![]() Yield grading provides an estimate of the percentage of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the four beef primal cuts (chuck, rib, loin and round). ![]() Unlike pork carcasses, beef carcasses are often graded for both yield and quality to help establish the monetary value of the carcass and facilitate the marketability of specific consumer demands. Factors affecting dressing percent and the expected carcass weights Live weight Nonetheless, this is the beginning point in which the consumer will see weight lost and variation in weights of directly purchased beef animals. Table 1 below shows the variation in carcass weight alone by the specific factors that affect dressing percentage. Although the average dressing percent for beef is 63 percent, several factors may affect the carcass weight. This means that a beef animal weighing 1,000lbs will result in a carcass that weighs only 630lbs after slaughter. Both of these types of consumers, the novice and repeat customer, can be assisted greatly by understanding the variation in amounts of beef certain animal types produce, and by knowing the differences in the amount of beef gained or lost by processing procedures (bone-in versus boneless) alone.Īs a general rule, most cattle will have an average dressing percentage of 63 percent. This year, after much consultation with the meat processor requesting certain 'new' boneless beef cuts that the customer learned of, the same family received only 350lbs of beef from a similar sized animal as last year. A logical scenario could be the following: Last year, a family received close to 500lbs of beef from a local beef producer. Still, more experienced customers may feel they have not received the entire product that they purchased when the amount of product received varies from purchase-to-purchase. In a lot of cases, novice purchasers of freezer beef may simply not be aware of why they may only have 500lbs of meat or less when they paid for an animal of over 1100lbs. The Wendy's catchphrase "Where's the Beef?" from the mid-1980's may come to mind for some consumers when receiving their recent purchase of freezer beef. Regardless of the numerous reasons for the success of this niche beef market, some consumers are still confused by the amount and type of beef products they receive when purchasing directly marketed cattle. Be sure to communicate current fees up-front with both the meat processor and the purchaser of the beef animal. No consumer likes surprise fees tacked on to an ever increasing bill for food commodities. ![]() Knowing what cutting services and packaging options, if any, the local butcher provides is an important start to assisting the consumer in understanding what products they may want from the animal they are purchasing. The latter task is probably one the hardest issues related to direct marketing of beef cattle. Properly communicate your needs as a producer and the desires of your consumers to the meat processor. Offering consumers certain cuts of beef for example, that the meat processor is not willing or able to provide to the consumer could be quite problematic for gaining repeat customers. Producers must have a good working relationship and open communication with their local butchers to ensure that their product is being handled in a manner that will assist them in producing repeat sales. Most cattle producers are not harvesting beef animals on-farm and still must utilize small, local meat processors to assist in the marketing of their commodity. In most cases of purchases for freezer beef, there is still a middleman, so-to-speak, that is necessary to consult with. The organization Buy Fresh Buy Local in Pennsylvania is just one of the many groups across the United States helping to educate consumers on locations where they can support agriculture by purchasing and enjoying locally grown commodities. Consumers are purchasing quarters, halves and even whole beef animals for their in-home use in response to the "local" and "slow" food movements. These producers are now marketing their animals directly to consumers for "freezer beef". ![]() Having a beef animal custom butchered for personal home consumption has been a long-standing, common practice for beef producers in the United States. ![]()
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