Cheaper at Auction

I had a comment on one of my Facebook marketplace ads for beef yesterday, the comment was "Nope.   Cheaper at auction".  I thought to myself, "Really?". And then I got curious...

 A 1400lb steer, ready to butcher will probably go around $1.29/lb live weight.  That steer will cost you $1806, minimum.

So now you have to haul it or pay someone to get it to the butcher.  What if you can't get an appointment right away?   Well, you gotta feed the bugger so that'll be $2/day in hay costs.  Say you have to wait two weeks to get an appointment.  That's $14 in feed.  $50 in hauling (assuming the auction is close, ours is in Missoula so four hours total of driving).   You gotta eat whilst at said auction, so another $10 will get you a hockey puck burger and fries. 

So you've added $74 to the cost of your steer.    It now costs $1890.  You have to butcher it.  Local shops charge $85 for kill charge and $0.75/lb hanging weight cut and wrap.  Let's say the 1400lb steer has an 850 lb hanging weight.  So you've got $85 + $637.50 for cut and wrap. Your steer now costs  $2602.50.

My profit is $500 per steer.  That helps me keep the lights on and eating and paying the cell phone bill and whatnot.  Why don't I just buy a steer and butcher it and make the same amount of money?   Because I know nothing about that steer.    

So your cheaper option is that you've now paid $4.73 per pound for 550 lb of meat, and you have zero knowledge of that steer.

What did it eat?  How many antibiotics did it have?  Did it have growth hormones?  How old is it (it could have been a very slow growing three year old and tough as boiled owl)?  Was it chronically sick?  Was it fed Roundup Ready (aka GMO) alfalfa that was sprayed several times? 

My point is that you have no idea of what that steer went through to get to the auction.   

Now, how much is it worth to you to know what you're getting?   Is it really "cheaper" to not pay me a dollar more per pound, and have no idea what you're buying at an auction?  I don't know about you, but if I'm investing in food for my family, I'd rather know what I'm eating.  

Now, let's talk about that "family pack" of burger you picked up on sale at the grocery store....😉 

Be blessed, 

Kenny