Got two beef steers that’ll be ready September October and the butchers around here are talking January February. With this alleged pandemic and no 4H there backed up 6 months.

Seems to be common all over. Not sure what 4H has to do with it though? 4H market animals all go through local slaughter houses , here at least. Maybe its different elsewhere. I did my own this winter. Its a job but I enjoyed it.

That’s just what there saying, i’m not sure the madness behind it.

Buddy of mine called 4 different slaughter houses in our area trying to get a steer in to butcher and January was the earliest dates he could get. They also told him they were so busy that they wouldn't be processing deer this year. Which means out ditches and canyons are going to be littered with headless deer carcasses come November.

All full out to February around here last I heard

In our area the 4-h, fair market has alot to do with it. with the buyers sending their purchases through and with the fact that herd animals don't do well when raised individually, getting a butcher date in august is usually pretty tight anyway. Our usda slaughter plants don't even know what the county fair is. It is all small locals that take care of business.

Was just at the local butcher today, he said they almost have next March full up and no slots open before then. He also said they are killing 2 more beef and 10 hogs every week over what they had been scheduling. This is just a tiny little shop with a few cutters.

guy here selling buck a pound live Holstein has 9 he is looking to part with . no one around has capacity to butcher so it is a DIY project if you buy one.

I just got home from slaughtering 10 hogs this evening. My beef schedule is full to March, hogs are through September. Least we're still shutting down for deer season, I'll need a break by then. Boss told me yesterday he's almost got September and October of next year full already....... 24 years doing this, I've never seen anything like it

Ours around here have been backed up for months for years now, so this is not new to us. We got rid of our cattle and quit the pigs for a couple years. We have done sheep for years and along with venison etc. they are pretty easy to do. Butchering the meat chickens goes pretty fast. We skin ours which speeds things up a bit. Stewing chickens are not so bad either. We will have our first ducks this fall. Will see how those go.

Bryce

Sounds like a prime new business opportunity for someone wanting to get into the meat cutting business.

There are a few guys around here that slaughter, skin and quarter right on the farm. They are busier than ever right now. They are getting a lot of calls for several hundred lbs. of hamburger which is about one decent Holstein cow. Lots of ways to find the meat you need and want to.

Bryce

I have 4 scheduled for Dec 31, made the appointment last week.

Or you could go to the sales barn south of town and buy them for .75 a lb. for a dollar/lb. you can buy a prime Hereford or a choice Angus.

I called 2 weeks ago just to check and the processor just hung up from a cancellation, timing is everything.

WAYYY overpriced. Like a lot of folks, he's trying to take advantage of the situation while giving the impression he's taking a loss. Finished beef cattle are barely selling for $1/lb live. Holsteins are a fraction of that, IF they're finished.

I got that answer one day... called back on a monday and my place had an August opening

I got Lucky

yeah I figured he was wanting a little much for them hoping someone on FB would think it was a good deal.

I got the kids to clean 2 freezers yesterday I had a bunch of stuff that needed to be tossed . but uncovered some freezer finds we are good for a while and I have 2 more freezers to clean and inventory later.


when I do work for the farm the farm pays me in meat. I have a bit of work in storage.