The meat shortage is here

We took some slaughter cows to the sale last week. Prices are up a little but I didn't see any of the high prices that usually signal a shortage.
We'll have some light steers going next month but they go to a private buyer and I'll know ahead of time what the price is.

Here's some examples of pricing.

Market Report - Cattlemen’s Livestock Market - Galt, California


Current Market Report – Shasta Livestock

 

Thats all it costs to slaughter and butcher a cow?

 

I can smell the stink from here

 

Smells good, what outside is supposed to smell like.

 

No, that's the price we were paid for a walking cow. The price is expressed as "price per hundred pounds of live weight" or"price per pound of live weight".

A slaughter cow is usually an old cow that doesn't produce a decent calf anymore. The meat isn't of the highest quality and will probably make mostly hamburger and meat byproducts. Think Wendys, McD's, Burger King, and your local school lunch program.

 

You can only buy 2 packages at Festival Foods here in Badgerland.

 

May have been some of the largest, but what percentage stage of the overall meat output came from them? I mean, if they were only responsible for 5-10% of the total meat production of the US, it wont be a big effect. But if they were responsible for something like 40%, then yea, it'll really hurt the supply.

Either way, I could easily seeing this going the same route as toilet paper. People panicing and THINKING there will be a shortage and hoarding meat, thus CREATING the shortage.

 

Finally an authoritative trustworthy source.

Sarcasm

 

One to go, please.

 

Heading out into the Gulf to go Spearfishing as we speak.

Be no meat shortage when I get done with 2 tanks.