Once a steer hits the 1100-1200 lb. mark we start to think, steak, roasts, and hamburger!
But, really, how much meat do you get from one whole steer, or a half of one, or quarter, to put in your freezer?
And those terms, live weight, on hoof, hanging weight, dressed weight, cuts, what do they really mean?
First, let’s take a look at the terms. There’s the live weight, which, like it sounds, is how much the steer weighs when it’s alive. This is also sometimes referred to as, on the hoof. Since we don’t have a scale, we rely on a tape measure and a mathematical formula to judge the weight of the animal. This is the weight that we use to charge people for. You pay for the whole animal.
The hanging weight, (or dressed weight) is the weight of the carcass after slaughtering, but before cutting it into pieces. The blood has been drained, the intestines removed, and parts like the head and feet cut off. Some processors charge by this weight.
And now for the cuts. These are the roasts, steaks, etc that you get from the steer for your freezer and your plate! Another thing that is included in the cuts is the bones and fat. Since it’s not all meat that you take home for your freezer, it’s more accurate to say cuts than meat when talking about what you get from a steer.
Now let’s cover the important question, “How much do you get from a whole steer? Please note, this is an estimate. There may be as much as a 250 lb. give or take.
An average beef animal weighs around 1200 lbs. and has a hanging weight of about 750 lbs, which is approximately 60% of the live weight. This does not include the tongue, liver, or oxtail since they are removed from the carcass during the slaughtering process.
A carcass is left hanging in a cooler for 10-14 days to improve tenderness and it also allows the enzymes in meat to break down the proteins and improve eating quality. This is called aging. During this time the carcass will shrink a total of 4-6% from the original hanging weight. This is due to moisture loss and can be affected by the amount of fat cover on the carcass as well as the cooler’s temperature and humidity. Additional moisture and trimming losses can be expected as the carcass is broken down into cuts and ground beef.
A general rule of thumb is 25% bone and trim loss, 25% steaks, 25% roasts, and 25% ground beef.
The packaged beef you get to take home is approximately 40% of the animal’s live weight or 75% of the hanging.
Let's make this easy
Live weight. Meat cuts. Price
Whole steer
1100 lbs. 440 lbs. $1650
Half steer
550lbs. 220lbs. $825
Quarter steer.
275 lbs. 110 lbs. $412
THIS IS WITHOUT THE PROCESSING!
(This is based on $1.50 a lb. live weight.)
Processing fees vary greatly from butcher to butcher. I asked for a quote from a butcher , roughly a 1000 lb steer runs over $500, half of one can be over $300, and a quarter could be around $150 to process.
Any questions, contact The Nolt Homestead at: thenolthomestead@gmail.com.
Blessings, Louise
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