carcass evaluation course

[nerves]

for those interested in direct marketing there will be a beef school put on by Jim Hansen (403) 653-5132 They will do a live evaluation then grade the carcass. People will be put in teams of five then they will cut up the carcass halfs and weigh all the meat so you will have an idea of how much meat is on the carcass and what the cuts of roasts and steaks etc should weigh. There will be speakers on production, marketing, and food saftey. The course will be 2 to 3 days at the Olds college meat lab and will cost 150 dollars.

[ALICIA]

Nerves: Don't waist your money, if you are in beef production.
Out of a 1200 pound steer you get about 300 pounds or better of straight meat. I learned that from a course from Guelp University. You need all the money you got to just stay ubove water till things turn around.

[ALICIA]

I'm not being personal just know that this is just a way to say to the producers that we don't deserve any more for our producted because their is so very little meat in a carcuss. Poor Packers. They can't aford to give us any more money because they get so little meat and they have to make a profit.

[grassfarmer]

Nerves, when is the course taking place?
Alicia, I assume the 300lbs off a 1200lb steer is a typo? if not we are all in trouble,lol.

[nerves]

grassfarmer the date is not set yet as they are trying to find enough people. We phoned yesterday and 50 people had called so far the interest is there. Jim has a cell number to at 330-8092

[nerves]

I should also add that the price is about 150 dollars it all depends on how many sign up.

[blackjack]

just had our 4-H beef come back... received 690 lbs out of a 1171 lb steer... my mother in law got back 802 lbs out of a 1332 lb carcass... how much meat compared to bone have no idea but I would think it is quite a bit more than 300 lbs...

nerves... good luck in your course...

[nerves]

Thanks Blackjack the wheels are turning we have been selling beef for about 8 months there is so much to learn about the cuts. We feel we have to take this course. We found that dreesed weight is 60 percent of the animal as you have also stated. Of that weight 30 Percent is bone. The meat if pieced out just under store prices for steaks roasts and hamburger will average 4 bucks a pound staight through. Now you have to take off processing costs and what ever cost you find in the selling. But it is well worth it for us but you have to make sure that they are top quality (AAA). Now if you can find a hamburger market for cows or a grassfeed market (there is people asking for that to) then that is great to. The way I see it is what do we have to lose.

[ALICIA]

Your right you have nothing to loss and hopefully every thing to gain because with this knew news we may not get any movement down south.
I'm also glad to hear that the course is for your own personal use and not just a plowie from some large packer group.

[nerves]

Thanks Alica it takes to to organize a large group and we feel we don't have much time.

[rusty1]

I learned something at the IGA on Sat. The beef in the case is there for 3 days. After that they grind it up into hamburger. No matter what the cut was. He said the meat counter has the highest shrink in the store. Wow. 3 days is not necessary. No wonder the rest costs so much.

[nerves]

Rusty you must remember that is un frozen. 3 days unfroze is enough any thing we sell has to be sold froze and our local health unit has to inspect our faciltiy also. Meat saftey is number 1 right nobody wants a lawsuit.

[grassfarmer]

Nerves, here is a question you could maybe help me with. We took a good,fat 12-1300lb red angus cull cow to a processor a few weeks back. Picked up the meat and got quite a surprise at how little we got back - we paid on 696lbs hanging weight and took off around 50lbs of the very best cuts - T-bone, sirloin, tenderloin etc and had the rest made into lean and extra lean ground beef. How much weight of ground should we have expected? I have a feeling we were robbed.

[cswilson]

If the cow weighed 1200 lbs she yielded 571/2 percent or 52 if she weighed 1300-good hard cows usually yield around 54 percent so I don't think you were too hard done by.

[grassfarmer]

cs, Thanks for the input, I have no problem with the hanging weight - it is the post cutting weight I am querying, how much would you expect of that given the cutting specs I gave? The hanging weight is good and high - but that is what I pay them on afterall!!