the actual amount of meat you receive.

• The amount of fat remaining on the meat cuts – The yield will vary based on how much surface fat the cutter leaves on the cuts.

• Leanness of ground beef – If the ground beef is made very lean the yield will be less than if the ground is made with a higher percentage of fat.

So how much do I take home?

Using the 750lb steer above as an example, you can calculate the following:

60% of 750lb live weight= 450lb hanging weight

60% hanging weight = 270lb of cut/wrapped product

Half beef cut/wrapped= 135lbs average

Quarter beef cut/wrapped= 67.5lbs average

This is of course, not exact, as each animal is unique, but it is a good starting point. In determining the final cost of the beef we calculate:

1. Slaughter/disposal fees--typically $120-140 per animal

2. Cut/wrap fees--typically .70-.85 cents per pound (higher for smoked products, jerky, sausage etc)

Buying in bulk means that your final "per pound price" includes everything from ground beef to more expensive steaks, rendering a lower per pound price than you can expect to pay at your local grocery store for grass fed and finished beef. All of this, AND buying local AND supporting a local farmer? Sounds great to me!