L6 Cattle Ranches, LLC              

Producer of High Quality Grass-Fed Angus Beef

 

 
 
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HomeGrass-Fed Information    February 16, 2025
A Word about Grass-Fed Beef Purchasing Minimize
 

Our Grass-fed beef is sold by the hanging hot carcass weight (HCW).  Determining the price of beef is relative based on whether the price is calculated on the Live Weight, Hanging Weight, or the Processed Package Weight and the additional processing costs.

With a live market weight of 800 punds and an average yield of 62%, a typical beef will become a 496-pound hot hanging carcass weight (HCW).  The process of dry-aging will further reduce this hanging weight content by an additional 4-15% depending on how long the carcass is aged.  Dry-aging for 3-weeks will result in a further reduction of  the hanging weight to  ~422 pounds.  This leaves 422 pounds, which are cut, trimmed, and boned resulting in a processed package weight that is again reduced, the end results are approximately 75% of the HCW,  or 372 lbs.

Amount of Freezer Beef Expected from a Carcass

  
 
 
Dry Aged Beef Minimize
 

Our beef is dry aged for a period of 3 weeks before the hung carcass is processed according to your meat cut specifications.  This dry aging period begins the day the beef animal is delivered to the meat processor.

Dry aged beef is beef that has been hung to dry for several weeks. After the animal is slaughtered and cleaned, either an entire half will be hung, or primal cuts (large distinct sections) will be placed in a cooler. This process involves considerable expense as the beef must be stored at or near freezing temperatures. Also only the higher grades of meat can be dry aged, as the process requires meat with a large, evenly distributed fat content. For these reasons one seldom sees dry aged beef outside of steak restaurants and upscale butcher shops. The key effect of dry aging is the concentration of the flavor. The taste of dry-aged beef is almost incomparable to that of wet-aged with two weeks being a recommended minimum.

The process enhances beef by two means. First, moisture is evaporated from the muscle. This creates a greater concentration of beef flavor and taste. Second, the beef’s natural enzymes break down the connective tissue in the muscle, which leads to more tender beef.

Dry aging of beef is rare in super-markets in the United States today due to the significant loss of weight in the aging process. It is found in steakhouses and certain restaurants.

The process of dry-aging usually also promotes growth of certain fungal (mold) species on the external surface of the meat. This doesn't cause spoilage, but actually forms an external "crust" on the meat's surface, which is trimmed off when the meat is prepared for cooking.

  
 
 
How we Treat our Cattle Minimize
 

Here at L6 Cattle Ranches we treat our cattle with the utmost care.  How we treat and care for our cattle directly affects the quality of our beef products.

All our cattle are source verified, which involves ID tracking from conception through weaning to processing.  At times calves do get sick and we track these animals that have been treated for their illness to assure that they do not end up in our Grass-Fed beef supply.  Animals that have been treated are identified and subsequently sold to other cattle feedlot and finishing operations for wholesale beef production.

  
 
 
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