O/T questions for those selling sides of meat

jason, NW Ontario · Dec 16, 2009

We've only been selling sides of lamb and pork for four years. But this year we've gone with a different abattoir for an earlier booking - they said the our customers can either have pork roasts or sausage (15 lbs minimum needed), but not both - not enough meat. We've had both cuts every year, and if anything the animals were bigger this year than normal. It got me wondering where on the carcass the other abattoir was getting the sausage meat from. We've asked for all the same cuts of meat, and I guess we'll find out soon enough what's different.
One other thing: are you selling a side based on the animal's kill weight, or the hanging weight after gutting?
Thanks
Jason

Anonymous-0 · Dec 16, 2009

Pork roast are the shoulder and rump, chops are the back straps and ribs, sausage are the scraps of meat that are not cuttable neck, joules hocks, back behind the ribs. I sell by the hanging weight which is about 60% of live weight, your cuts should be around 60% of your hanging weight. I try to get my hogs to 300 pounds as a butcher hog.

kyhayman · Dec 16, 2009

I sell based on live weight, posted price for the day from the local auction market plus 10 cents a pound. They pay the processor for that plus his charges, he pays me.

ChrisinMO · Dec 16, 2009

The previous butcher could have been getting the sausage out of the trimmings. I can't see why that would change. I'd keep a very close eye on the new guy to see any discrepancies or other problems. We work with one of the busiest abattoirs in our county. In the fall, after early October, it is all but impossible to get in, but they are very good at what they do and also HONEST.

As to how we sell, for a whole animal, we sell by live weight as we unload at the abattoir. For a half or quarter, we use the hanging weight and a different price per pound. I don't know which is the more "legal". If I ever have occasion to find out, I'll change to what is "legal".

All that being said, we have been selling hogs and now steers. We don't sell much on the hoof. I like to get the full retail dollar. We pay for the state inspected kill and butcher. We then sell the meat locally by the cut out of our freezers at home. Believe it our not, we sell quite a bit of whole hog sausage and have lots of customers who say it is the best sausage they've ever had.

Christopher

PJH · Dec 16, 2009

Been many years ago, but I used to sell live fat hogs for a nickel under the market price, picked up at the farm.

grandpappy · Dec 17, 2009

If I was you I would change butchers!!!! This guy doesn't know what he is doing.

JMS/.MN · Dec 17, 2009

Over the years you"ve posted what you charge for work, products, etc., and say you turn down work. Around here those prices simply would not fly. Granted, when pricing I"m usually on the reasonable side. When selling steers locally, I would get the top market price for that day, and deliver to a local shop for that price. I figured saving trucking and commission charges was enough advantage. Dime over a 70-80 cent market is quite a premium.

Mn Dave · Dec 17, 2009

(quoted from post at 10:38:17 12/17/09) Over the years you"ve posted what you charge for work, products, etc., and say you turn down work. Around here those prices simply would not fly. Granted, when pricing I"m usually on the reasonable side. When selling steers locally, I would get the top market price for that day, and deliver to a local shop for that price. I figured saving trucking and commission charges was enough advantage. Dime over a 70-80 cent market is quite a premium.

That's pretty much the way I price beef steers and heifers also. Besides, the buyer knows right where his meat comes from and should really be worth a healthy premium.

O/T questions for those selling sides of meat

jason, NW Ontario

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Anonymous-0

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kyhayman

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ChrisinMO

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PJH

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grandpappy

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JMS/.MN

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Mn Dave

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