Pricing
Buying Beef by the Side
Buying beef can result in significant cost savings. But savings are not always realized and the quality of the beef may vary. Therefore, careful consideration must be given to these purchases in terms of cost, quantity, quality, variety, family needs and preferences.
Cost and Quantity
The amount of take-home beef and cost per pound of the side of beef are two important considerations for potential beef buyers. Beef is often advertised and sold on a "hanging weight" basis. This does not represent the take-home beef.
In processing, there is a considerable amount of cutting loss. This amount varies and can be much greater than expected. Processing procedures and the amount of external fat trim affect the amount of cutting loss. It is not unusual to have 25 to 30 percent of the hanging weight of a carcass or side as cutting loss.
This would mean that if a side of beef weighed 300 pounds hanging weight, there would be only 210 to 225 pounds of beef in terms of trimmed retail cuts for the freezer. Assuming 25 percent cutting loss, 300 pounds x 25 percent = 75 pounds of fat, bone, shrink and other losses. So, 300 pounds - 75 pounds would be 225 pounds of take-home beef.
