How much meat do you get from an animal?

[fishnguy]

Pretty much what the question states. How much meat do you get from an animal? This was the first time I actually put every piece I cut on the scale. It was a cow elk (actually the very first elk I put down and I briefly described it in this thread). I got just under 70 kg of fat and "white stuff" (ligaments, etc) free meat. The cow I shot was about an average, maybe slightly bigger.

So yes, I am just wondering if any of you actually weighed the stuff. If you want to post the species and size (small/average/large) and the "net" weight, that would be great.

[Big Red 250]

That's about 150 lbs. If that's without the ribs, neck bones, spine, leg bones, your likely doing pretty good for a cow. My opinion anyways.

[TBark]

Yep, my sons cow elk 2 seasons back was a 5-600 lb critter, 400 hanging.
It took me 2full days to trim all, bone out, cut and grind, we got 160lbs.
That about what u got, 75 kg.

TBark

[Don K]

I've never actually put one on the scale once we've processed it but I'm always underwhelmed when I look at the tote or two of meat when we are complete. The meat is always of the highest quality with no blood, fat, bones or sinew and the ground is lean so I'm always happy with what we end up with.

When you have an antelope processed and are left with a couple Safeway bags (not even full) of meat you wonder where the rest went!! It seems that 1/2 of it evaporated while you were doing it!! Lol

[nast70]

Our cow was exactly 299 lbs on the rail. I'll see what we end up with when we pick it up. Unlike some of you diy'ers, I have never tried to process an animal myself. I don't have the facilities to store and the time to process.

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[Koschenk]

Last years spike buck was a clean 50lbs when all was said and done.

[wildwoods]

Young bull moose this year yielded 240 lbs. I leave some bone in cuts like shanks for ossa bucco. And of course we keep most leg bones for Demi glacé and soup stock.
Mature bull elk yielded 245 lbs. same treatment.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Depends bone in or out, elk I shot this year yielded 150-180lbs of burger and likely 100-120 pounds of roasts and steaks. A guess completely boned out would be 280-300. That's just a guess. He was a big bodied critter.

LC

[TylerThomson]

Originally Posted by Don K

I've never actually put one on the scale once we've processed it but I'm always underwhelmed when I look at the tote or two of meat when we are complete. The meat is always of the highest quality with no blood, fat, bones or sinew and the ground is lean so I'm always happy with what we end up with.

When you have an antelope processed and are left with a couple Safeway bags (not even full) of meat you wonder where the rest went!! It seems that 1/2 of it evaporated while you were doing it!! Lol

I hear ya. It always amazes me when that deer I struggled to hang by myself ends up filling a rubbermaid lol

[wildwoods]

One thing is apparent to me: the people who do not know how to handle the lesser cuts. The sinewy, ligament filled shanks, flanks and shoulders make THE BEST slow cooked meals out there. You can't use lean meat for that. Our yields went waaaaay up when we figured out how to turn less desirable meat into slow cooked goodness. Get a Dutch oven and or a slow cooker- life's good.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I5dlDWiAgZk
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vXntzA_hkDk

[3blade]

Whitetail fawn: 25 lbs
Whitetail doe/spike buck: 50-60 lbs
Mule deer doe: 60-70 lbs
Whitetail buck: 60-80 lbs
Calf moose: 100 lbs

Just trimmed meat, does not include heart, liver or bones - I save & cook those as well.

The above is all doing my own cutting, a commercial processor would have lower totals as they cannot take as much time and remain profitable. Mostly bow kills with a couple 243 ttsx kills in there as well, so I don't lose shoulders the way guys who shoot larger cartridges do.

[abhunter8]

I know it seems strange when you look at what you got for meat from that really big animal. Realistic number is approx. 30% of live body weight just as a guideline depending on how picky you are with your meat.

[Slicktricker]

I got 314 pounds of elk done off of mine weighted 464 total hide off

[HappyHunter9]

I got 35 lbs of meat off a trophy antelope in September.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Slicktricker

I got 314 pounds of elk done off of mine weighted 464 total hide off

You must have some "bone in" cuts.

LC

[Bub]

Sounds about right. I got 66 kilos of my cow this year, bone and fat free. No white either. Had to toss quite a bit off the ribs as well since it has gotten too warm on the day I was butchering. So there would be another 5 kg, perhaps.

Originally Posted by wildwoods

One thing is apparent to me: the people who do not know how to handle the lesser cuts. The sinewy, ligament filled shanks, flanks and shoulders make THE BEST slow cooked meals out there. You can't use lean meat for that. Our yields went waaaaay up when we figured out how to turn less desirable meat into slow cooked goodness.

I do that with my deer. Elk I like nice and clean

[Slicktricker]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

You must have some "bone in" cuts.

LC

No me being the dumb***** I am forgot about the 30 pounds of pork added

[Newview01]

My mulie from last year had about 100lbs of meat. It was one of the biggest bodied mulies I had ever seen.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Slicktricker

No me being the dumb***** I am forgot about the 30 pounds of pork added

I was thinking wow and I thought I shot a big bodied elk!

LC

[The Flint&Fly Guy]

In my butcher shop I average 50-60% of rail weight, completely boneless. If the animal has minimal shot damage and zero dirt, add some bones in the cutting list that could certainly go up to 75%

[Birdy]

I managed 70lbs off my muley buck for my first time processing and all boneless/trimmed. Was pretty happy with that. Lost a little due to the shot being a little forward but not much.


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[agentsmith]

I've always heard that the boned-out meat weight is roughly 40% of the live weight.

[vcmm]

Originally Posted by The Flint&Fly Guy

In my butcher shop I average 50-60% of rail weight, completely boneless. If the animal has minimal shot damage and zero dirt, add some bones in the cutting list that could certainly go up to 75%

[omega50]

Originally Posted by agentsmith

I've always heard that the boned-out meat weight is roughly 40% of the live weight.

Less at my house- closer to 33.8%

[Mavrick]

That's why you need to take the, heart, liver, tongue and other stuff. So much good food some people don't use.

[1899b]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

That's why you need to take the, heart, liver, tongue and other stuff. So much good food some people don't use.

Absolutely!! Just had bacon stuffed deer heart for lunch...

[honda450]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

That's why you need to take the, heart, liver, tongue and other stuff. So much good food some people don't use.

I only take the heart and liver. And usually we have liver for supper that nite. Of soon thereafter. Ya get a heck of a lot of liver from a moose. Sometimes I cut a small chunk off and eat it raw.

What is the other stuff?

[Bub]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

That's why you need to take the, heart, liver, tongue and other stuff. So much good food some people don't use.

I always do, heart, liver, tongue, kidneys (my cousin-in-law eats them, I don't), bones, I utilize the fat, etc. I just don't take any of it into account when I am talking about net weight. Only red meat goes into that column.

[Buckhorn2]

that looks so good 1899b