Butcher Shop Price differences?

[jrebel]

If I were to buy half a cow. How big of a chest freezer would I need? Would a 4 CF work?

8 would be the minimum for a half cow.....and that would fill it right up depending on the cows size.  10-12 would be about right. 

21 is a big freezer.  I run two 21's and two 16's....and the 16 will fit a full grown moose packed to the brim.

Hmm, I might be able to make a 8 work.


How much should I budget for a half cow? Yes, I know lots of variables of course. I am just looking for like $500, $700, $1000?


Thanks guys!

Or buy two 5 cf freezers.  They don't use a lot of energy and they don't take up a ton of space. 

Not sure on the cost of beef these days.  Someone else will know better than I. 

[Mudman]

If I were to buy half a cow. How big of a chest freezer would I need? Would a 4 CF work?

8 would be the minimum for a half cow.....and that would fill it right up depending on the cows size.  10-12 would be about right. 

21 is a big freezer.  I run two 21's and two 16's....and the 16 will fit a full grown moose packed to the brim.

Hmm, I might be able to make a 8 work.


How much should I budget for a half cow? Yes, I know lots of variables of course. I am just looking for like $500, $700, $1000?


Thanks guys!

$500-700 for the freezer.  Half beef varies alot but to buy n slaughter n cut/wrap depending weight I would think $1400-$2000.

[toothfangclaw]

Mine is 15CF, 5ft wide.  I think 8CF will hold Half beef but tight.  It depends on the beef size.  A Holstein half or a midget hereford?   

I really do have to see them in person. I used to deliver stuff like this and they were always the kind you could stack bodies in them and still have room. 

[toothfangclaw]

If I were to buy half a cow. How big of a chest freezer would I need? Would a 4 CF work?

8 would be the minimum for a half cow.....and that would fill it right up depending on the cows size.  10-12 would be about right. 

21 is a big freezer.  I run two 21's and two 16's....and the 16 will fit a full grown moose packed to the brim.

Hmm, I might be able to make a 8 work.


How much should I budget for a half cow? Yes, I know lots of variables of course. I am just looking for like $500, $700, $1000?


Thanks guys!

$500-700 for the freezer.  Half beef varies alot but to buy n slaughter n cut/wrap depending weight I would think $1400-$2000.

Ah! Ok, Thanks! That is out of budget for me right now. Probably stick with buying as I go for now and wait.

[Mudman]

Hey keep in mind the Meat Markets are cheaper then Safeway n taste better.  Last time I was in stewarts all cuts were much cheaper.  We bought $150 in meat that would have been well over $200 at a store and it was quality steaks!

[jrebel]

Freezer....300-400 plus tax.

https://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?dept=All&keyword=chest+freezer

Then start buying beef, pork, chicken, etc. as is on sale and your budget permits.  I get it....grocery store beef....blah, blah, blah.  Buy anywhere you can get it cheap and check local butchers.   It's taste like beef and if you watch for the sales you can buy it cheap.  Research cuts of beef and learn how to buy large roast on sale and cut them into stakes to save money.  Saran wrap and butcher paper are cheap also so you can wrap and store for a couple years. 

When money permits....buy a half or quarter beef that is finished the way you like.  Then you can become spoiled to "good" beef.   

[300rum]

I buy it from Azure Standard, yes the Thorvin Organic.  I think it is something like $90 for 50lbs.  I mix it roughly 30% kelp with 70% Redmond animal salt with Selenium.  I give them about 2-3 cups a day.  Right now feeding hay and pregnant they will hit it pretty hard but in the grazing season they will go through it much slower as the mineral has been in the ground over the years.   If your area is low in selenium you should go with Redmond with Selenium but the they have others without it.  Everyone I know had pink eye run through their herd last summer with the heat, I don't do any fly spray or deterrents and I had one very mild case of pink eye that the calf worked out on its own.  I am running 12 head and I buy about two bags of kelp per year.  I also put the kelp in my garden though, mixing it in with my compost.

I don't know that kelp gives a fishy taste, I have heard people say that though, just never ran into it myself.  If I am thinking about it I have and will pull them off the kelp a month before butcher and just give them the Redmond salt.     

 

@300rum where do you get your dried kelp from? Thorvin organic? What's the price per lb? I use it for my Icelandic sheep but not my cattle. Never really thought about it. It should benefit them greatly but I don't know that it should give it a fishy taste? That's strange. Do you blend it also? With basic minerals?

[toothfangclaw]

Freezer....300-400 plus tax.

https://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?dept=All&keyword=chest+freezer

Then start buying beef, pork, chicken, etc. as is on sale and your budget permits.  I get it....grocery store beef....blah, blah, blah.  Buy anywhere you can get it cheap and check local butchers.   It's taste like beef and if you watch for the sales you can buy it cheap.  Research cuts of beef and learn how to buy large roast on sale and cut them into stakes to save money.  Saran wrap and butcher paper are cheap also so you can wrap and store for a couple years. 

When money permits....buy a half or quarter beef that is finished the way you like.  Then you can become spoiled to "good" beef.

some good points right there. 

[toothfangclaw]

Hey keep in mind the Meat Markets are cheaper then Safeway n taste better.  Last time I was in stewarts all cuts were much cheaper.  We bought $150 in meat that would have been well over $200 at a store and it was quality steaks!

When I went to DD meats, I spent about $145 got 8 Ribeye, 4 top serloin and 1 of some other cuts. Should last me a week and a half to 2 weeks.