Price of meats

[Possom]

How is everyone coping with the huge increase in meat prices? Beef and pork prices are outrageous and steadily climbing. There isn't any relief in sight either.

We sold a 420 pound heifer calf and a 150 pound heifer bottle calf and they brought $845 and $400 respectively. Anyone who has been around the cattle market will tell you live market price is crazy high right now and has stabilized at these prices. It's not just a temporary spike. Stand by for $10/lb beef and $15/lb pork prices.

We are lucky enough to raise most of our own meat. How do y'all offset the cost? Have you stopped buying beef and pork? Replaced it with goats or chicken?

[helomech]

We have been been raising our own meats, and eating the wild game we kill for at least 4 year snow. I spend less than 30 bucks a month on meat.

[bacpacker]

We have been fortunate that we had a good amount of meat in the freezer. The wife had also been buying up various meat when she found it on sale. But have been eating more chicken.
One thing I am looking into is this, one of my neighbors had been keeping horses in a 17 acre field, has moved them. I am trying to work out a barter with him to get the use of the field to raise some calves on next spring. I found out too late to get started this year.

[LUNCHBOX]

Very nice BP.....l also had a good supply of meat from the cows me and Kodiak raised. That is coming to an end now so l started putting more fish in the freezer this year.

[ElevenBravo]

Were on a tight budget, and dont have any beef set back. I do most of the shopping, so I simply buy less beef than usual, I also buy large cuts of beef (broil, etc..) when I find them on manager's clearance due to date.

Groceries in general are getting sky high. Even dog food is getting high as gas, wth!

EB

[helomech]

Groceries in general are getting sky high. Even dog food is getting high as gas, wth!

EB

No joke, I have 3 dogs and the smallest one weighs 130lbs. They get lots of chicken eggs. Every day we give them about 18 chicken eggs plus some dog food.

[izzyscout21]

Groceries in general are getting sky high. Even dog food is getting high as gas, wth!

EB

This is why I switched to raw feeding. It's better for the dog, and cheaper on my wallet. I can feed raw for about $0.39 per pound vs $2/lb for "good" dry food.

[ElevenBravo]

I can feed raw for about $0.39 per pound vs $2/lb for "good" dry food.

Your going to have to expand on this a bit... Im counting on you to fill in the information void.

EB

[Sniper-T]

^
ditto

[izzyscout21]

Your going to have to expand on this a bit... Im counting on you to fill in the information void.

EB


I'll start a thread in the animal forum, as opposed to hijacking this one.

[Sniper-T]

I wish I could get my wife to eat rabbit. They'd be easy to raise, and one of my favourite meats.
:(
sigh...

[realist]

Out here people are paying $1,500 for cattle in the 750 to 900 range. It is crazy and is only going to get worse. Texas herds cut back a couple of years ago and not the West is doing the same thing. Our ranchers had to feed all the way till February. They just can't afford to keep so many head when there is nothing in the fields.

[Stormfeather]

Got a lot of venison and beef set back already from deer season and a large buy last year on beef. However, I have noticed prices steadily raising higher and higher. Ive been buying a ton of chicken, adding fish to the freezer, and Im working on getting a pen set up for rabbits.

[Possom]

The demand for goat and sheep meat is steadily rising here as well. It is mainly the Hispanic community wanting them at the moment but with the price of beef and pork so high everyone will soon be turning to alternate sources of meat.

[cwconnertx]

I bought 100's of pounds of beef and pork and vacuum sealed it in the freezer last year.

I still have about half but try to buy anythign I regularly eat when it goes under $3/lb for beef, and 1.50/lb for pork or chicken.

[ladyhk13]

FYI on the chicken. The US is now allowing china to process our chicken and send it back to us without telling us it has been done. Watch what you are buying.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/31/business/chinese-chicken-processors-are-cleared-to-ship-to-us.html?_r=0

[Sniper-T]

Just saw in my travels that another beef packing plant in Wisconsin is being closed down due to lack of product. Not boding well.

[Stormfeather]

I hadnt heard this, any chance you can get me some details on the plant in wisconsin?

[Sniper-T]

don't remember the name of it, but it is just outside of Plymouth. It was announced in the local rag last week.

[bacpacker]

I finally got to talk with our ne8ghbor. He is on board with me running so.e ales on his property. Just gotta work out details and figure out what all I need to do in the meantime. At this point I'm thinking about 4 to 6 young calves. Should be plenty for me and my parents and some left to sell to hopefully cover expenses. My luck I'll buy some and the market will bottom out. :)

[Gunfixr]

Scored 20lbs of ground beef earlier this week for $2.93lb, which is normally $4.18lb. This is 73/27 fresh ground beef.
It was one day from date. Vacuum sealed and froze most of it.