Operation Lamb Chop

[KretZ]

Okay, I could use some advice here. I have a coworker that raises livestock and does 4H stuff. Her daughter raised some lambs this year and was asking if anyone wanted to buy one. She was very firm on a 2.42 per lb on the hoof price. Plus 90 bucks to butcher. The lamb was 124 lbs and she said it would yield about 80 lbs of meat. Seemed like a pretty good deal. We just got our meat delivered and its 31lbs. Is that normal? I'm not sure if she just over estimated the yield, or did I just get ripped off? My mistake for not doing the research up front. I'm reading somewhere that hanging weight is about half of the weight on the hoof. Then subtract another 25% to get your cut weight. So that would be a box with 47 lbs of delicious lamb dinners. I'm looking at a box with 31lbs.

So did I get ripped off?

 

[CalG]

The young lady is a 4-H person who is doing the livestock raising as EDUCATION.
Please feel free to have a KIND conversation with the young person. She likely has no clue how it all works out.
Bring facts, like the price of the same meat from the market. (the premium market, as she is offering a well cared for animal)

Keep emotion out of your discussion. Be kind!

 

[2ndhalf]

Talk to the slaughter house.. not the girl.. she will know nothing about what you are talking about. IMO!

Especially since it is a co-worker!

 

[CalG]

Yes, $12 a pound is a rip off, If you arranged the dressing, speak with the processor first.

But the 4-h education part should be the first priority. Animal husbandry is a Business, and the customer must be part of the equation.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Okay, I could use some advice here. I have a coworker that raises livestock and does 4H stuff. Her daughter raised some lambs this year and was asking if anyone wanted to buy one. She was very firm on a 2.42 per lb on the hoof price. Plus 90 bucks to butcher. The lamb was 124 lbs and she said it would yield about 80 lbs of meat. Seemed like a pretty good deal. We just got our meat delivered and its 31lbs. Is that normal? I'm not sure if she just over estimated the yield, or did I just get ripped off? My mistake for not doing the research up front. I'm reading somewhere that hanging weight is about half of the weight on the hoof. Then subtract another 25% to get your cut weight. So that would be a box with 47 lbs of delicious lamb dinners. I'm looking at a box with 31lbs.

So did I get ripped off?

Sounds like you got ripped off. Eighty pounds seems a bit optimistic for a 124 pound lamb, but thirty one pounds actual meat figures out to about 25%. According to what I found, it should be at least 50%.

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/asc/asc179/asc179.pdf

 

[KretZ]

Yeah that is what I was thinking too (I blame the butcher more than I blame my coworker). I did not organize the butcher, my coworker did. Oh well lesson learned I guess. I know who this butcher is, he also does a lot of wild game processing during hunting season. So at this point I can deduce one of two possibilities. Either A. He is dishonest and kept some lamb for himself after charging 90 bucks. Or B. He is just not a very good butcher and wasted a lot of good meat. Either way the answer is C. I will not be taking any deer to him to process, nor will I be recommending him to anyone else.

 

[CalG]

Sounds like you got ripped off. Eighty pounds seems a bit optimistic for a 124 pound lamb, but thirty one pounds actual meat figures out to about 25%. According to what I found, it should be at least 50%.

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/asc/asc179/asc179.pdf

The table of yield for lamb located just above the freezer space chart is confusing. 118 pounds of freezer meat from a long wool 125 pound lamb? There must be some numbers mixed up?

 

[dieselcrawler]

Sounds like a few pounds got lost somewhere...

My FIL has butchered/cut & wrapped meat for 30+ years, and normally gets about 50%-60% of live weight into the freezer.

Looks like we're not far apart, where in WV are you?

 

[smstonypoint]

The table of yield for lamb located just above the freezer space chart is confusing. 118 pounds of freezer meat from a long wool 125 pound lamb? There must be some numbers mixed up?

Agreed. The title refers to a 120 lb. lamb, but the second row refers to a "very fat lamb." "(V)ery fat" may be an understatement..

Steve

 

[KretZ]

Sounds like a few pounds got lost somewhere...

My FIL has butchered/cut & wrapped meat for 30+ years, and normally gets about 50%-60% of live weight into the freezer.

Looks like we're not far apart, where in WV are you?

Well I call Prkrsbrg home, but I am currently out in Montana for a little bit. Eventually we will make our way back east. I guess I should update my info on here.

 

[teejk]

When they get to 120 live weight is it still a lamb (not a fan but I could deal with it) or is it mutton (IMHO good for dog food)? Been a while since I dealt with this stuff but I think the rule of thumb was 60% of live weight on beef. My grandma had sheep and I used to deal with the annual shearing of the mature ewes...can't recall any of them ever getting anywhere near 100 lbs. Guessing probably closer to 80?

 

[2ndhalf]

Regardless of who arranged the processing with the butcher.. did you get the meat directly from the butcher or from your co-worker? If directly from the butcher I would have a conversation with the butcher. If you go the meat from your co-worker I would probably just eat it and chalk it up to a loss and not buy next year. I think it is ok to say.. it is a little too pricey per pound for your blood though next year when they ask.

Only because you work there and you know what they say..... don't $h_+ where you sleep.. not worth it in my opinion.

It isn't your job to educate the girl... it is her 4-H advisor and parent.

 

[KretZ]

Just to clarify, my coworker (the mom) handled all the butcher stuff. She picked the meat up and delivered it. I never dealt with her daughter or the butcher. But here is the good news, she wanted to make it right, so she refunded some money, so now it's like I paid 7.80 a pound. I'm okay with that, so all is good in the land of KretZ, have a good night everyone, thanks for the input.

 

[CalG]

Just to clarify, my coworker (the mom) handled all the butcher stuff. She picked the meat up and delivered it. I never dealt with her daughter or the butcher. But here is the good news, she wanted to make it right, so she refunded some money, so now it's like I paid 7.80 a pound. I'm okay with that, so all is good in the land of KretZ, have a good night everyone, thanks for the input.

That is fair! Heck, prepared chicken costs that.

I'm glad the situation worked out. I'm sure the 4-H'er got the message as well. buffered by yourself, and her parents.

WIN WIN!

 

[oosik]

When we butchered moose - it was 50% of hanging weight would end up in the freezer. That included the tongue, liver & heart. And that was with a head shot and no other associated problems with the meat.

 

[KretZ]

When we butchered moose - it was 50% of hanging weight would end up in the freezer. That included the tongue, liver & heart. And that was with a head shot and no other associated problems with the meat.

That's pretty good when you think about how big a moose is. The consensus I have found is that all animals have different yields. I have also learned that my knowledge of where each cut of meat comes from which part of an animal is seriously lacking. I am going to do some studying on the internet this week when I get a spare minute.