A.
1. Custom Exempt (Not For Sale)
a. cattle
b. pigs
c. sheep/lamb
d. goat
e. bison
f. wild game (deer, elk, bear, etc... in season)
2. USDA (For Sale)
a. cattle
b. pigs
c. sheep/lamb
d. goat
Q. Do I have to schedule an appointment?
A. Yes. All livestock processing is done by appointment only. Please call our shop to schedule your appointment.
Q. What time do I have to arrive?
A. For Custom-Exempt (Not For Sale): Your livestock should be delivered between 7-8:00 am on the morning of your scheduled slaughter date. This allows time for the livestock to settle in to their unfamiliar surroundings. For USDA (For Sale): Your livestock should be delivered between 6:30am-7:30am on the morning of your scheduled slaughter date. This allows time for the livestock to settle in to their unfamiliar surroundings and for the inspector to perform his ante-mortem (live) inspection.
Q. Can't I just deliver the livestock the night before?
A. No. We do not hold livestock overnight.
Q. What do I need to bring with me?
A. You may download the forms from our processing services page, or fill the forms out on arrival. We must have the age verification form before the cattle are allowed to be offloaded into our holding pens. If someone else is delivering the livestock for you, it may be best to download the age verification form and send the form with them. If you are selling your livestock to multiple parties, please have them complete the cut order instructions and bring those in with the delivery of the livestock.
Q. Are my livestock treated humanely?
A. Yes. Not only are we required by federal regulations to treat the livestock humanely, it also makes our day run much smoother. Stressed livestock are not fun to handle and make for a very unhappy (and unproductive) processor. The less stressed the livestock are, the less stressed we are, and the better your finished meats will be. We also provide fresh water to the livestock at all times. Please note: We prohibit the use of electrical prods. Electrical prods create problems, not solve them. There is no need to subject the livestock to this type of handling. Should you (or your livestock carrier) attempt to use them, we may prohibit you.
Q. Do you dry age beef carcasses?
A. Yes. All beef are dry aged for a minimum of 10 days as part of our food safety interventions. Extended dry aging is available for an additional fee. Add $20.00 for 21 day hang. Add $25.00 for 28 day hang.
Q. Do you slaughter cattle 30 months of age or older?
A. Yes. Additional fees will apply. Regulations prohibit certain materials (SRMs) from entering the food chain and CMPAFs from entering the rendering (byproduct production) chain. This requires some preventative measures during the slaughter as well as during the processing. Our regularly scheduled rendering company will not pickup certain materials, therefore we have to transport these to a landfill for removal. Please be upfront with the age of your beef when scheduling. We must slaughter these last to prevent kill floor downtime. If you do not know the approximate age of your beef, then just tell us that. This will avoid any needless downtime and/or additional charges. In the event you are less than upfront regarding age, we will charge you for this downtime.
Q. How can you tell my cattle is 30 months or older?
A. We use dentition (teeth) post mortem (after death) along with visual carcass traits. The carcass is a roadmap for age. You cannot hide the age from your slaughterer so no sense in attempting it.
Q. How much do you charge?
A.
Custom-Exempt Beef:
Kill Bill: $50.00
Rendering/Scrap Removal: $10.00
Standard Processing: $0.40/lb carcass weight (weight of carcass after slaughter & dress)
*There is a minimum charge of $165 for processing ($225.00 total).
*additional fees may apply to non-standard services*
USDA (For Sale) Beef: - Same kill bill/rendering/scrap removal as above
Standard Processing: $078/lb Vac Pac, Individually labeled for retail sale
*There is a minimum charge of $265 for processing ($325.00 total).
Complete De-boning/Grinding: $0.89/lb
Patty Making: $0.60/lb (patty poundage only). Minimum of 20 lbs
Custom-Exempt Hog:
Kill Bill: $35.00
Rendering/Scrap Removal: $10.00
Kill/Chill Only: $65.00 (No processing...cutting, grinding, packaging, etc...) just split.
Standard Processing: $0.45/lb carcass weight (weight of carcass after slaughter & dress)
This includes 1 batch and/or flavor of sausage. Additional flavors or batches will be billed at $10.00 ea.
Bacon/Jowl processing: 1.50/lb on green belly weight. Slice & wrap: $0.50/lb green belly weight.
USDA (For Sale) Hog: - same kill bill/rendering/scrap removal as above
Standard Processing: $0.78/lb Vac Pack, Individually labeled for retail sale
Complete De-boning/grinding: $0.99/lb **Sausage additional
Custom-Exempt Lamb/Sheep/Goat:
$65.00 per head fully processed. Grinding is an additional $0.25/lb.
$35.00 per head Whole- Kill/Chill Only (No processing...cutting, grinding, packaging, etc...) Does not include freezing.
$45.00 per head Quartered (Kill/Chill/Blocked) Does not include freezing.
USDA (For Sale) Lamb/Sheep/Goat:
$35.00 per head Whole
$45.00 per head Blocked
$70.00 per head Wholesale Cuts **Not individually labeled for retail sale.
$85.00 per head Fully Processed-Retail Cuts. Labeled for individual sale. Grinding: additional $0.25/lb.
$100.00 per head Complete Deboning/Grinding Bulk packaged for wholesale.
$120.00 per head Complete Deboning/Grinding Packaged for retail sale.
**Sheep/Goat over 125 lbs: Additional $15.00/head to Wholesale/Retail USDA pricing above.
*Lamb/Goat/Sheep have an additional scrap removal fee of $5.00 per head
Custom-Exempt Bison:
Kill Bill: $60.00
Rendering/Scrap Removal: $10.00
Standard Processing: $0.45/lb carcass weight (weight of carcass after slaughter & dress)
*additional fees may apply to non-standard services*
***Please Note: Fees may change. Please call the shop to verify current pricing.***
Q. What do you consider "standard processing"?A. We will cut your beef to your custom order specifications. Your cuts are freezer wrapped (custom-exempt) using the highest quality freezer paper available. Vac packaging may be available for an additional fee depending on the size of your livestock. USDA (For Sale) is vac packaged as standard. Freezer wrapping is also an option. Your ground meats are stuffed into poly's with your choice of package size. Your meats are then frozen in our commercial freezer. We box all orders. No need to bring in tubs or boxes. It will be boxed and ready for your freezer.
Standard cuts include, but not limited to, Rib Eye or Rib Steak (or Rib Roasts), T-Bone/Porterhouse, Sirloin, Round Steak (tenderized) or Minute Steak (also tenderized) or Round Roasts, Rump and Heel Roasts, Tip Roast or Steaks, Chuck and Shoulder Roasts, Flank, Short Ribs, Soup Bones, Shank Meat, and Ground Beef stuffed into freezer safe poly bags in your choice of 1, 1 ½ , or 2 lbs. These are all examples of "common" processing.
Q. What is NOT considered "standard processing”?
A.
-Excessive Boning. For example, you have a beef and want the whole Arm or Chuck in burger. This is excessive boning. There will be an additional $0.10 / lb added to the processing charge.
-Complete Boning. If you request your carcass to be fully ground, additional charges will apply.
-Beef Patties. There is a minimum requirement on patties. You must request 20lbs or more patties. These patties will be packaged in either a a freezer safe poly or heavy grade freezer paper. There will be an additional $0.50 / lb added for patty poundage ONLY. This does not apply to the whole beef, just the patties.
-Excessive De-Fatting. What does this mean? If you have a fat beef and want lean burger, there will be an extra charge. Add an additional $0.05 per lb to the processing charge. This is a rare occasion but it does happen. We trim all beef to lean up burger as much as requested. Occasionally, we have requests for extreme leans of 90+. In these instances, de-fatting charges may result.
-Split Quarters. If you have sold your livestock to 3 or more people, you have split quarters. An additional $0.05/lb carcass weight will apply.
-Patties. We require a minimum of 20 lbs. Custom-Exempt (Not For Sale) is $0.50 lb (patty poundage only). USDA (For Sale) is $0.60 lb (patty poundage only).
Other charges may apply as applicable to certain requests. Please inquire BEFORE your beef is processed if you require additional services in processing not discussed here. There may or may not be additional charges attached to these requested extra services.
Q. Do you have a standard cut that we must use?
A. No. All livestock are custom cut per your instructions. We do prefer that you use our cut order sheet as a guide.
Q. Will you buy my livestock?
A. Maybe. We purchase livestock from our customers that are extraordinary. Are you extraordinary? We may be looking for you! We only purchase livestock that are raised without the use of hormones, growth promotants, and subtherapeutic antibiotics.
Q. I'm new to direct marketing meat. Could you help me with carcass yields, cut-out values, pricing, marketing, etc...?
A. Unfortunately, no. As much as we would like to personally assist every one of our customers in their new ventures, we just do not have the time available to fully devote to each customer. We serve 100's of farmers in 30+ Kentucky counties, not including our neighbors to our south in Tennessee. We are unable to consult all of them personally. We will guide you through the basics but we recommend If you are new to direct marketing to utilize the contacts/resources below:
Gregg Rentfrow
Extension Meats Specialist
University of Kentucky
Department of Animal And Food Sciences
Room 205 W.P. Garrigus Building
Lexington, KY 40546-0215
Phone: (859) 257-7550
Fax: (859) 257-5318
E-mail: gkrent2@uky.edu
Direct and Local Marketing Decision Making Aids (Beef, Pork, Lamb)
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food Systems Innovation Center
If you have any additional questions or concerns, feel free to call our shop or email us.