Raising Grass Fed beef on small scale

[jamesp]

You can get a class D or E licence which allows non inspected killing gutting the send to processor which I think one is set up or setting up in Golden.

The following terms and conditions apply to Class D licences only:
• Slaughter volume is limited to a total of 25 animal units (1 animal unit = 454 kg (1000 lbs) live weight)* per year.
• Licences are valid for a five-year term.
• All meat and meat products originating from a Class D establishment must be labelled as follows:
“ Class D – Not government inspected. For sale and use only in the regional district of <insert
name of regional district in which your farm is located>”

class D & E are only for remote areas, mostly north & on the coast.

http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/protect/...ted_areas_map/

Some people here do still slaughter on their own farms & sell to friends etc, but I didn't think this was allowed if you are one to follow rules to the tee, which is all my point is anyway...

Edit to say I'm definitely a fan of locally sourced foods. Not sure how much/often all the rules are actually enforced... I get the feeling the east Kootenays are a bit of a neglected backwater as far as provincial gov't attention & funding is concerned.

[DougW]

Interesting but I think you have to go further , see below, I think that they are encouraging a licence in our area because it’s not well served and they know that if there is not a legal way to do it other ways will be found. I don't have full details as I didn't have enough background at time to retain but partner has started process for a licence and will have to see how it goes but gov't agent seemed to be very receptive.. Probably depends on the distance to closest licenced facility.


"East Kootenay Regional District: Nondesignated Area

In nondesignated areas, small-scale producers who are unable to access adequate slaughter services will be able to apply for Class E licences. An application will be required and licences will be issued based on a proven lack of slaughter capacity, or in areas that cannot be serviced by an existing provincially licensed abattoir. Applications will be reviewed on a case by case basis. "

You could get around the part that its only your animals by people selling them to you and then you selling the carcase back.

[jamesp]

cool cool good to hear something is happening up there. Most people down here are supportive of the abattoir, seemed the only whingers were a few NIMBY's who's houses are closest to the spot, but the land is in the ALR anyway. Its surprising how many little food producers there are round here, lots of "100 mile diet" types here I guess.

I'd love to do what your doing, maybe in a few years when we can afford some land. In the meantime (this summer) I'm doing a work for food at a local organic farm that has a CSA thing going. Will try learn about growing stuff in this climate.

I've stories about illegal abattoirs in other parts of the province, basically the only way anyone finds out is if the neighbors complain. Even then any enforcement is very unlikely because they have to catch you in the act & then be able to prove its not your animal. I don't think the province has the time/$$ to spend camped outside some little farm in the boonies to try catch someone killing a couple cows.

The sell-the-live-animal not the carcass is what some people do here, sounds like a grey area or a generous interpretation of rules but whatever (I don't care myself). As you allude to, there has to be an alternative otherwise people just do whatever they please anyways.

[DougW]

Just brain storming here but would there be a market for spring yearlings? Someone buys them fall over winters them on hay and then sells them in spring for people to put on their own land to finish? Only probelm would be that most grass fed places seem to keep over two winters.

A lot of the work is in the winter , putting out hay, keeping elk for eating said hay, watering. Reason I'm thinking that is that , have they hay and difference in putting out enough hay for 5 or 15 is no big deal time wise. All the other things stay same.

[jamesp]

?? no idea. But why would such a market be much different to those people who buy calves & raise them themselves anyway?

[DougW]

just thinking off people that have land but no hay or place to store hay and don't want to go to effort of feeding everyday and having water system that doesn't freeze.

[DougW]

some cattle stoke

[DougW]

cattle last fall when we got them

[MontuckyFried]

^^
Well sir, the view from your farm sure as hell beats the view from our family farm, which is flat and boring. Beautiful place! Keep us posted with your progress.

[DougW]

^^
Well sir, the view from your farm sure as hell beats the view from our family farm, which is flat and boring. Beautiful place! Keep us posted with your progress.

you want view shots, cattle , poop and mountains

[Game Over]

Sick view.

Just brain storming here but would there be a market for spring yearlings? Someone buys them fall over winters them on hay and then sells them in spring for people to put on their own land to finish? Only probelm would be that most grass fed places seem to keep over two winters.
.

I'd have to think so. We buy 400-500lb calves in the spring keep them thru one winter then butcher the following summer/fall at 1200lbs. Hay is expensive here $130-150 a ton so only wintering once is almost mandatory to keep costs down.

[jamesp]

the local (Golden BC) population is pretty damn small. My thinking is that people that can't get organised with hay & water probably won't get organised to get cows at all. Also lots of people here just hunt for cheap meat.

[DougW]

Sick view.



I'd have to think so. We buy 400-500lb calves in the spring keep them thru one winter then butcher the following summer/fall at 1200lbs. Hay is expensive here $130-150 a ton so only wintering once is almost mandatory to keep costs down.

We have advanage of free have advantage of "free " hay so will over winter most of them 2 winters. Thats pretty $ hay, that is what horse hay goes for around here, about $5 a square bale ( less if picked up in field) if my math is right. Not sure what a round bale costs.

[DougW]

the local (Golden BC) population is pretty damn small. My thinking is that people that can't get organised with hay & water probably won't get organised to get cows at all. Also lots of people here just hunt for cheap meat.

your right won't work unless you found or they found you before hand. Could pay to over winter then finish off on their land. But then again most people in that situation just get someone to hay the land they have.

[jamesp]

one of the bigger ranches here used to transport their animals to AB for the winter to avoid dealing with hay. After a while it got too expensive so now they grow hay & avoid stressing the animals with all the transport. I think they also have access to other land (private, semi treed) for summer grazing/ranging.

[DougW]

update- almost have the class E, gone through Ministry of Ag and Health all left if Enviro.

Grazing worked out like I thought it, after spring grass it dried out and ended up feeding some hay all summer and in to fall. Put them on a hay field that was elec fenced and that worked but as a dry summer had not come back that lust after haying. Can't leave them over night as deer /elk come along and stumble into the fences at night and knock them over.

So in order to finish them will have to over winter twice and slaughter in late spring. As have a tone of hay that is not a big deal. Still have 2/3 of last years hay left and twice as much of this years in round bales. So will probably get a another 6 this fall. Will take a field out of hay and use that to finish in spring. Has lots of alfalfa so should be good for finishing I would think.

[Beaver]

My cattle will be getting high velocity lead poisoning this weekend and I'm wondering how much I should sell them for. Last year I told the buyers $950/side regardless of weight, they came in at 290 - 330 lbs/side. This year they are of such varying sizes that that might not work out so well. So, what do other people charge for beef?

[Beaver]

class D & E are only for remote areas, mostly north & on the coast.

http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/protect/...ted_areas_map/

Some people here do still slaughter on their own farms & sell to friends etc, but I didn't think this was allowed if you are one to follow rules to the tee, which is all my point is anyway...

Edit to say I'm definitely a fan of locally sourced foods. Not sure how much/often all the rules are actually enforced... I get the feeling the east Kootenays are a bit of a neglected backwater as far as provincial gov't attention & funding is concerned.

If you think the east kootenays are a neglected back water you should check out the west kootenays.

I was told that if I sold live animals then had the owners show up for slaughter I was legal. I don't know if its true or not nor do I really care. I consider helping with slaughter to be as little as opening my beer or rolling a doobie.

[jamesp]

The one ranch I enquired about here does it by rail weight, not sure what others do. $500-$600 for a mixed, cut, wrapped quarter. I think they are slaughtered in a licensed place though, so probably adds to the cost. Not sure of the weight after butchering, we didn't end up getting a freezer yet so never went ahead with it.

[BCMtnHound]

Loading the family up and heading south to the farm tomorrow. 3 head(less) have an appointment with Dave's protege on Monday. Not sure what Dad is asking this year for a side - he got in shit with Dave last year for charging too little apparently. Also 4 young mutton will be joining their larger brethren the following day. I haven't been down Nelson way since a too short trip in Feb. Should be a good visit - weather looks ideal for the work. As for the legal stuff, guess the bill of sale dad writes up technically says the beef was bought while still on the hoof, and the extra charge is just for pasture lease (or something to that effect). As mentioned, the inspectors seem to be leaving the small farmers in the Kootenay backwaters alone these days...

[Beaver]

Dave's protege used to be a butcher at Kootenay Market in Castlegar. He seems like a good guy but he's got some big shoes to fill taking over from Dave.

I'm thinking about 3.50/lb hanging weight. $3.30 for the peeps who come out and kill, gut and skin.

[BCMtnHound]

$3.25 rings a bell with the side weighing out at around 300+lbs. I think Legendary is still charging $25 a head for skinning with the leather market is a bit down. The cutting with Dave could always be considered 'custom', but I haven't heard if the cut & wrap prices have changed.

[sparkletarte.]

That price sounds fine, we generally pay around that for my business (we retail it). That's not much of a savings for killing, etc though. That's seems like a lot of work. Are you dealing with the offal or them? Most places sell by hanging/rail weight.

Inspectors are active around here, a woman in the Slocan valley just got busted for killing people's chickens. Might only be complaint based though.

If you are looking for options, we get animals send to Rick's Fine Meats in Cranbrook. He kills and butchers, and does an excellent job. Has a hot smoker to make fully cooked sausages (and bacon and ham if you have pigs). Also has a flash-type freezer, best way to preserve the quality. He's very busy though! Prob booking in Dec now. Tons of hunters go to him.

For overwintering, buying hay is super expensive around here- $130-150/ton is cheap! I've heard $225+ here. It only seems worth it if the farmer grows their own. It would be great to do a CSA type set up, where you presell the young ones, keep them over winter yourself, then kill in the late spring/early summer (better to do it once they have a couple months on fresh pasture for meat quality). More likely people will buy them in the spring to finish them over summer, not the other way around- it's too much work.

[DougW]

Just the water test to do and the class E is done. Have decided that grass finishing is not going to work for us. Have to go to grain finishing and if weather works ie grass then will use grass to reduce the amount of grain. Partners don't want to take out any land out of hay so in situation that have lots of hay but not great grass. In a wet year like last we could finish on second growth after haying but this year second growth was meh. We are going to fence another field to take advantage of second growth. Since we have a ton of hay have bought 10 more steers and will keep the first 5 until the spring as doesn't really cost us any thing to over winter.

[The Reverend Floater]

Good on you, Doug. Having gone through all of this in the sheep/lamb world, it's a lot of fun to watch folks get the experience. And after you do, it seems odd to know that most people will never have any idea where any of their food comes from....

Keep the updates coming.