If you’re starting out raising livestock for meat, you might need more animals than you think to feed your family.
“Most people don’t understand how much meat is on an animal,” said state livestock specialist Colt Knight, who is also an associate extension professor at the University of Maine. “It’s less than you think.”
A third to half of the animal’s weight will end up as edible meat, depending on the breed and species. Doing some simple math ahead of time will help you know what to expect when it’s time to have your livestock processed.
The first step is to calculate the amount of meat your family typically eats per meal per week, according to Knight. A family of four might eat one four-pound chicken for one meal once a week, for example, so they’d plan for 52 chickens in a year.
Online resources for calculating meat yield refer to dressing percentage, which is how much of the animal’s live weight remains after slaughter. Another percentage of that weight is the skeleton and other organs, reducing the yield further.
Multiply the live weight of the animal by the dressing percentage to get the carcass weight, and multiply that by the carcass cutting yield, or the percentage of that weight which will be edible cuts of meat, to find the pounds you can expect.
Dressing percentage varies by breed and can be found online; carcass cutting yield varies by the type of cuts you request from your processor. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers information on chickens, pigs and beef.
Chickens and rabbits are simpler starting animals to raise for meat at home. Broiler birds like Cornish Crosses can be ready to eat in just six weeks, though some people raise them for eight. Rabbit breeds like New Zealand and Rex produce animals that size up quickly and are easy to process.
Pigs are another good option for beginners and can be ready to process in six months if they have been bred for meat-producing genetics. Knight recommends going for conventional breeds like a Yorkshire, Duroc or Berkshire.
Heritage breeds that are slower-growing and more fat-heavy are popular in New England, partly because grain costs are so high here that producers find specialty markets to make a living, he said.
For a home operation, though, feed costs will be lower and meat quality may be preferable with a traditional breed.
Sheep and goats take longer to be ready, but feeding hay and forage is less expensive than grain. Knight recommends cattle as a final step once you get the hang of animal husbandry.
Whatever animals you bring home, find a processor first. Fall and winter are busy times for them. Sometimes they are booked a year or two in advance, so make sure you can get a date to have your animals processed when you need them.
If you don’t, feeding your livestock several extra months through winter adds up.
You can also process your animals yourself if you’re looking to save money by raising your own food. Processing can cost from 75 cents to a dollar per pound. If you have the facilities and some food safety training, it’s a good skill for a homesteader, Knight said.
The extension offers a meat cutting school and an online introduction.
