Why does nobody talk about how much weight you lose trimming a full beef side?

I was breaking down a 900 lb side of beef last Tuesday and got curious, so I weighed every single trim piece before I bagged it for grinding. Fat, silverskin, gristle, all of it came to just under 120 lbs. I mean, I knew there was waste, but 13% of the whole side? That surprised me way more than I expected. My mentor always said "you buy the whole animal, you sell the cuts" but never gave me a number like that. It makes me wonder if that fat ratio changes depending on the breed or how the cow was fed. If you've ever tracked your trim weights on a big carcass, did your numbers come out similar or way off? And are you selling that trimmings fat to a pet food place or just grinding it all in?

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derekp705d ago

Funny how nobody warns you about the hidden math of a whole carcass... you think you're getting a deal until you're standing there with a bag of fat that weighs more than your dog. That 13% sounds about right for grain-fed, but grass-fed can swing a few points either way depending on the season. Last fall I had one that hit closer to 15% and I swear I spent an extra hour just scraping silverskin off the brisket. And nah, I don't sell the fat, I grind it all in with the lean for burgers. Customers love the flavor, even if my scale hates me for it.