Cow Butchering

[Andrew8235]

So, i bought into a cow my buddy has been raising for me. Come august we are going to butcher the cow, now my question is. Should i pay for professional slaughtering or is it fairly simple to clean skin and quarter to bring into the butcher shop? Any suggestions on shops or  butchers in the puyallup area would be greatly appreciated.

[WSU]

You want to hire someone.  Cows are big critters.  Depending on the cow and age, your cow may be quite a ways north of 1000 lbs.  The steer I killed last year was around 870 hanging, which puts the live steer around 1300 to 1400 lbs.  That is bigger than average but gives you an idea how difficult it would be to wrestle the cow around once it's on the ground.

Plus, a butcher will hang your beef for you. 

[stromdiddily]

Be sure to do your research if you do take it in. Have heard of places where the better cuts get switched out   

[jackmaster]

Have butcher boys handle all aspects of it, they do awesome
work and they know all the local slaughter guys

[steen]

You would need a tractor and a cooler to do it at home.  I don't know if your butcher would accept meat done by you on the home front.  Even if you did it at home you would need a bone saw or you would be putting meat in your freezer without the bone.  You would need a grinder for hamburger and refrigerator space and freezer space.  We have done our own but it is an all day project on your own.  We have also had the butcher do the kill for us and sometimes hang it for us.  You also have to get rid of the carcass if you butcher at home. Things to think about.  If I remember right it is close to $1.00 lb to have it all done for you these days.  We have our own butcher room and cooler and have done it different ways. Have fun at least you know what is put into that steer!

[PolarBear]

Yep, have a slaughter truck with a cooler come out and do it.  It will be the best $75 or so that you can spent, especially in August.  A good slaughter truck crew can have it down, gutted, skinned, halved or quartered and in a cooler truck in a fraction of the time that you can do it which minimizes spoilage!  They also haul all the guts and hide away!

[jackmaster]

We use to butcher all are own beef and pigs and chickens and then take them to butcher boys to have processed, but for 75 dollars a head the slaughter guy had it done in short order, they also are real good about clean up and concealing the death from mama and the kids, idk if you have kids but if you do and they are buddies with the cow then they probably dont want to see it..

[Andrew8235]

This is why i love this forum, thank you guys for all the info. i will do some calling around and see what i can get set up! anyone know a good slaughter truck in the area??

[jackmaster]

Butcher boys will handle everything, there is also a butcher at the bottom of Graham hill, North side on the east side of the road

[Hunterman]

So, i bought into a cow my buddy has been raising for me. Come august we are going to butcher the cow, now my question is. Should i pay for professional slaughtering or is it fairly simple to clean skin and quarter to bring into the butcher shop? Any suggestions on shops or  butchers in the puyallup area would be greatly appreciated.

You'll be money and headache ahead to have the cow farm slaughtered, then taken to the butcher. He will take care of everything, and haul off the mess. The only thing left will be the grass from the stomach. Then I would have him take your cow to The Meat Shop of Tacoma. They will give you an inventory list of everything that came off of your cow. Clean shop, and real good people to deal with. I've been dealing with them for quite a few years, ever since Butcher Boys STOLE meat from me. So if I was you i would stay the hell away from Butcher Boys, and Stewarts Meats. Both will rip you off. I wouldn't take a dead cat to either one. Anyway, the farm slaughter guy I use is Erickson. I'll PM you tonight after work with his phone number.

HUnterman(Tony)

[jackmaster]

We have used butcher boys for over 30 years and this is the first I have heard of them jackn meat from someone

[Hunterman]

Andrew8235 PM sent.

Hunterman(Tony)

[DeerThug]

Reminds me of years ago when i was farming.  the price had dropped out of the market so i had 9 steers sold for meat.  the butcher truck was way over booked and it was late november before he could get there.  when he showed up the 'hired guy' did not know there were 9 steers to butcher.  So i stayed to help out.  it was a very foggy november day.  As we worked our way through the steers he kept bragging about his number of kill shots in a row - like he was up to 80 or so in a row.  On steer 5 or 6 he pulled down and shot and i hear the shot and ' diinnnk'.  the steer just stands there.  he shoots again and ' diinnk'  and again ' dinnk'.  on the 4th shot he gets closer and dumps the steer.  then he comes over to me and asks what was that sound.  I say i am pretty sure you were hitting the neighbors car.  sure enough through the fog was the neighbors car with 3 22. holes in the door.  When he left i got his business card.  He did not know that I left it under the wiper blade of their car....  They never talked to me so I assume they got they put 2 and 2 together and got the door fixed....  His one shot kill count started over that day...

[4fletch]

I would have some one kill and hang it and cut and wrap at home .for burger you can bone it out and have a meat guy grind and wrap . Make sure you mark the halves so you get yours back. Hears if too many bad stories threw the hrs.  I cut and wrap the deer and elk and a half a buff every yr. takes time but I know it's mine.

[black hog]

I have been doing this for a long time and you will hear horror stories about every meat shop out there I have used a lot of different shops over the years I think a guy name mike Erickson has a kill truck in your area only shop I have used around you is Stewarts with good luck heritage meats out of Rochester does a great job and home meats out of shelton also does a great job