Deadweights and cutting spec!

[Mima]

Hi,
I've just had my first two Dexter steers slaughtered both 240kg at 27-29 months finished on old permanant pasture meadows in the Vale of Aylesbury. Very pleased with their weights as they were heavier than expected so now looking forward to the taste test!

But first I need to decide on the cutting spec for the butcher and would love some tips or preferences on how best to butcher and utilise a Dexter? My plan so far is for one beast to be divided into 1/6th boxes (minus the forerib as we're keeping that for family party) and the other to be individually cut, packed and labeled for cutomers who want to try Dexter rather than commiting to a whole box.
So I just wondered if there was any advice regarding which cuts to avoid making and which cuts to maximise in your experience?

Kind regards,
Mima

[Jac]

Hi,
I've just had my first two Dexter steers slaughtered both 240kg at 27-29 months finished on old permanant pasture meadows in the Vale of Aylesbury. Very pleased with their weights as they were heavier than expected so now looking forward to the taste test!

But first I need to decide on the cutting spec for the butcher and would love some tips or preferences on how best to butcher and utilise a Dexter? My plan so far is for one beast to be divided into 1/6th boxes (minus the forerib as we're keeping that for family party) and the other to be individually cut, packed and labeled for cutomers who want to try Dexter rather than commiting to a whole box.
So I just wondered if there was any advice regarding which cuts to avoid making and which cuts to maximise in your experience?

Kind regards,
Mima

As you are heading into winter one would think that folk would go for the slow stuff for stews and casseroles but in my experience not a bit of it, if you give them the choice they will plump for the more expensive steak cuts and the forerib and topside for Christmas. You will then be left with an excess of the cheaper cuts. This isn't such a problem in the summer as burgers are very popular and very useful for using up the cuts nobody wants. No doubt Rob will be along shortly to tell you that his customer's fight over his brisket and shin. However, it would seem that most sell by the mixed box to overcome these difficulties.

[Broomcroft]

We used to split our boxes into 1/8th which according to the butcher was a good figure to get even boxes. We did as many steaks as possible. In our last lot every other box had T-Bone steaks and the others had 2-Rib Joints, both very popular.

It'll be interesting to see what Rob or others say, but if I could go back in time, instead of having mixed boxes of 1/8th of a carcass each and all fairly even as to the contents, instead I'd split up into smaller boxes with each one being more specific. i.e. steak boxes, joint boxes, mince etc boxes. I think that would have been more popular, at least with my customers anyhow.

[Mima]

Hi Clive and Jac,

Thanks for your useful replys, small boxes of similar type cuts sound like a good option. With our Belted Galloways we find all slow cooking meats sell well but its the bigger joints that take their time to sell. We concluded that not so many families have the big traditional roast dinner anymore, we thought maybe the fashion now was for a big Jamie Oliver style stew instead!!

I find it interesting as to the different customer preference around the country, and looking forward to finding out the difference between Dexter meat Vs Beltie meat.

Mima

[Jac]

Hi Clive and Jac,

Thanks for your useful replys, small boxes of similar type cuts sound like a good option. With our Belted Galloways we find all slow cooking meats sell well but its the bigger joints that take their time to sell. We concluded that not so many families have the big traditional roast dinner anymore, we thought maybe the fashion now was for a big Jamie Oliver style stew instead!!

I find it interesting as to the different customer preference around the country, and looking forward to finding out the difference between Dexter meat Vs Beltie meat.

Mima

Yes, I think it is down to knowing your customer preferences and it does vary. We have experimented with some of the seam butchery techniques advocated by Eblex because we seem to attract the type of customers who are wanting something special/different.

[Rob R]

There isn't a great deal of demand for joints in my experience, most people want mince, steaks, dice etc for speedier cooking & smaller families. However if you can get steers to 240 on old pastures look very hard at the figures for direct selling & whether it is worth all the hassle as bigger animals sell better to butchers etc and you can take 20% less to make the same money. Either way, at that weight you'll have to try hard to lose money.

[Mima]

Thanks Rob, we have just started selling the Belties to a local butcher and yes the difference in time and effort makes it very attractive, although we have also built up a good local bunch of customers who like to buy straight from the farm so we still do the odd one ourselves.
The Dexter's are new to us so we have yet to secure a butcher outlet option for them, we'll do a quality test of these first two to make sure its not just a local product but a good local product which we can market but as we only have a small herd (at the moment) it will be a couple of years before a more regular supply of prime beef will be ready.

Regarding their weights we didn't know what to expect really, I'd hoped to make the 200kg mark but my eye isn't tuned in to judging weight on the hoof of a Dexter yet so it was a nice suprise at 240kg, just hope it wasn't first time luck, only time will tell i guess.

Mima

[Broomcroft]

Mima, Re butchers, are there any TBMM butchers in your area? Might be worth a try. A 240kg DW Dexter is a good size.

[Mima]

Hi Clive,

I tried to fnd the list of TBMM butchers but it just took me to the rare brreds website and I failed to find a butcher list on there, this would be a good option if there was!, Did I not look in the right place?

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Mima

[Broomcroft]

Yes, I got the same Mima. There used to be a clickable map and a list on the TBMM site, now it redirects you to RBST and there's no list I can find on there either! I've emailed RBST out of interest, but no reply yet after 24 hours.

[Mark S]

Hi Mima,
With regard to selling Dexter beef we always make sure we have customers available prior to slaughter. As a general rule we sell the beef in quarters ie four boxes, each comprising an equal mix of fore and hind quarter cuts. On occasion we will split the boxes to suit individual customer requirements but still maintaining a mix of fore and hind cuts. We do not sell specific cuts.

A recent steer slaughtered at 21mths old had a carcase weight of 199.7 kgs and for example a quarter sold comprised the following cuts/wts. We sell 1lb bags of all meat except joints which are cut by the butcher to 3-4 lb weights.

Cut Lbs
Mince 14
Stewing stk 8
Braising Stk 4.25
Rib Joints 7.25
Brisket Jnts 5.5
Topside Jnts 14
Rump Stk 3.25
Fillet Stk 1.5
Sirloin Stk 4

The contact for the TBMM is Richard Lutwyche 01285 869666.

Mark S.
Brereton Dexters

[ShaunP]

Mark.

How much would that quarter cost?

Shaun

[Mark S]

Hi Shaun,

That quarter sold for £207. The whole carcass sold for £867 i.e. meat £3.20lb and offal £1.60lb. Slaughter and butchering costs £150.

Mark S

Brereton Dexters

[ShaunP]

Mark

Thank you for that info.

Was it a short or long legged?

I am due to get a couple of short leg steers and trying to complete my viability calcs!!

Thank you

Shaun

[Mima]

Hi Mark and All,

Thats a good price for butchery costs. Ours cost £240 which included vac pac and labels, then another £100 for slaughter costs and with fuel etc our meat processing costs equate to £400 a carcasse.

I shouldn't be surprised but its always nice to taste again just how good grass fed beef really is! It has sold well with lots of good feedback particularly from customers trying dexter/grass fed beef for the first time. I must say it is very rewarding knwoing we produced a good product! Lets hope the novelty doesn't wear off too soon!

I have started a spread sheet to record all the data and worked out these first 2 steers yield 62% and 65% kill-out percentage which I was pleased with, (although I would be pleased with anything as these two are setting the bench mark for the future). I was wondering if this years unusual growing season effected deadweights? as I maybe bench marking in a particularly good or bad year!

I am trying to compare Dexter to the Belted Galloway beef we also produce as I'm interested in knowing what factors have the strongest influence on the quality of taste and texture, ie diet, breed, handling, image, cooking etc so as I take the business forward I can prioritise these factors in the most effective way. With no scientific proof only an educated guess, genetics and diet would be top of my list, I'd be interested in anyone elses experience, thoughts or beliefs regarding this?


Mima