Anyone butchering beef and selling directly to local outlets?

N.Yorks.

Member
Anyone currently rearing beef and slaughtering/butchering and selling to local outlets?

What are the rules and regs. that need to be dealt with etc? Seems like it's another ballgame to just selling live animals through the mart, but I'm keen to understand how it could be done.

My location is close to many restaurants that MAY have an interest in a quality local supplier, so I'm wanting to add value and market the product.
 
You need to take beast to a slaughterhouse who will also cut and package. Normally portioned into boxes will get 12 - 15 boxes from an average slaughter weight beast. You can then either arrange for the buyer to collect from the slaughter house or deliver it by making a 6x4x4 plywood box lined with cooler insulation and put in half a dozen ice packs then put the cooler box in the back of a van/pickup. The trick is in the hanging of the beast and also the breed. As long as you don't interfere with the packaged meat and once collected deliveries are made straight away. You shouldn't have any issues.
 

N.Yorks.

Member
You need to take beast to a slaughterhouse who will also cut and package. Normally portioned into boxes will get 12 - 15 boxes from an average slaughter weight beast. You can then either arrange for the buyer to collect from the slaughter house or deliver it by making a 6x4x4 plywood box lined with cooler insulation and put in half a dozen ice packs then put the cooler box in the back of a van/pickup. The trick is in the hanging of the beast and also the breed. As long as you don't interfere with the packaged meat and once collected deliveries are made straight away. You shouldn't have any issues.
Cheers. What sort of costs are involved?
 

Renaultman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Darlington
We used to do it, brother still does, on a small scale. Local butcher kills, hangs and joints carcasses. Brother then sells them to existing customers.
 

Old Boar

Member
Location
West Wales
I did it for years with pork, but the regs are the same. A cutting plant has to have a licence, and be inspected regularly by Health Officers of the county in which you are selling. You would also need "Scores on the doors" and a full and up to date HACCUP. The cutting plant can be owned by anyone, including the slaughter house. If the slaughter house are cutting, make sure they can cut to your requirements (some just cut one way and that is it), and if you want sausages with the bits, quite a few do not do this, but this is what most customers buying boxes want.

You may find someone who can cut for you who is selling meat locally (I cut lamb and beef and the odd goat regularly for others), and this can be better value than the slaughter house. You will need everything in vac bags and clearly labelled, and the slaugher house will charge extra for this.

I had a large chiller unit so could hang for as long as the customer wanted, but some slaughter houses will not want your beef hanging for long, taking up room. (hanging times and temps daily have to be written down).

Find out what your local slaugherhouse offers, and then find out what the customers want and see if they are close. You may find an independent butcher may be cheaper (and will make sausages).

You will need to prove that the meat temp did not rise when you deliver (reuseable sheet ice packs are your friend) so create a form and write down the temps at half hour intervals, and you WILL need insurance because you get the odd customer who sees you as a way of making money.
It is worth it as you can get more for your animal (a lot more usually) but find out the costings locally first for slaugher/cut/pack, and then cost in your time and petrol and hassle. Good luck!
 
Im between Leeds and York and sell Lamb & hogget direct and occasionally beef - it would be good to talk as I dont keep cattle so we wouldn’t be in direct competition.

Generally speaking it tends to work out between 20-25% more profit per animal, as you end up doing ALOT more driving about, and have to pay slaughter and butchery costs.

Direct to consumer sales are a nightmare as you have to deal with complaints and the often self convinced nature of the English public, and you need to be very very diplomatic (Not telling someone to go to hell when they say "I like my meat burnt but your lamb chops didnt burn very nicely, I want my money back" - That was Tuesday this week).

You will get left with unpopular cuts, and nlots of mince, so make sure you have an outlet, In my case I've been trying making Kofta's etc which are reasonably popular - as well as doing special offer packs - So a shoulder, 8 chops and 500g/750g mince for an all in price of £10/kg.
The helps to shift it.
 
We do a lot of lamb. We don't mess about with individual joints. The options are either half a lamb or a full lamb. Second option is jointed or left whole. Orders are taken then a delivery date is arranged. Batches of around 15 are done at a time.
 

newbie

Member
Location
Lancashire
To slaughter, butcher and package a beast in the same premises should be around £160-£180. You are better off having everything done in the same place as this negates haulage of carcases. If your selling
£180 for what beast?
I am charged £100 per cow to kill then around £250 per cow to butcher it into small joints and pack it all into approx 10kg mixed packs to sell direct to the consumer.
It is packaged well and labelled up etc, but am I being stung here?
Where /who do you use?
 

100percent

Member
I sell boxed Galloway Steers to a restaurant very locally, I get charged £70 to kill and deliver (70miles) to my local meat butcher/packer (who charges £1.05 /kg) where it is hung for 3 weeks then processed, I collect the boxes which are all correctly labelled and vac packed then deliver to my customer! It all adds up when your beast is killing 380kgs, very professional job and the chefs love it.
Don't make an awfull lot at it but great satisfaction selling on your doorstep and getting good feedback at a fixed cost all year.
 

Blod

Member
£180 for what beast?
I am charged £100 per cow to kill then around £250 per cow to butcher it into small joints and pack it all into approx 10kg mixed packs to sell direct to the consumer.
It is packaged well and labelled up etc, but am I being stung here?
Where /who do you use?
Similar prices to you here. Steaks packed in pairs, joints netted, mince and sausages from brisket and flank etc. All vac packed, with weights and dates and description on each.
 
Marketing , marketing,marketing.
Getting it butchered and delivered is relatively easy, finding and MAINTAINING your market is more difficult, even if you are selling a brilliant product.
Local pork seller who is very successful has to phone all pub outlets every week for the weeks order, they never call him.
If selling direct to the public you should double the value of the beast before deducting costs for your profit.
 

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