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Message: <blockquote data-quote="NDbowman" data-source="post: 474521" data-attributes="member: 1525">I can tell you why I don't. I watched my Dad finish out holstein steers when he milked cows. He sold finished steers to a guy who owned a processing barn and then that guy would sell the finished animals to a consumer who would then pay him to process them. That worked ok for my Dad, but it was always tricky to have them ready at the right time. Dad also sold beef to relatives and local people. Usually 1/2s and 1/4s. That was ok, but he had alot of relatives stiff him over the years. Dad was to trusting and allowed people to pay him later. Now today I raise beef cattle and I finish one for myself and that is it. I've finished some and sold some meat but it seems most people think you should basically give it to them. They can't figure out what I can sell a steer and not fatten it out. They don't realize the cost of the feed to get that animal to slaughter weight. Also I've got two trips to the slaughter barn. One to haul the animal there and another to pick it up. Then I might have to put the boxes of meat in a deep freeze at home if said buyer isn't ready to get it when he said he would. Its just kind of a pain in the ass and don't really make much money. I also used to fatten some animals for a couple of guys, they would come and I'd shoot them, they'd gut em and take em home to cut up themselves. That worked ok for awhile, then as the market started to come up and I asked for a higher price, they haggled on me to get them cheaper, I gave in and thought this is the last time I'm fattening a steer for anyone but myself.I do know of two ranches that are fattening their own cattle, having them slaughtered at a federally inspected  barn, then selling the meat direct to consumers and one is even selling to a couple of restuarants. I'm glad it works for them but I doubt they're making much. Hauling them animals in to be slaughtered and then back to pick up the meat, storing it on farm, then hauling it all over to sell it sounds like a heck of alot of work when my day is already filled up with chores, fixing, and all the other fun stuff that goes along with owning cattle.</blockquote>

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