# beef prices



## *Andi

This is more of a heads up ... We had a friend to take some "cows" (angus) to market this past week, the price paid ... $1.95 per pound on the hoof. (right now he is a very happy farmer. ) just something to think about and plan for... 

Now to compare to the last cows that he sent to market that went for .85 cents per pound. 

On its own that is spooky ... I have a different friend that lost his pasture lease and had to take some of his longhorns to market... the price paid 800. ~ 850. per cow. (that is almost double around here.) 

This does not bode well for the shopper ...


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## md1911

I almost can't afford beef at the grocery store now. If on the hoof price went up that much it will tripple in the store.


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## The_Blob

right now there are BOGO offers at a few of the grocery chains for bottom round steak/roasts & the price works out to about $2/lb

I buy locally by the 1/2 steer... maybe I'll go buy a whole steer to avoid that price spike :dunno:

or maybe I'll just try for more deer.


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## mdprepper

The_Blob said:


> I buy locally by the 1/2 steer... maybe I'll go buy a whole steer to avoid that price spike :dunno:


The_Blob, how many are you feeding at your house and how long does 1/2 a steer last? Just looking for an average or best guess. Also, any guesses on how much freezer space would be needed? There are only 3 of us (one is a teen boy) and trying to decide if this is the way to go. Thanks.


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## The_Blob

mdprepper said:


> The_Blob, how many are you feeding at your house and how long does 1/2 a steer last? Just looking for an average or best guess. Also, any guesses on how much freezer space would be needed? There are only 3 of us (one is a teen boy) and trying to decide if this is the way to go. Thanks.


That's pretty hard to figure because (a) we eat a LOT(almost every meal) of (various) meat, (b) we have a couple of *BIG* family get-togethers (50+ people), and (c) we share it with (variable no.) people that fall on hard times.

We usually get about 300lbs, some of which are be things a lot of people don't care for, such as tongue, brain and/or sweetbreads


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## mdprepper

The_Blob said:


> such as tongue, brain and/or sweetbreads




Thanks for the information. I will check with my local butcher shop and on their price rates.


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## Ncognito

md1911 said:


> I almost can't afford beef at the grocery store now. If on the hoof price went up that much it will tripple in the store.


I don't know when the last time we bought beef was. We eat mostly chicken and deer. I bought DW a meat grinder so she can process chicken to use in recipes that call for ground beef. I've been giving serious thought to raising rabbits for meat, but the daughters like being removed from where their food comes from when it comes to meat.


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## Ncognito

The_Blob said:


> I buy locally by the 1/2 steer... maybe I'll go buy a whole steer to avoid that price spike :dunno:


I remember my dad use to buy beef that way when I was younger. Does yours come already packaged or do you have to do that yourself?


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## Freyadog

Ncognito said:


> I don't know when the last time we bought beef was. We eat mostly chicken and deer. I bought DW a meat grinder so she can process chicken to use in recipes that call for ground beef. I've been giving serious thought to raising rabbits for meat, but the daughters like being removed from where their food comes from when it comes to meat.


same here. no beef. mostly deer, fish, chicken and rabbit. Not even gonna pay those prices. No beef in over 4 years.


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## ZoomZoom

mdprepper said:


> The_Blob, how many are you feeding at your house and how long does 1/2 a steer last? Just looking for an average or best guess. Also, any guesses on how much freezer space would be needed? There are only 3 of us (one is a teen boy) and trying to decide if this is the way to go. Thanks.


With a teen boy, I'd guess a half would last almost a year depending on how much you eat each week.

We used to get a small half (under 300 lbs hanging weight) before our son grew but now we get an entire cow (600-800# hanging) but that lasts closer to 18 months.

I paid $2.00 or $2.25 per pound hanging weight + $10 kill fee and $0.40 per pound for cut/wrap/freeze.

As a ballpark, 300# hanging weight will use approx. 10 cu/ft of freezer space. *Do NOT use a frost-free freezer.*


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## md1911

Ncognito said:


> I don't know when the last time we bought beef was. We eat mostly chicken and deer. I bought DW a meat grinder so she can process chicken to use in recipes that call for ground beef. I've been giving serious thought to raising rabbits for meat, but the daughters like being removed from where their food comes from when it comes to meat.


I hunt deer, elk, turkey, and rabbit. Plus I fish. But I still like a good beef stake every once in awhile. I have a old hand crank meat grinder I use. I live intown right now so theirs no raising my own meat.


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## lilmissy0740

We purchase ground beef from a local farmer and we found grass fed beef while on vacation. I can do w/o beef. Hubby loves steak. So we purchase all steaks from this gentlemen each yr. Other than that its chicken, we raise, pork from the local farmer and fish from store. If I had to do w/o beef and pork it wouldnt bother me a bit. Now hubby would be out looking for someone to barter with. 
Can I ask on this thread. Do you all freeze it or can it? And why not a frost-free freezer?


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## OHprepper

i can remember the last steer i raised and had processed (about 10 yrs ago) i was still in FFa at the time. I kept half and sold half. the half lasted my family 8 months. that was with my mother father and us two teenage boys eating it. my brother and i also had several friends come over to grill out over the eight months as well. it was well worth the money to raise it myself.


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## goshengirl

Andi, I've been thinking about this since I read your post earlier today. Could you tell me when was the last time your friend brought cattle in? (forgive me if that's a stupid question, is it the same time every year?) I'd like to have a handle on the time frame for such a price increase. Thanks! :wave:


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## HillbillyPrep

We are thinking of raising a cow. I can get a Jersey bull still on a bottle for fifty bucks or less. We can get round bails pretty cheap and we have some lawn it can mow....or I mean grass for it to graze. Get it to about 500 or 600 lbs and then hang it in the tree and get to work on it.


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## *Andi

goshengirl said:


> Andi, I've been thinking about this since I read your post earlier today. Could you tell me when was the last time your friend brought cattle in? (forgive me if that's a stupid question, is it the same time every year?) I'd like to have a handle on the time frame for such a price increase. Thanks! :wave:


The angus farmers sell a number of older cows and any steers that he didn't sell off the farm each spring. Which was just the other day.

The longhorn farmer sells off his farm ... $500 bucks (cows, calves or bulls) but because he lost his lease pasture he had to take them to market. (which was about 2 weeks ago) At an open market, longhorns (more times than not) will not bring a very good price... 3 ta 4 hundred dollars on a good day. To get 800 to 850 ... well, was a shock to him and me.

Hope that answers your question. 

On a side note, when I say an open market ... that would be a market open to all breeds of cattle.


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## HozayBuck

*I can't speak for the rest of the country but last summers hay crop just flat burned to a crisp here and folks sold the cattle due to lack of feed, we have goats and paid 11.50 per bail and they didn't weigh 40 pounds , I saw local beef prices shooting up by spring, but pork is still a good buy..and I like chicken and pork better then beef...and there is always deer and ******* beef...( squirrel).. I plan to buy a whole beef on the hoof in the fall and butcher it myself and pay to have it cut and wrapped.. *


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## goshengirl

*Andi said:


> Hope that answers your question.


Yes, it does - thank you!


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## dunappy

That's exactly the reason why I just killed two ducks and 3 roosters. I've got meat in the fridge and freezer and don't have to go to the store to buy it.


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## CVORNurse

lilmissy0740 said:


> Can I ask on this thread. Do you all freeze it or can it? And why not a frost-free freezer?


The last time we got a beef processed, it all went in the freezer, because the butcher will not let us pick it up until it is frozen. I have been practicing canning skills(had beef stew made with home canned meat tonight), and will probably can some of it the next time, even though I will have to thaw first.

You don't want a frost free freezer because the heat cycle used to keep it frost free makes the meat not last as long before it gets freezer burnt. Same goes for any frozen foods, the warming cycle shortens the life of the food. So I have a defrosting party once a year or 18 months, whenever I get enough buildup around the top that I either cannot slide my baskets on their tract, or I start worrying the lid won't close good.


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## JayJay

The two of us got half a grass-fed beef October of 2010. Half was about $900.
They vacuum-packed all but the ground beef; my beef 17/18 months old still tastes great.
I think the rule years ago was eat frozen beef before 12 months; not now with vacuum-pack.
Last summer, I got more ground beef @ 2.30 a lb. I'm in Ky.

Side Note:I have a frost free and my meat is still great; possibly the vacuum packed helped??
I had plenty of room left with a half beef (no pounds listed) in a 10 cubic feet freezer.
Hope this helps.


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## LilRedHen

HozayBuck said:


> *I can't speak for the rest of the country but last summers hay crop just flat burned to a crisp here and folks sold the cattle due to lack of feed, we have goats and paid 11.50 per bail and they didn't weigh 40 pounds , I saw local beef prices shooting up by spring, but pork is still a good buy..and I like chicken and pork better then beef...and there is always deer and ******* beef...( squirrel).. I plan to buy a whole beef on the hoof in the fall and butcher it myself and pay to have it cut and wrapped.. *


I also think the hay crop west of the Mississippi last year is a lot of the reason for the cattle price increase. In December the guy I usually buy hay from said he didn't have a lot of extra because he was shipping it to Texas and several more people I talked to said the same thing. I expected cattle prices to rise this year since many herds in the west were sold off last year during the drought. I'm glad we don't eat beef and that we have a few head to sell this year.


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## HozayBuck

LilRedHen said:


> I also think the hay crop west of the Mississippi last year is a lot of the reason for the cattle price increase. In December the guy I usually buy hay from said he didn't have a lot of extra because he was shipping it to Texas and several more people I talked to said the same thing. I expected cattle prices to rise this year since many herds in the west were sold off last year during the drought. I'm glad we don't eat beef and that we have a few head to sell this year.


*Your comment about not eating beef but having some to sell reminded me of a lady I met probably 30 years ago, she was a ranch girl up in MT, she told how as a teenager she would go on a date and her date would have to buy her hamburgers (More then One!!)because her dads motto was " Deer's an Annielopes is fer eatin, cows is fer sellin." lol..she mimicked him perfectly! and they nave ate beef at home..We all LOAO when she would tell it.. *


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## TechAdmin

md1911 said:


> I almost can't afford beef at the grocery store now. If on the hoof price went up that much it will tripple in the store.


Most of the beef I eat comes ground. Otherwise I go for poultry.


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## md1911

Austin said:


> Most of the beef I eat comes ground. Otherwise I go for poultry.


Me to. I grew up butchering my own meat though. I still like a good steak every once inawhile.


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## JayJay

Thanks for reminding me, Andi--I got 50 more lbs. of grass fed ground beef today, before it goes to $4 a lb..
That'll be 50 more meals of spaghetti, chili, strewdle, burgers, cabbage/beef/onion/tomato soup(like Shoney's), meatloaf, and tacos or burritos/tortillas.
And sometimes ground beef/vegetabble soup...instead of stew beef cubes....just as good.


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## USTO1

This entire topic made me hungry for a brisket. 
I know what I am doing this weekend.


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## JayJay

USTO1 said:


> This entire topic made me hungry for a brisket.
> I know what I am doing this weekend.


I have one of those in the freezer--huge piece of meat.
Truthfully, I don't know what to do with it..
Help??


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## USTO1

I smoke mine. Takes about 7 hours and a case of beer.
If mine were in the freezer, this is what I would do - 
Thaw it. Get to room temp.
Trim a little fat off the fat side. Not all, but a good part of it. 
lay it on a pan, fat side down. stab it deep with a knife (not all the way through) and in the stab marks put garlic clove in each one. I do about 15 - 20.
flip it over and coat the fat side in season salt and black pepper. rub it in.
flip it to the lean side - salt, pepper, rub it.
throw it on the smoker and have 7 hours available to do nothing but watch meat. If you have a tiered smoker, I put a pan of beer right under the brisket to catch the droppings. The beer helps keep things moist and tender while adding flavor.

If you don't have a smoker, you can do this on a regular grill. It's all about low temps though. You can also do this in a roasting pan in the oven, it just won't have a smoke ring. I still use beer here also.


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## 1969cj-5

Just bought a 1/4 Beef from a neighbor (325 pounds) for $400 bucks. The same 1/4 last year cost me $250.


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## ZoomZoom

1969cj-5 said:


> Just bought a 1/4 Beef from a neighbor (325 pounds) for $400 bucks. The same 1/4 last year cost me $250.


I'm assuming 325 pounds is on-the-hoof. That price sounds about right.


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## Kellog

JayJay said:


> I have one of those in the freezer--huge piece of meat.
> Truthfully, I don't know what to do with it..
> Help??


Smoked is good...that's what Kellog Jr. does, but you can also make corned beef. I've done it a few times and it's gooooood. I'll post the recipe over in the recipe thread. It's easy to do.

As far a beef prices, they can be all over the place, depending on the age, size and demand for a certain type of breed, but yes, generally prices are going up due to the drought and the cattlemen who had to sell off their stock. With the current weather weirdness, a lot of food prices will likely go up.
Also bear in mind two things....
1. Sometimes beef prices have to do with what is "trendy" - right now that's grass fed and Black Angus. Don't get me wrong, grass fed beef is very good and that's how we raise our small herd. But it's also a marketing gimmick right now. If you don't buy direct from the farmer, can you tell by looking that it's grass fed?
2. The cattlemen don't always benefit from the higher beef prices but the middlemen/processors do. If you like beef, try to find a small farmer in your area and do like some of the folks here mentioned, buy direct and get it butchered to your specs. Get friends to go in with you if you don't need a large amount of meat. You'll get a good price on quality beef (not all pumped up with water & drugs) and the farmer gets a good deal too.


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## The_Blob

HozayBuck said:


> *I can't speak for the rest of the country but last summers hay crop just flat burned to a crisp here and folks sold the cattle due to lack of feed, we have goats and paid 11.50 per bail and they didn't weigh 40 pounds , I saw local beef prices shooting up by spring, but pork is still a good buy..and I like chicken and pork better then beef...and there is always deer and ******* beef...( squirrel).. I plan to buy a whole beef on the hoof in the fall and butcher it myself and pay to have it cut and wrapped.. *


wow, please keep me posted on those prices... maybe we can do business

we take hay to FL because they pay so much per bale

hay is $2/bale here & I'm sure they weigh more than 60lbs (my arms scream that they weigh 1 million tons each after a couple wagons  )

I just bought old 2nd cutting 6' rounds for $15 each (1200-1500lbs :dunno: )


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## Jaspar

*Andi said:


> This is more of a heads up ... We had a friend to take some "cows" (angus) to market this past week, the price paid ... $1.95 per pound on the hoof. (right now he is a very happy farmer. ) just something to think about and plan for...
> 
> Now to compare to the last cows that he sent to market that went for .85 cents per pound.
> 
> On its own that is spooky ... I have a different friend that lost his pasture lease and had to take some of his longhorns to market... the price paid 800. ~ 850. per cow. (that is almost double around here.)
> 
> This does not bode well for the shopper ...


My Dad just bought three Hereford steers (6-700lbs each), and paid around $900 for each of them. Good thing we have plenty of grass and hay, because they are getting minimal amounts of corn.


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## Jaspar

mdprepper said:


> The_Blob, how many are you feeding at your house and how long does 1/2 a steer last? Just looking for an average or best guess. Also, any guesses on how much freezer space would be needed? There are only 3 of us (one is a teen boy) and trying to decide if this is the way to go. Thanks.


We have my wife, myself, a five and a two year old.

Here is what we basically have every year, and we take a quarter beef.

1/2 fair hog
4-5 home raised broilers and some chicken bought at store
1/8 of a buck/doe my father-in-law shoots every year
a couple of wild turkeys we shoot every year
fish bought from store and what we catch ourselves.


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## Locutus

ZoomZoom said:


> With a teen boy, I'd guess a half would last almost a year depending on how much you eat each week.
> 
> We used to get a small half (under 300 lbs hanging weight) before our son grew but now we get an entire cow (600-800# hanging) but that lasts closer to 18 months.
> 
> I paid $2.00 or $2.25 per pound hanging weight + $10 kill fee and $0.40 per pound for cut/wrap/freeze.
> 
> As a ballpark, 300# hanging weight will use approx. 10 cu/ft of freezer space. *Do NOT use a frost-free freezer.*


I'm a bit late to the party, but why not a frost-free freezer?


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