Carcass size again!!

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 9:13 pm

Sorry to raise a well covered topic again but having searched this site for bone out ratios the average seems to be 25 - 35 % (meat taken home from a carcass weight of a dexter on a hook post slaughter). My butcher is telling me to only expect to take home 40 - 50% of this weight. He hasn't seen the carcasses as they are being hung at the slaughter house (they say they are ok for dexters!!) and he says that this is the norm. As the weights for a non-short steer and heifer aged 23 months raised on grass and hay (lots) is only 134 and 114 kg respectfully I can see all our hard work rapidly dissapearing! (the steer in particular looked well rounded and well grown when he went) It is going to have cost the best part of a thousand pounds to have raised them and put them in the freezer and although the main aim is to raise good meat for ourselves this seems a bit excessive. It would be realy interesting to hear other peoples experiences and take on this. ???

Roy · Post by **Roy** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:28 am

We have just had two long legged steers back from the butcher. They went in at 24 months, rather than our usual close to 30. Liveweight was around 280kg each, the meat came out at 75kg each.This a loss of around 20kg on our past record, and not only are the joints smaller but they haven't got the required fat cover for good meat, so a bit disappointing overall.
This certainly shows the impact that the EEC early slaughter rule would have on the likes of us, and how important the exception for "small butchers and slaughterhouses" is.

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:07 pm

Thanks Roy, Do you have any idea as to the bone out percentage for yours as I don't know the live weight for mine ( I would guess the same as yours for the steer). When we went into this we did so, so that we could raise our own meat to a very high standard - ours have been fed on the best hay, barley straw and grass and have had the vet when needed ( hopefully the need for that will decrease as we learn more!). They have lived in comfortable surroundings and went to a local slaughter house where they didn't have to go in big holding pens and when they were dispatched they were calm and unstressed. I can't see us cutting corners on their treatment so I am not complaining but I was just hoping for a bit more of the beef back!! (perhaps I will have to ask for the bones back as well and get a huge stock pot going :D :D )

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:14 pm

Sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate that most other dexter keepers don't raise their animals like us - just that those were our reasons for doing it!

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 4:52 pm

I have read that for a proper (grass) finish, the steer should weigh one and a half times his dam's weight. Unfortunately I can't weigh mine live, but have others found this or is it impossible under the 30 month rule?

Kathy

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:41 pm

As we don't have to live by the 30 month rule. Our last steer (a long leg) was killed at over 3 years and although he was a bit skinny for our liking (he had to go as we needed the meat and couldn't wait any longer), he still returned around 180kgs of meat. We've had similar returns from older, short-legged cows. A thousand pounds seems overly expensive though.

I'm starting to keep weights at different ages, so that I can compare the growth rates with other breeds. Farmers want to know these figures before they're willing to take the Dexters seriously. Jersey Dairy Farmers in NZ are looking at using beef bulls on their heifers to make the calves saleable. So if I want to sell some bulls in the future, I need to have the growth figures available. Fortunately, we managed to buy a second-hand set of weigh scales, which is making life so much easier for us.

We've got an almost 6 month old calf (long-leg) out of a short-leg cow, which is already 2/3rds the Mother's size. They have been on grass only. I'll be weighing them again shortly. In a good year like this year has been for us, their growth rate has been very good. They've got plenty of fat laid down for the Winter and their mothers are still in excellent condition. I'm hoping for all of the breeding cows to be pregnant when they are scanned this year.

Roy · Post by **Roy** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:41 am

Hi Issy
No data on bones I am afraid, some were left in as rib joints. Just for interest this is the breakdown of the meat from the two steers, as it returned from the butcher, although the way that it is cut seems very much to depend on who does the job unless you specify;
data in Kg
mince 31.000
stew beef 6.500
brisket joint 12.300
silverside joint 7.500
shin 10.300
top rump joint 16.000
braising stk 9.800
sirloin joint 13.950
casserole steak 8.200
rump steaks 6.200
topside joint 14.200
rib joints 11.000

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:14 am

Thanks again Roy that gives me a rough idea - i will post stats from ours when they are back.

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:49 am

Hi We have just has the meat back and we lost 34% in bone weight. The carcases came to a total of 248kg and we got 163.5kg back - not bad and nothing like the 60% loss the butcher expected ( i have no idea!!). the meat came back in much the same ratio as yours Roy so I havn't listed it but it tastes fantastic! :laugh: