meat to waste ratio

ohwell

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I've been doing some research and I've found that some breed of rabbits are 63% (or better) meat(at butcher weight) and the rest is blood, bone, guts, etc. So I was curious does anyone know the ratio/percentage of pigs, goats, cows, sheep, etc. I'm just trying to get a feel for actual feed conversions. Thanks.
 

aggieterpkatie

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I'd do some googling to find actual meat to bone ratios for livestock. I'd think some Extension sites should have some information for you.
 

ohwell

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I guess I'll give google another try. It just hets irritating sometimes to look through all those entries before you find what you need. Was trying to see if I can take a shortcut route. What is an extension site? There's just so much info I guess since work is so slow tomorrow I might just try to make myself a chart for the different breeds. Thanks.
 

aggieterpkatie

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ohwell said:
I guess I'll give google another try. It just hets irritating sometimes to look through all those entries before you find what you need. Was trying to see if I can take a shortcut route. What is an extension site? There's just so much info I guess since work is so slow tomorrow I might just try to make myself a chart for the different breeds. Thanks.
Each state should have a Cooperative Extension Service. They usually have a good bit of information. Some states are better than others.

I know what you mean about Google...it can feel like a wild goose chase to get info!
 

ohwell

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Unfortunetly we don't have those kind of things in Canada. I'm thinking of buying the book Basic Butchering by John J. Mettler. I think that would have it.
I found this in one of my books. Typical Hanging Yield for Beef is 60-65% of live weight, Pork is 70-75%, and Lamb is 50-55%. Typical Meat Yields are 45-50% for beef, 55-60% for pork and 40-45% for lamb. The book I got it from is titled Small-Scale Livestock Farming by Carol Ekarius and I've found it to be a great starting point. Has lots of references and interesting tidbits.
 

Ariel301

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I don't know the exact ratio for goats, but I know it's pretty low, especially with dairy types. There is very little fat on them, and a whole lot of guts. We butchered a 50 pound yearling buck last spring and he probably fed 12 people comfortably, not really a whole lot of meat there. I don't know about meat type goats, I have yet to butcher one.
 

goodhors

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I am always surprised at the weights of the market goats at Fair. They LOOK tall, seems like they SHOULD weigh more. But as you said, they are about one meal for a family of 6-8 folks if you bar-b-que them.

Lambs of the same age, have a lot more heft to them, much higher weights.

We just had a lamb done, processor was full until Nov 1. This was a 120# lamb at Fair, but daughter could only sell two market animals, chose calf and other lamb who was bigger. We just fed this one from first part of Aug until the Nov. date. I asked when I dropped him for a weight, they said they only did hanging weight, not live with no scale. When processor called for cutting instructions, they told husband there was 162# of lamb, so I am guessing hanging weight. He gave the cutting information, told them to de-bone a number of the cuts, so we ended up with about 98# of freezer meat. Would have weighed more if not so many bones removed. I think that is a pretty good ratio of return. Sure would have liked to know live weight, he was huge when I took him in. Still under a year old, no adult teeth.

Lamb got some grain daily, was out on pasture each day with plenty of exercise. Hoping he had some fat so meat is not tough. He sure ran a lot as an "only lamb", came racing to the gate each time he saw someone near the barn!

Seems like we got about 70some pounds of meat from the 130# lambs, but it was not de-boned cuts.

I do know that lambs have the best meat quantity return on feed investment, and in a very short time frame. Plus they TASTE good!!
 

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