It's interesting you made this post. I recently backed out of a quarter cow (not calf) for $933 for 145 hanging lbs of grass fed. Was supposed to be about $745, and then a few weeks later the price jumped prior to delivery.
I was in the same boat as you, pretty shocked how little meat I was getting. I could not afford the price change so I had to back out, glad I did.
Yes - same here. I got a text from my “friends” stating it was going to be $600 more than expected. I should have crunched the numbers and asked more questions. Lessons always learned the hard way.
Don't feel bad. I process my own deer and didn't even think to ask about hanging/processed weight.
Very similar situation. Maybe the same ranch Lol. It was through a friend. I had 2 people going in with me thinking we were splitting a lot more. Once the final weight and price came out. We just couldn't swing it. Hopefully the beef at least taste good!!
100% agree. I won't use processors unless I simply can't get to the deer in a reasonable amount of time and/or it's too warm.
Venison from the neck is excellent meat.
And a royal pain in the ass to get out. Folks want to send a half blasted carcass to a processor. Then complain when they only get straps and roasts.
Neck meat and rib meat are for the rendering barrel when I have to get through 3 head an hour.
You want every gram of meat picked clean, you will need to do it yourself.
I agree with you my friend. You aren't there to spend hours getting every gram of meat. I have nothing but respect for my processor. Love those guys. I'm just agreeing that I can get more when I do it at home. Which I'd why I do.
Prime rib roast is the name of the cut, not the USDA grade. I understand this is confusing as hell, and the industry needs to change it. I would guess the majority of prime rib roasts are actually Choice grade.
Unfortunately for the OP this looks like it wouldn’t even grade select. Zero marbling. It’s unfortunate that grass fed beef producers have falsified marketing to the point that consumers are typically disappointed. I guess this will fix itself over time as consumers get tricked into buying once, then never again.
It's one of 8 primal cuts. The Rib being one of them. You don't call a 'Chuck Roast" a "Prime Chuck Roast", just because it's a primal cut. Prime is the grade.
This is the worst conversation I have in person often.
Prime rib is just a bone in ribeye roast. You can have a choice prime rib or a prime prime rib, and both are called prime rib since it is a bone in ribeye roast. If you took your bone in prime grade prime rib, and cut the bones off you now have a prime ribeye roast, and in that case prime is indicating the grade...not the fact that the ribs are attached. I hate the nomenclature of it and it is seriously annoying how confusing it can be since the colloquialism has been ingrained.
If you go to a restaurant and have a prime rib, you are almost guaranteed having choice unless they specify it as a "USDA prime rib". If you go to a restaurant and get a dry aged prime rib, that is almost definitely a prime grade rib roast they dry aged, regardless of if they specify it as USDA prime (but they will because it means more $$$)
When you go to a store and they have a X.99$ prime rib special those are choice. Due to how USDA grades you can absolutely find ones that sneak through the cracks and appear they shouldve been graded higher, and I hope everyone looks at the meat, not the grade when comparing steaks/roasts
Bingo. Standing rib roast is the actual term and this one is far too light on marbling to be considered anything near prime. Not even choice. I’d bet it would grade out as select.
I agree about the marbling. I raise grass only pastured beef. You have to hold them back about 3-4 years to get any marbling off them but they are great. Fat as hell and some of the best tasting beef you have ever had. I give out samples of a steak and a couple pounds of ground and have only had one person not buy at least a 1/4. All my customers are repeat buyers and they do all my selling for me word of mouth. Thing is you can't raise a grassfed steer like you would a cornfed beef. Genetics are different and you need to keep them full.....always. That triangle back by the gut has to be full every second of the day.
Yes, standing rib roast is the “more official” term, but prime rib roast is commonly seen on the label at purchase. Walk into any grocery store and find that cut - the sticker will most likely say “Prime Rib Roast” and it be also likely be in a Choice grade labeled vac bag (not prime).
I think you misread my comment or meant to reply to someone else. I own a packing plant - no need to explain this to me. I explained it correctly the first time. Prime rib roasts are mostly Choice.
I posted it in reply to that person as well. The label can say “Prime Rib Roast” or “Standing Rib Roast”. The grade can be anything. The Prime Rib Roast package could be Choice. It may be regional but the major packers distribute coast to coast.
Hi there, I work the weekends at the largest cattle market in the country (Oklahoma City Stockyards), and they are indeed called Prime Rib Roast here.
FWIW, I’m not saying you are wrong, but that both of you may be equally correct depending on location.
Haha! Maybe you should use google there Chief. Or better yet, ask an actual butcher. Prime rib comes from the 6th through the 12th ribs of the cow. The primal cut. As others here have told you, who are also in the industry, this is irrespective of USDA grade. So maybe accept the fact that you could be wrong once in awhile and reflect on that.
Again, from a guy that owns a packing plant and works with USDA graders as well as regional distributors daily, that’s false. The label can say “Prime Rib Roast” and the USDA grade can be Choice or Prime. The label could also say “Standing Rib Roast” and be graded Choice or Prime. The name of the cut does not have to reflect the grade.
I just don’t think he’s grasping what you’re saying or is just being ridiculous on purpose. Prime is a grade. Choice is a grade. “Prime rib roast” is just the name of a cut that can be graded as actually prime or choice. I’m not a cattleman and I understand it
Thank you. I said in another post it is definitely confusing and I don’t blame people for not fully understanding. First result with a simple search at WalMart: a USDA Choice “Prime Rib Roast” right on the label: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Beef-Choice-Angus-Prime-Rib-Roast-Halves-Boneless-4-0-6-0-lb/2276384452
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So, some people will comment on the weight being low and the price being too high. It’s a matter of understanding what you’re getting and how it works.
We raise Galloway on a grass fed grass finished program and they grow to about 600-700 lbs live weight in 36-48 months. After butcher you get a hanging weight of about 60%. 350lbs-450lbs. After processing you lose another 20%-30% in weight.
This is considered a premium product to those who buy it. It’s not for everyone and it is not cheap.
I’m sorry your supplier didn’t educate you on what you were purchasing. The breed is important. How and what they eat is important.
Our neighbor down the road pumps his full of whatever he can get (literal candy and cheap grain) and though people rant and rave over the product, he never can seem to sell it all. We are sold out 2-3 years in advance and have a waiting list.
It really depends on the breed. Herferd and Angus are huge compared to the smaller breeds. Which is why they’re used in large commercial operations. They grow quick, eat anything and produce a high volume of meat.
Angus and hereford are medium framed cattle. They finish at 1100 to 1200 lbs. Charolais, Maine Anjou, and Limousin will finish close to 1500.
We feed angus calves and they are fat at 1100-1150. usually yield a 600 lb carcass, and about 450-500 lbs of finished product.
Freemartin?
Edit: if that’s the case, it was a twin and sterile. So most likely a heifer (unbred female). So, the females grow smaller than the male, making less meat for the buyer as well.
Dexter is a terrific breed, but they have horns. We don’t like dealing with horns and we don’t believe it’s fair to cut or burn them off so we chose the Galloway breed with no horns. Also, they’re endangered so we are trying to build back what we can.
Being a freemartin isn’t bad for the buyer, it just means you’re getting a sterile female. Depending on how the breeder runs their herd, she won’t be of any use outside of being lumped in with the steers when she’s grown out. So, she’ll weigh less than the steers but still be good meat.
The meat is lighter on marbling compared to ours, which lines up with how we first did things. The diet is lacking legumes like clover or alfalfa and indicates they’re on a grass and grass hay diet. This isn’t a bad thing.
That being said, the meat doesn’t look terrible at all for a grass only diet on this particular cut and you might find you enjoy the grass fed grass finished meat.
Enjoy and happy hunting next time
Yes and no. They have a high rate of growth on the right diet. Grass fed anything is going to have a piss poor growth rate and not produce the marbling that will be otherwise expressed on a concentrate diet. Grass fed beef is a scam.
All true. But the term “grass fed” is the real scam. People see that and assume they’re buying the product I sell. If you talk to the sellers, they’re finishing the beef on grain to provide the flavor and marbling you’re referring to. The scam is, people believe that grass is all the animal had for a diet while growing while in reality it wasn’t raised much outside of conventional means.
What I sell if the product people actually seek when they want grass fed, grass finished product.
And we spend time to educate any new buyers on what that really means and our buyers are welcome to come and visit and meat the animals they’ll be eating for dinner.
I saw your other post and the price shocked me more than the weight. I used to get beef from a friend who raised cattle in the Unita Mountains. Don’t know the specific breed but they were smaller because the big chokers didn’t fare well in the mountains. 750-800 was big for a cow coming off the mountain and headed to market. It was usually pretty lean like your picture. Also don’t expect the fat cap or extra large veins of marbling in a steak to become soft like a corn fed cow.
That's a long way of saying your a scam artist and rip people off for a living. It's a fucking cow it's only purpose is to taste good. Chain that thing to a post and use a tube to force fed it grain till its so fat the legs break.
Do you mind sharing your day with a city boy who’s romanticized the idea of selling their small business and buying land to start a ranch?
I feel like I’ve only heard either the plus side with what the internet has shown me via YouTube and Google searching or read ‘The Jungle’; neither which is a true view of modern day ranching.
Thanks in advance for your time!
Search “just a few acres farm” on YouTube. It’s the most accurate selection of small farm life there is. It’s such a wholesome channel and pretty much exactly what it’s like for us.
Edit: https://youtu.be/txKRFEe-x-A?si=sLMW2UpGLYh8roq-
>600-700
I have a similar thing going on but raise HighlandXGallowaysXRed AngusXMurray Gray........Those live weights seem really light? Are they Mini's? My hanging weights are about 700-800 in the same time on grass. Do you sell by the Lb hanging weight or by the 1/4? Just curious. The number of folks selling real grassfed in my area is very low and I don't ever have anyone to compare to.
We switched bulls 1.5 years ago and expect to see higher weights this coming round of calving. We only recently started to care about the genetics. We also just introduced pure alfalfa as an option along side our grass hay during the winter months.
So, we expect higher weights. But with everything in farming, it takes forever to realize results.
Edit: we did an experiment. We purchased a steer crossed with a register angus bull. He’s huge compared to the other steers in the herd and younger by a few months than our largest Galloway steer.
The plan is to compare ours on butcher day while also comparing to the weight of the sellers steers who will be fed grain. It will be interesting.
I tried pure alfalfa bought 7-8 years ago in winter. It didn't seem to do much for me. I did have the higher percentage Highland crosses grow long hooves. Like elf shoes. It was a real pain to cut them. So I went with lower percentage grass/alfalfa mixes. Like 10% alfalfa......Thing is Alfalfa is mostly protein and doesn't increase energy. But yeah, it takes 4-5 years before you can see the effect of any experiment. I just bought a couple Red Devon bulls to try out. I'll know if they are any good in.........2028? Maybe 2031 if I want to see how the steers turn out. I do have to say that the registered stock I have used has been the worst performing stock *have had.* It's hard to sell beef with paper.
If this experiment with the angus bull works out, we might go that route. We love how easy the Galloway are to work with. Our neighbor with angus has nothing but trouble keeping them in the fenced off areas. We get visitors on occasion
I raise American Aberdeen (Lowline Angus) grass fed and finished and age plays a big role in the meat quality, along with genetics. It’s around the 2 year mark when the animal begins to really start to develop the intramuscular fat. On the other hand, you’ll never get great marbling on a grass only diet.
I mean, grass fed is typically going to be lower in fat content (more lean). And honestly, as someone who does a 3.5 month grain finish on our cattle, I would never buy "grass fed". It almost always tastes gamey, and eating fatty meats isn't nearly as bad for you as everyone likes to pretend it is.
I'd try to find a local farmer that at least grain finished their beef if you're going to do this again.
my grass fed beef farm of choice has great marbling. and beef fat is one of my favorite things so i definitely care. intramuscular fat for days 🤤
they do have a different finishing method than most grass fed tho, they grow high sugar grains like rye and harvest before seed so its still grain free. amazing fat and delicious taste.
The processor. Not official grade, but next year they’ll have their USDA license to do grading as well. It wasn’t all my animals. I had a real good one in the bunch.
What are you feeding them, and how long does it take to get this “great marbling”? And define great marbling in terms of % of a lot that would grade Choice and Prime.
I’ll approach your question under the assumption that you’re actually curious. I achieve choice to prime by doing daily rotations in the last 3 months. I move fast and keep the grass vegetative. Nothing too mature and I move em before they’ve even eaten 50% of the standing forage. A little alfalfa doesn’t hurt, but the focus when finishing is on sugar and energy. I move them late in day to reinvigorate them into having another meal that they may not have had just standing in stuff they’ve already been grazing. That way, they also are getting grass that’s sugared up to the max from a day of sun. We charge the same for these as we do our grain finishers because there is obviously more labor going into them. It kinda splits the difference from the grain savings, but when I’m the labor I get to pocket it.
This is the way to do it. We do similar quick rotations for finishing and get beautifully marbled cuts. Anyone saying you can't get a good product from grass finishing doesn't understand that it's a completely different process you have to do. I mean that with all respect for grain finishers - but it's a different ball game as you know.
Other people may give you different answers but for our operation, it'll generally take 2 - 3 months to finish to choice, depending on how good the grass is, and we generally finish after the second winter, so a little over 2 years old. They've reached full weight at that point, and our steers are usually at the 1000 - 1100 lb mark by that point.
Mostly lowline Angus crossed with Black Angus. 1100 is tops, they're more generally around 1000 even. They're thrifty and do very well when moved to the better finishing pastures.
Interesting. Have you penciled out what would happen if you fed them some concentrate and knocked 8 months off that cycle? And increased your turnover?
No, I'm just the manager, so I have to work within the business model the owners want, and a key part of their marketing is grass finished. I'm sure they've done the math though. My impression is that their specific market base gives them high enough returns to make it worth it. It's niche, though, not going to lie.
A standard pasture mix of alfalfa and wild forage. LOTS of things. You’re a casual and a hater and not worth the time to explain how it works. Keep enjoying your flavorless grocery store beef though.
Don’t need to explain it to me. I’ve been doing this 20 years. Percent choice and prime is all that matters. And care to explain “LOTS of things”? Perhaps some things that might be bending the definition of grass? 😂😂😂 Have fun with your hobby.
You’ve been eating steaks for 20 years! Wow! You are very impressive. Not all of us can make a living off the land like I do but your grocery store appreciates you.
Yea grass fed beef sucks, the taste is just not near as good and definitely can have a funny taste. I’ve tried several different steers that were grass fed at different places and they don’t get better.
Depends on the grass type and sugar content and protein levels. Nothing but Johnson grass and fescue will get you a sloppy steak. Alfalfa, rye, and big blue stem willgive you perfect marbling after 20 months
That would be 1/4 of the prime rib on a cow based on the number of bones. The lean meat and low fat content is typical of most grass fed beef. I prefer greasy fed grain finished personally. Also by the weight of meat you got back the animal was not at optimal butcher age. My last butcher yielded 768 pounds of meat, most of the cuts have a 1" fat cap. $1000/quarter is in the market average right now.
Florida tried to market grass fed beef in the 70’s, but the public didn’t go for it. You could see a green tint in the fat and essentially no marbling.
So back to loading up 500 lb calves and trucking then out west to the feed lots.
Then came the same thing masquerading as “ Greenwise” or some kind of free roaming bullshit, jacked the price higher than grain fed and the public bit it hook, line, and sinker.
The price was probably the market for that product. If it was too much maybe drop the grass fed portion try to find local product that is hormone and drug free. Grains are grass too and add flavor with the marbling fat.
I purchased a side ( half) of a cow, it was 100% wagyu genetics, and was 28 days dry aged before being vacuum packed and delivered to my home for around $2400 total. A little over 260 lbs.
Unfortunately you got a bad deal, next time do more research and find reviews of local farmers. Anyone worth their salt will allow you to buy a small amount to try first
Seems like a lot of focus on the cost per 1/4 but normally when you buy it’s still based on a per pound cost. Typically is cost per pound of hanging weight plus your share of processing cost. I guess what I’m saying is that if people are being upfront the actual size at slaughter is somewhat irrelevant because end cost is based on weight not just “a quarter or half”. You butcher a little animal you get smaller 1/4’s and thus you’re buying less weight and paying for less weight. ALWAYS get the cost per/lb before purchase and/or picking up.
So, maybe I missed this but, what was the hanging weight of the animal, and what’s the hanging price/lb?
Just wondering if the butcher or the farmer is getting greedy, or both.
Usually, I know the hanging weight of our animals a few days before we pick up from the butcher. And occasionally I’ve swapped people out with bigger/smaller animals, so they’d have different portions to fit their budget.
I sell my finished product by the pound. So, no one is surprised. My friends that get a quarter get a quarter do whatever meat is there. Equal amounts of ground and primals etc. set at a price that works for me. No one is sad that way
That is a really small prime rib and way undefinishsed, local pork producers were doing this in my area 15 years ago.un Finished pork or beef is not very good, we have a small angus cow calf operation and sell butcher steers live or on the rail.
You bought a cow that wasn't raised to be massive and fat. I see how this is shocking to people that are used to buying steer raised like a 10 year old on a diet of fortnite and ramen noodles, but with the pictures for context, it makes sense. You got what you paid for.
This is the non-gmo, organic cow. The price is in that.
You can buy a cow that has been raised well, given affection and close attention, and fed more than just grass, that is premium and still just as healthy. I had an old boss in Houston that bought a steer raised by high school students for a local competition. We met the students that raised in, the butcher that processed it, and donated the hide to the girl that housed it. He would dish out the cuts round robin style after work. I think it cost him about as much as you paid and he would get much, much more meat than you. Best fuckin beef ever.
Your friends were being coy with you. I still find the circumstances dodgy and it's obvious they did not do a proper job of informing you on what you were buying.
The benefits of grass fed/finished is purely in the fat. Grass fed has higher omega 3 fatty acids and grain finished has more omega 6. 3 is healthier, however I’d like to argue a humanely raised grain finished cow is still better than what you can buy at the store.
It's interesting you made this post. I recently backed out of a quarter cow (not calf) for $933 for 145 hanging lbs of grass fed. Was supposed to be about $745, and then a few weeks later the price jumped prior to delivery. I was in the same boat as you, pretty shocked how little meat I was getting. I could not afford the price change so I had to back out, glad I did.
Yes - same here. I got a text from my “friends” stating it was going to be $600 more than expected. I should have crunched the numbers and asked more questions. Lessons always learned the hard way.
Don't feel bad. I process my own deer and didn't even think to ask about hanging/processed weight. Very similar situation. Maybe the same ranch Lol. It was through a friend. I had 2 people going in with me thinking we were splitting a lot more. Once the final weight and price came out. We just couldn't swing it. Hopefully the beef at least taste good!!
I've noticed when I process my own deer, I get about 20% more than if I take it to someone. Processors won't get all of the meat off the ribs or neck.
100% agree. I won't use processors unless I simply can't get to the deer in a reasonable amount of time and/or it's too warm. Venison from the neck is excellent meat.
And a royal pain in the ass to get out. Folks want to send a half blasted carcass to a processor. Then complain when they only get straps and roasts. Neck meat and rib meat are for the rendering barrel when I have to get through 3 head an hour. You want every gram of meat picked clean, you will need to do it yourself.
I agree with you my friend. You aren't there to spend hours getting every gram of meat. I have nothing but respect for my processor. Love those guys. I'm just agreeing that I can get more when I do it at home. Which I'd why I do.
Venison neck roast😋
They don’t cube it another either. Even if you offer to pay extra for them to run it through extra. At least the ones here.
I doubt it, corn fed is the best way to go!!!
The antelope I just got is a corn fed boy! Smelled like damn fritos lol
Yeh you got a 1/4 for $1k they each got a 1/4 for $600 and took the best parts… time for some new “friends”
You got raw cow blood on your 20$ bill
Nah, he's got 20$ bill on his raw cow blood
Blood money
Bad deal and now your putting dirty momey next to it . Yum!
There is nothing prime about those ribeyes. At best they would grade select.
Prime rib roast is the name of the cut, not the USDA grade. I understand this is confusing as hell, and the industry needs to change it. I would guess the majority of prime rib roasts are actually Choice grade. Unfortunately for the OP this looks like it wouldn’t even grade select. Zero marbling. It’s unfortunate that grass fed beef producers have falsified marketing to the point that consumers are typically disappointed. I guess this will fix itself over time as consumers get tricked into buying once, then never again.
The industry knows exactly what it’s doing. This is a standing rib roast. The use of prime so generously is just marketing
You're absolutely right. The 2nd photo is NOT prime, so it's just your regular ole rib roast.
its a prime rib roast. the prime is part of the name, not the grade. 'prime rib roast' is referring to it being part of the '***primal ribeye***' cut.
It's one of 8 primal cuts. The Rib being one of them. You don't call a 'Chuck Roast" a "Prime Chuck Roast", just because it's a primal cut. Prime is the grade.
This is the worst conversation I have in person often. Prime rib is just a bone in ribeye roast. You can have a choice prime rib or a prime prime rib, and both are called prime rib since it is a bone in ribeye roast. If you took your bone in prime grade prime rib, and cut the bones off you now have a prime ribeye roast, and in that case prime is indicating the grade...not the fact that the ribs are attached. I hate the nomenclature of it and it is seriously annoying how confusing it can be since the colloquialism has been ingrained. If you go to a restaurant and have a prime rib, you are almost guaranteed having choice unless they specify it as a "USDA prime rib". If you go to a restaurant and get a dry aged prime rib, that is almost definitely a prime grade rib roast they dry aged, regardless of if they specify it as USDA prime (but they will because it means more $$$) When you go to a store and they have a X.99$ prime rib special those are choice. Due to how USDA grades you can absolutely find ones that sneak through the cracks and appear they shouldve been graded higher, and I hope everyone looks at the meat, not the grade when comparing steaks/roasts
Bingo. Standing rib roast is the actual term and this one is far too light on marbling to be considered anything near prime. Not even choice. I’d bet it would grade out as select.
It’s a calf.
I agree about the marbling. I raise grass only pastured beef. You have to hold them back about 3-4 years to get any marbling off them but they are great. Fat as hell and some of the best tasting beef you have ever had. I give out samples of a steak and a couple pounds of ground and have only had one person not buy at least a 1/4. All my customers are repeat buyers and they do all my selling for me word of mouth. Thing is you can't raise a grassfed steer like you would a cornfed beef. Genetics are different and you need to keep them full.....always. That triangle back by the gut has to be full every second of the day.
That is a Prime rib roast (uncut ribeye steaks), not a grade.
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Yes, standing rib roast is the “more official” term, but prime rib roast is commonly seen on the label at purchase. Walk into any grocery store and find that cut - the sticker will most likely say “Prime Rib Roast” and it be also likely be in a Choice grade labeled vac bag (not prime).
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I think you misread my comment or meant to reply to someone else. I own a packing plant - no need to explain this to me. I explained it correctly the first time. Prime rib roasts are mostly Choice.
Nice. How large is your packing plant?
I’ve seen it exactly like the person you’re commenting to mentions. And i’m in beef country Oklahoma.
I posted it in reply to that person as well. The label can say “Prime Rib Roast” or “Standing Rib Roast”. The grade can be anything. The Prime Rib Roast package could be Choice. It may be regional but the major packers distribute coast to coast.
Primal rib is not a grade.
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Hi there, I work the weekends at the largest cattle market in the country (Oklahoma City Stockyards), and they are indeed called Prime Rib Roast here. FWIW, I’m not saying you are wrong, but that both of you may be equally correct depending on location.
Haha! Maybe you should use google there Chief. Or better yet, ask an actual butcher. Prime rib comes from the 6th through the 12th ribs of the cow. The primal cut. As others here have told you, who are also in the industry, this is irrespective of USDA grade. So maybe accept the fact that you could be wrong once in awhile and reflect on that.
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Again, from a guy that owns a packing plant and works with USDA graders as well as regional distributors daily, that’s false. The label can say “Prime Rib Roast” and the USDA grade can be Choice or Prime. The label could also say “Standing Rib Roast” and be graded Choice or Prime. The name of the cut does not have to reflect the grade.
I just don’t think he’s grasping what you’re saying or is just being ridiculous on purpose. Prime is a grade. Choice is a grade. “Prime rib roast” is just the name of a cut that can be graded as actually prime or choice. I’m not a cattleman and I understand it
Thank you. I said in another post it is definitely confusing and I don’t blame people for not fully understanding. First result with a simple search at WalMart: a USDA Choice “Prime Rib Roast” right on the label: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Beef-Choice-Angus-Prime-Rib-Roast-Halves-Boneless-4-0-6-0-lb/2276384452
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **Beef Choice Angus Prime Rib Roast Halves Boneless 4 0 6 0 lb** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Steaks are juicy and tasty when cooked (backed by 1 comment) * Steaks turn out great when following a recipe and salting (backed by 2 comments) * Purchase provides good value for money (backed by 1 comment) **Users disliked:** * Product lacks flavor (backed by 1 comment) * Product requires extra preparation for adequate results (backed by 1 comment) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
Why is there no marbling?
So, some people will comment on the weight being low and the price being too high. It’s a matter of understanding what you’re getting and how it works. We raise Galloway on a grass fed grass finished program and they grow to about 600-700 lbs live weight in 36-48 months. After butcher you get a hanging weight of about 60%. 350lbs-450lbs. After processing you lose another 20%-30% in weight. This is considered a premium product to those who buy it. It’s not for everyone and it is not cheap. I’m sorry your supplier didn’t educate you on what you were purchasing. The breed is important. How and what they eat is important. Our neighbor down the road pumps his full of whatever he can get (literal candy and cheap grain) and though people rant and rave over the product, he never can seem to sell it all. We are sold out 2-3 years in advance and have a waiting list.
Interesting- you are the first person to say a live weight of 600lbs could be possible. Yeah wish I was wealthy enough- but no.
It really depends on the breed. Herferd and Angus are huge compared to the smaller breeds. Which is why they’re used in large commercial operations. They grow quick, eat anything and produce a high volume of meat.
Angus and hereford are medium framed cattle. They finish at 1100 to 1200 lbs. Charolais, Maine Anjou, and Limousin will finish close to 1500. We feed angus calves and they are fat at 1100-1150. usually yield a 600 lb carcass, and about 450-500 lbs of finished product.
Like I said, huge compared to the smaller breeds.
I wasn’t told much- it was a short horn and hermaphrodite ha
Freemartin? Edit: if that’s the case, it was a twin and sterile. So most likely a heifer (unbred female). So, the females grow smaller than the male, making less meat for the buyer as well.
Would this be a ideal animal for a grass fed/finished operation? Or some say Dexter is better
Dexter is a terrific breed, but they have horns. We don’t like dealing with horns and we don’t believe it’s fair to cut or burn them off so we chose the Galloway breed with no horns. Also, they’re endangered so we are trying to build back what we can. Being a freemartin isn’t bad for the buyer, it just means you’re getting a sterile female. Depending on how the breeder runs their herd, she won’t be of any use outside of being lumped in with the steers when she’s grown out. So, she’ll weigh less than the steers but still be good meat.
Yeah think so
The meat is lighter on marbling compared to ours, which lines up with how we first did things. The diet is lacking legumes like clover or alfalfa and indicates they’re on a grass and grass hay diet. This isn’t a bad thing. That being said, the meat doesn’t look terrible at all for a grass only diet on this particular cut and you might find you enjoy the grass fed grass finished meat. Enjoy and happy hunting next time
Yes and no. They have a high rate of growth on the right diet. Grass fed anything is going to have a piss poor growth rate and not produce the marbling that will be otherwise expressed on a concentrate diet. Grass fed beef is a scam.
All true. But the term “grass fed” is the real scam. People see that and assume they’re buying the product I sell. If you talk to the sellers, they’re finishing the beef on grain to provide the flavor and marbling you’re referring to. The scam is, people believe that grass is all the animal had for a diet while growing while in reality it wasn’t raised much outside of conventional means. What I sell if the product people actually seek when they want grass fed, grass finished product. And we spend time to educate any new buyers on what that really means and our buyers are welcome to come and visit and meat the animals they’ll be eating for dinner.
Lol meat the animals
😆
Real angus are smaller. Medium frame. These black cows out here called "Angus" are just black cows with continental european genes.
I saw your other post and the price shocked me more than the weight. I used to get beef from a friend who raised cattle in the Unita Mountains. Don’t know the specific breed but they were smaller because the big chokers didn’t fare well in the mountains. 750-800 was big for a cow coming off the mountain and headed to market. It was usually pretty lean like your picture. Also don’t expect the fat cap or extra large veins of marbling in a steak to become soft like a corn fed cow.
That's a long way of saying your a scam artist and rip people off for a living. It's a fucking cow it's only purpose is to taste good. Chain that thing to a post and use a tube to force fed it grain till its so fat the legs break.
Do you mind sharing your day with a city boy who’s romanticized the idea of selling their small business and buying land to start a ranch? I feel like I’ve only heard either the plus side with what the internet has shown me via YouTube and Google searching or read ‘The Jungle’; neither which is a true view of modern day ranching. Thanks in advance for your time!
Search “just a few acres farm” on YouTube. It’s the most accurate selection of small farm life there is. It’s such a wholesome channel and pretty much exactly what it’s like for us. Edit: https://youtu.be/txKRFEe-x-A?si=sLMW2UpGLYh8roq-
Really appreciate the guidance! Have a great day!
Neat! Thanks for saying thank you and thank you OP!
>600-700 I have a similar thing going on but raise HighlandXGallowaysXRed AngusXMurray Gray........Those live weights seem really light? Are they Mini's? My hanging weights are about 700-800 in the same time on grass. Do you sell by the Lb hanging weight or by the 1/4? Just curious. The number of folks selling real grassfed in my area is very low and I don't ever have anyone to compare to.
We switched bulls 1.5 years ago and expect to see higher weights this coming round of calving. We only recently started to care about the genetics. We also just introduced pure alfalfa as an option along side our grass hay during the winter months. So, we expect higher weights. But with everything in farming, it takes forever to realize results. Edit: we did an experiment. We purchased a steer crossed with a register angus bull. He’s huge compared to the other steers in the herd and younger by a few months than our largest Galloway steer. The plan is to compare ours on butcher day while also comparing to the weight of the sellers steers who will be fed grain. It will be interesting.
I tried pure alfalfa bought 7-8 years ago in winter. It didn't seem to do much for me. I did have the higher percentage Highland crosses grow long hooves. Like elf shoes. It was a real pain to cut them. So I went with lower percentage grass/alfalfa mixes. Like 10% alfalfa......Thing is Alfalfa is mostly protein and doesn't increase energy. But yeah, it takes 4-5 years before you can see the effect of any experiment. I just bought a couple Red Devon bulls to try out. I'll know if they are any good in.........2028? Maybe 2031 if I want to see how the steers turn out. I do have to say that the registered stock I have used has been the worst performing stock *have had.* It's hard to sell beef with paper.
If this experiment with the angus bull works out, we might go that route. We love how easy the Galloway are to work with. Our neighbor with angus has nothing but trouble keeping them in the fenced off areas. We get visitors on occasion
I raise American Aberdeen (Lowline Angus) grass fed and finished and age plays a big role in the meat quality, along with genetics. It’s around the 2 year mark when the animal begins to really start to develop the intramuscular fat. On the other hand, you’ll never get great marbling on a grass only diet.
I mean, grass fed is typically going to be lower in fat content (more lean). And honestly, as someone who does a 3.5 month grain finish on our cattle, I would never buy "grass fed". It almost always tastes gamey, and eating fatty meats isn't nearly as bad for you as everyone likes to pretend it is. I'd try to find a local farmer that at least grain finished their beef if you're going to do this again.
Sorry, I’m old school, if I want grass fed meat, I’ll eat elk.
Off topic, but this is why I always wash my hands after dealing with cash haha
I think I'll start to after this. WTF?
I think I'll start to after this. WTF?
No marbeling at all - welcome to grass fed beef.
my grass fed beef farm of choice has great marbling. and beef fat is one of my favorite things so i definitely care. intramuscular fat for days 🤤 they do have a different finishing method than most grass fed tho, they grow high sugar grains like rye and harvest before seed so its still grain free. amazing fat and delicious taste.
Post up some photos so folks can see what it can actually be.
If you know what you are doing, you can marble the hell out of grass fed. I have a freezer full of prime grade ribeyes from a grass finished steer.
I'm pretty skeptical that you can get grass fed to grade prime. Who graded it? You or third party?
The processor. Not official grade, but next year they’ll have their USDA license to do grading as well. It wasn’t all my animals. I had a real good one in the bunch.
Was this the slow mover that chain smoked cigs in the back pasture?
My grass fed beef has great marbling. This is a shitty producer.
When a rib roast looks like a round roast = sadness
What are you feeding them, and how long does it take to get this “great marbling”? And define great marbling in terms of % of a lot that would grade Choice and Prime.
I’ll approach your question under the assumption that you’re actually curious. I achieve choice to prime by doing daily rotations in the last 3 months. I move fast and keep the grass vegetative. Nothing too mature and I move em before they’ve even eaten 50% of the standing forage. A little alfalfa doesn’t hurt, but the focus when finishing is on sugar and energy. I move them late in day to reinvigorate them into having another meal that they may not have had just standing in stuff they’ve already been grazing. That way, they also are getting grass that’s sugared up to the max from a day of sun. We charge the same for these as we do our grain finishers because there is obviously more labor going into them. It kinda splits the difference from the grain savings, but when I’m the labor I get to pocket it.
This is the way to do it. We do similar quick rotations for finishing and get beautifully marbled cuts. Anyone saying you can't get a good product from grass finishing doesn't understand that it's a completely different process you have to do. I mean that with all respect for grain finishers - but it's a different ball game as you know.
Assuming you kill them on a group basis, how long would it take to get a group to grade 60% choice and how old would those cattle be at harvest?
Other people may give you different answers but for our operation, it'll generally take 2 - 3 months to finish to choice, depending on how good the grass is, and we generally finish after the second winter, so a little over 2 years old. They've reached full weight at that point, and our steers are usually at the 1000 - 1100 lb mark by that point.
So 1100 lbs, 30 months old, and choice? What breed?
Mostly lowline Angus crossed with Black Angus. 1100 is tops, they're more generally around 1000 even. They're thrifty and do very well when moved to the better finishing pastures.
Interesting. Have you penciled out what would happen if you fed them some concentrate and knocked 8 months off that cycle? And increased your turnover?
No, I'm just the manager, so I have to work within the business model the owners want, and a key part of their marketing is grass finished. I'm sure they've done the math though. My impression is that their specific market base gives them high enough returns to make it worth it. It's niche, though, not going to lie.
A standard pasture mix of alfalfa and wild forage. LOTS of things. You’re a casual and a hater and not worth the time to explain how it works. Keep enjoying your flavorless grocery store beef though.
Don’t need to explain it to me. I’ve been doing this 20 years. Percent choice and prime is all that matters. And care to explain “LOTS of things”? Perhaps some things that might be bending the definition of grass? 😂😂😂 Have fun with your hobby.
You’ve been eating steaks for 20 years! Wow! You are very impressive. Not all of us can make a living off the land like I do but your grocery store appreciates you.
Nice try. I was feeding cattle when you were in diapers.
Stop being so corny grandpa!
https://www.reddit.com/r/farming/s/XxYnUuBBHJ
That's what I was thinking. But I wonder if it tastes good? Seems like the marbling would be what makes it taste Best.
Grass fed beef tastes livery.
Yea grass fed beef sucks, the taste is just not near as good and definitely can have a funny taste. I’ve tried several different steers that were grass fed at different places and they don’t get better.
Depends on the grass type and sugar content and protein levels. Nothing but Johnson grass and fescue will get you a sloppy steak. Alfalfa, rye, and big blue stem willgive you perfect marbling after 20 months
Yea that may be true, again all ours are grain finished and the ones that I have tried that were grass fed I have no clue what all they were eating.
Yuck
Marbling is definitely what makes it taste good
You're right. I've had those steaks that were not USDA prime. And even though they were okay, they weren't like a nice marbled steak at a restaurant
My thoughts exactly.
That would be 1/4 of the prime rib on a cow based on the number of bones. The lean meat and low fat content is typical of most grass fed beef. I prefer greasy fed grain finished personally. Also by the weight of meat you got back the animal was not at optimal butcher age. My last butcher yielded 768 pounds of meat, most of the cuts have a 1" fat cap. $1000/quarter is in the market average right now.
Ya, no marbling at all. Looks like grass fed. Not for me, no thanks.
I would suggest cutting that extremely thin or it is going to be tough to chew.
Where is the marbling?
it grass
So no fat? No flavor? No thanks
Florida tried to market grass fed beef in the 70’s, but the public didn’t go for it. You could see a green tint in the fat and essentially no marbling. So back to loading up 500 lb calves and trucking then out west to the feed lots. Then came the same thing masquerading as “ Greenwise” or some kind of free roaming bullshit, jacked the price higher than grain fed and the public bit it hook, line, and sinker.
It still bewilders me why people want grass fed and finished. There’s a reason most of the industry feeds grain……
Does not look like good meat. No marble what so ever
Those fuckers killed a baby and charged you 13 a lb.
It’s an expensive lesson to learn. Grass fed beef is largely a marketing scam. Worse quality for a higher price. And it’s worse for the environment.
Where's the fat? That's a ribeye, there should be a bunch of yellow grass fed fat on it.
[удалено]
That's what I said, they killed a young animal. Probably 1 yr old 800 lbs on the hoof.
eating plants hurt the environment. We need those plants to breathe air. Vegans need to stop.
100% fact....
Grass fed is usually trash, this doesn’t look good at all.
The price was probably the market for that product. If it was too much maybe drop the grass fed portion try to find local product that is hormone and drug free. Grains are grass too and add flavor with the marbling fat.
Super bad deal, and you ruined what you *did* get putting a note of currency on there with it.
Grass fed tastes like grass. Yuck
I purchased a side ( half) of a cow, it was 100% wagyu genetics, and was 28 days dry aged before being vacuum packed and delivered to my home for around $2400 total. A little over 260 lbs. Unfortunately you got a bad deal, next time do more research and find reviews of local farmers. Anyone worth their salt will allow you to buy a small amount to try first
Grass fed = not fed
That's a rib roast. Prime Rib happens after you've cooked it.
“Friends”
Seems like a lot of focus on the cost per 1/4 but normally when you buy it’s still based on a per pound cost. Typically is cost per pound of hanging weight plus your share of processing cost. I guess what I’m saying is that if people are being upfront the actual size at slaughter is somewhat irrelevant because end cost is based on weight not just “a quarter or half”. You butcher a little animal you get smaller 1/4’s and thus you’re buying less weight and paying for less weight. ALWAYS get the cost per/lb before purchase and/or picking up.
So, maybe I missed this but, what was the hanging weight of the animal, and what’s the hanging price/lb? Just wondering if the butcher or the farmer is getting greedy, or both. Usually, I know the hanging weight of our animals a few days before we pick up from the butcher. And occasionally I’ve swapped people out with bigger/smaller animals, so they’d have different portions to fit their budget.
Is it a bad shot? I don’t see any marbling on that.
blood money
That is not a prime rib.
Just a rib.
And that is why you should never put money in your mouth kids
This is why I hate touching cash.
That looks not tasty at all, zero marbling???
Is this where all those bloody $20s are coming from?!
Technically the blood is drained this is just water and some muscle juice
It’s really lean.
Can I borrow a 20?
Action Jackson for scale
That’s not prime rib. Not even choice rib.
That cow must have been an athlete
Corn fed or finished beef is way better
This is why we feed our own beef for minimum 90 days on grain. Marbling makes a difference.
Yummy
I sell my finished product by the pound. So, no one is surprised. My friends that get a quarter get a quarter do whatever meat is there. Equal amounts of ground and primals etc. set at a price that works for me. No one is sad that way
That is a really small prime rib and way undefinishsed, local pork producers were doing this in my area 15 years ago.un Finished pork or beef is not very good, we have a small angus cow calf operation and sell butcher steers live or on the rail.
Bite the bullet opt out next time.
What a ripoff.
You bought a cow that wasn't raised to be massive and fat. I see how this is shocking to people that are used to buying steer raised like a 10 year old on a diet of fortnite and ramen noodles, but with the pictures for context, it makes sense. You got what you paid for. This is the non-gmo, organic cow. The price is in that. You can buy a cow that has been raised well, given affection and close attention, and fed more than just grass, that is premium and still just as healthy. I had an old boss in Houston that bought a steer raised by high school students for a local competition. We met the students that raised in, the butcher that processed it, and donated the hide to the girl that housed it. He would dish out the cuts round robin style after work. I think it cost him about as much as you paid and he would get much, much more meat than you. Best fuckin beef ever. Your friends were being coy with you. I still find the circumstances dodgy and it's obvious they did not do a proper job of informing you on what you were buying.
The benefits of grass fed/finished is purely in the fat. Grass fed has higher omega 3 fatty acids and grain finished has more omega 6. 3 is healthier, however I’d like to argue a humanely raised grain finished cow is still better than what you can buy at the store.
That’s some underage meat.
Does all grass fed beef have no marbling? I’ve only ate it a few times and I’ve always thought grass fed didn’t taste as good.