Looking to buy a half cow for meat

[cotang]

As the title states. I've contacted a couple placeds but no return email. Was wondering where any members buy their full or half cow and get them butchered? I'm going in on it with a few co workers, summer around the corner and its looks like bbq time.

[Grizzly Adams]

Try the Olds College meat lab, retail outlet.

Grizz

[The Cook]

Had good luck with Alberta prairie meats in Duchess and Brooks Meat Packers in Brooks by the railway tracks (not the big one on the trans Canada)

[NCC]

Where are you located? Are you specifically looking for a cow or do you actually want a steer or heifer? How fat? Butchering it yourself or taking it to an abattoir?

I just sold 6 fattened longhorn roping steers. All of the people who bought the meat were very happy and it was cheap ($1/lb on the hoof). I think that is by far the best bang for the buck. I've got some young cows on feed that will be ready to go to the packer soon and would be significantly cheaper than a fat steer.

4H sales will be starting in a couple of months. With this economy there might be some deals.

[Skybuster]

I line up with a local farmer. Everything goes to the abattoir and delivered to a local butcher shop for cut and wrap. I could cut and wrap myself, but usually it is too warm by then and I don't have a cool place to cut, and I am concerned I won't have time to get it all done in a day on my own.

[Skybuster]

Originally Posted by NCC

Where are you located? Are you specifically looking for a cow or do you actually want a steer or heifer? How fat? Butchering it yourself or taking it to an abattoir?

I just sold 6 fattened longhorn roping steers. All of the people who bought the meat were very happy and it was cheap ($1/lb on the hoof). I think that is by far the best bang for the buck. I've got some young cows on feed that will be ready to go to the packer soon and would be significantly cheaper than a fat steer.

4H sales will be starting in a couple of months. With this economy there might be some deals.

$1/lb on the hoof is incredibly cheap. I wish you lived closer to me. And you are correct, a steer, or heifer is the correct term. I don't think the OP actually wants a cow.

[cujo1969]

Have a steer here ready for sale if interested only been on hay

[cotang]

Originally Posted by Skybuster

$1/lb on the hoof is incredibly cheap. I wish you lived closer to me. And you are correct, a steer, or heifer is the correct term. I don't think the OP actually wants a cow.

Correct and apologies in my lack of lingo, I don't know much about purchasing a steer, A few co-workers and I were looking at purchasing one that will be butchered and hopefully delivered for a set price. And the problem is finding the price, every website so far stated to contact which resulted in unanswered emails and phone calls.

[cotang]

Originally Posted by NCC

Where are you located? Are you specifically looking for a cow or do you actually want a steer or heifer? How fat? Butchering it yourself or taking it to an abattoir?

I just sold 6 fattened longhorn roping steers. All of the people who bought the meat were very happy and it was cheap ($1/lb on the hoof). I think that is by far the best bang for the buck. I've got some young cows on feed that will be ready to go to the packer soon and would be significantly cheaper than a fat steer.

4H sales will be starting in a couple of months. With this economy there might be some deals.

I'm located in Calgary, but I have co-workers that drive through rocky weekly for work. $1/lb is really good, what I'm looking for is just meat. Someone to butcher it and package it and maybe deliver it. Pick up is also doable.

[NCC]

My wife looked after the details but I think it was about $100 to kill and deliver to the abattoir and $1.40/lb for the cut and wrap. These steers were on silage with about 20% barley for 4 months so they were reasonably fleshy and weighed about 900 lbs. All in price for the actual pounds of beef that went into the deepfreeze would have been about $3.50/lb. Longhorns don't bring anything at the mart but I and several others who have butchered them like the meat as good as anything else.

I think your best bet would be to find a butcher that you like, get a price for kill, hang, cut and wrap and then find a critter and someone who has a stock trailer you can borrow. I can provide a critter but can't help beyond that as I don't fully understand the regulations regarding on farm butchering.

[boppers]

Look at www.ljranch.ca
Just west of Calgary and the best beef around.

[birdslayer]

there is a butcher / packers in ponoka that has a web page and you can order by the sides of beef they purchase from local producers.

[troutbug]

Anyone know where a guy could get half a grass fed side of beef?

[czechm8]

We are in Calgary and got a 1/2-lamb last year. We were also considering some beef or pork at the same time and made a list of a few of the places we found. Enjoy!

Beef:
A7 Ranch - http://www.a7ranche.com/buy-all-natural-grass-fed-beef/
Top of the Mountain Meats - http://www.topofthemountainbeef.com/...-our-beef.html
Trails End - http://www.trailsendbeef.com/

Multiple (beef, pork, lamb, chicken):
TK Ranch (big) - http://tkranch.com/
Sunworks farm - http://www.sunworksfarm.com/
Spraggs meat - http://spraggsmeatshop.blogspot.ca/
Country lane naturals - http://www.countrylanenaturals.com/

Lamb only:
Country Thyme - http://www.countrythyme.ca/lamb-share.html

[TBark]

Ya your $1/ lb in the hoof will be near $3.50/ lb by the time it's wrapped and delivered.

TBark

[Etownpaul]

For grass fed, I buy from TK ranch. It's not cheap, but it comes vacuum sealed so it keeps a long time in the freezer.

They deliver to both Edmonton and Calgary monthly

[Rancid Crabtree]

The folks at TK ranch are the pioneers of direct marketing grass fed beef in western canada.
In this sector they are the pros and understand their business.

[The Cook]

I just paid $3.00/lb on the rail and another$1.00/lb for slaughter, cut , wrap .and freeze + gas to Brooks and back = just over $4.00/lb. Can't buy regular ground beef for that price. Best way to go in these troubled times, cut out all the middlemen and support your local rancher.

[The Cook]

Originally Posted by TBark

Ya your $1/ lb in the hoof will be near $3.50/ lb by the time it's wrapped and delivered.

TBark

Still a bargain by any stretch.

[Kim473]

2 - 3 people split 1/2 beef. Not gonna be very many steaks each in the freezer for all summer. 1/2 beef per person would be better if you bbq lots.

[agentsmith]

I just bought half a bison for $6.25 per pound, including wrapping. Tastes pretty awesome, and still way cheaper than beef at the store.

[IR_mike]

Originally Posted by agentsmith

I just bought half a bison for $6.25 per pound, including wrapping. Tastes pretty awesome, and still way cheaper than beef at the store.

6.25/lb.....not a whole lot cheaper.

I prefer bison over beef.

[agentsmith]

Originally Posted by IR_mike

6.25/lb.....not a whole lot cheaper.

I prefer bison over beef.

Slightly cheaper than regular price for lean ground beef, and anything else like steaks or roasts are more.

[ORV]

has anyone here tried red deer lake meats just south of Calgary?

their prices don,t seem too bad??

just curious.

thanks

Orv.