Buying a whole side of beef vs. raising a calf?

[indaswamp]

So...
In talking to one of the guys while processing 460lbs. of venison and pork last week, seems this guy has a pasture large enough to raise a calf. He already has lambs and horses on another pasture. We are looking at the costs of either buying a half side of beef and processing it ourselves verses buying a calf and raising it in his field then splitting the meat with him. Can anyone give me ballpark numbers either way? Would we be saving any money raining the calf? Thinking of buying an Angus calf. Thanks for all replies.

 

[old sarge]

You raise a herd it is business. You raise one and it becomes family.

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please delete

 

[pops6927]

Shop the sales ads. Far better prices with excellent selections vs. raising or buying a side.

 

[motocrash]

The livestock auction is another avenue.I'm with pops though,the time and outlay of cash is not worth only getting 1 brisket,1 tenderloin etc.

 

[bob-whie]

We are looking at the costs of either buying a half side of beef and processing it ourselves verses buying a calf and raising it .

The main pitfall of raising a beef animal yourself is this -- if you choose the wrong calf and once butchered it turns out to be less than satisfactory quality, you are stuck with a freezer full of tough, stringy and flavorless meat. Been there, done that.
Most beef animals, no matter how well fed, will ever grade prime or high choice. If you're going grass fed the choice of animal is even more critical.
If you have someone with an "eye" for animal selection, then raising your own could be a rewarding project.
Personally, I have a eye for swine selection, yet many years raising my own beef I never achieved an "eye" for on the hoof beef selection. Many a freezer full of lousy beef is a rough teacher.

 

[indaswamp]

Interesting replies... Lots to consider. Thanks fellas.

 

[indaswamp]

We would be considering an Angus calf...

 

[AllAces]

After the kids or grandkids bond with Angus the calf are you willing to take it to the butcher, or explain why ol' Angus is no longer peacefully grazing in the pasture? Stick with a side of beef, graded, cut, ground, wrapped and stored in the freezer. The kids will love you.

 

[indaswamp]

After the kids or grandkids bond with Angus the calf are you willing to take it to the butcher, or explain why ol' Angus is no longer peacefully grazing in the pasture? Stick with a side of beef, graded, cut, ground, wrapped and stored in the freezer. The kids will love you.

No kids...
And the calf will be grazing in a field 10 miles from my house. Buddy will raise it.

 

[bob-whie]

Shop the sales ads. Far better prices with excellent selections vs. raising or buying a side.

If you know any retailer that consistently has good beef, please inform.
I purchase ribeye primals at Sam's Club and only about one in ten are what could be considered excellent.

Forget marketplace pork, it is what I call PSE meat --
Pale, Soft and Exudative a condition in the 70's breeders endeavored to eliminate from the swine gene pool.

 

[Hill Country]

Lots of variables... quality and protein content of the pasture grass/hay, is the pasture large enough to sustain the calf to slaughter weight, cost of grain, any vet bills that may arise (and they do unexpectedly or even death loss), initial cost of calf (will it be bottle fed or weaned?). Steer or heifer? A weaned calf will weigh 325-425 lbs. currently in my area a heifer in that range is around $112 per hundred weight and a steer about $100. That’s buying one at auction which means you’ll have to have a trailer to haul it. If you purchase one from an individual they are usually noticeably higher, otherwise they would take it to auction. Then you’ll need to add in the cost of any improvements needed such as water trough and lines, fence repair, feed trough, shelter, etc. The last one I raised for the freezer several years ago ran me about $3 pound for right at 450 pounds of meat with me doing the processing. Grain was high due to the drought at the time. That’s $3 a pound for the low end cuts and trimmings and $3 a pound for all the good cuts as well. Buying the same amount and cuts of beef retail would be more expensive by around $300. But no work involved. I used to raise cattle for auction so had the infrastructure for it. I preferred raising my own beef because I had total control of what went into the animal and could regulate the quality of the final product. Much like why I’m getting into smoking my own meat. I just don’t want to put the time into it anymore.

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks for the reply Hill Country...

 

[myownidaho]

I buy half a steer every year from a friend of mine. He buys two or three in March that weigh somewhere around 400#. He has two acres of irrigated pasture grass to feed them on and he also starts them on grain when he gets them. They get slaughtered around November 1st at between 6-700#. I usually end up with about 145# of meat with half of it ground meat when it's all said and done. It's not cheap at around $10 a pound but it has grass fed flavor with grain fed texture and there's also the comfort of knowing the provenance of the meat, and that it's 100% organic.

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please delete

 

[gmc2003]

I used to work with an old hippy type guy that would raise a cow every year. After he had it slaughtered he would sell half the meat. The money he made would pay for his next year's cow. I also have a couple workers who do the same thing with pigs. I don't buy from them because I don't have the freezer space.

Chris

 

[towtruck]

Raised my own for 15 years. Best quality that way in my opinion. We feed alfalfa and grass and then finished off with grain. Never had a bad cow. I had connections for hay. I could put one in the freezer for $2.50 a pound not counting gas to go get the hay. I lost my place to raise them so I bought a half already finished....dang thing cost me $4.80 a pound and it was not that good. Ever since that I cut back on beef and only buy good stuff from a great local butcher and make the meal count.

 

[Medina Joe]

I agree with towtruck, We raise 2 hogs & 1 cow every year. Best quality meat. I can't even eat store bought meat, It is tasteless. My kids don't mind about them going to the meat house. They understand after we educated them on how meat ends up at at stores. They are happy and understand the cycles of life....Find a good Butcher and a good cattle rancher. Raise your own if you can. All grass feed pork & beef is the best.