Frequently Asked Questions
What is Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef?
Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef comes from Heritage Shorthorn cattle (the complete pedigree traces directly to Heritage bloodlines starting from 1822) and from Heritage Influenced Shorthorn cattle (heritage + percentage of modern pedigree lines). It is all from Shorthorn cattle which are raised by members of the Heritage Shorthorn Society, helping to preserve the heritage genetics of traditional Shorthorns.
Why are there only a limited number of farmers/ranchers listed on the HSCB website?
While Shorthorn cattle were once the most popular breed of cattle in the United States, Canada, and in many other countries, Shorthorns are currently raised only by a limited number of farmers/ranchers; and the number of people who raise Heritage or Heritage Influenced Shorthorns is even more limited. The numbers of Heritage Shorthorn breeders are currently growing as more people realize the many benefits of these calm and versatile cattle.
What affects the amount of meat that I get from a steer?
From the "live weight" to the" hanging weight", what is lost is mostly the hide, head, hooves, extra body fat, rumen & intestinal content (quite a large % of a ruminant animal), and other "innards" that we don’t consider to be food.
From the "hanging weight" to the "packaged meat/in your freezer weight", the aging process (aids in naturally tenderizing the meat) causes a small decrease in weight due to the hanging process. There is additional loss as the meat is cut and trimmed to eliminate the following: the backbone & breast bone, rib cartilages, excess fat trimmed from around steaks & roasts, and extra bones trimmed from gourmet boneless cuts of meat. The amount of packaged meat also depends on whether you ask for medium, lean, or extra lean ground meat, and whether you ask the butcher to save you some or all of the following: heart, tongue, liver, kidneys, oxtail, soup &/or dog bones, etc. If you do not want the organ meats, and you choose extra lean cuts & ground meat, you will have a lower total amount of packaged meat than someone else might.
What is a "split half" or "split quarter" of beef?
There are different amounts of meat and different cuts from the shoulder compared with the rear leg (more roasts in front and more steaks in the rear), so when the butcher does a "split", each 1/4 gets some cuts from both the front & rear legs.
Can I buy just one steak (or other cut of meat) to try it?
This depends on the individual farmer/rancher. Some sell their beef by individual cuts of meat, while most sell their beef by the whole, half, or quarter of a steer. Please visit the website or Facebook page for a particular farmer/rancher, or contact them directly to find out what they have available for purchase.
What time of the year are the steers ready?
Each farmer/rancher has his own breeding and finishing schedule, so contact them individually about their timetable for beef availability &/or waiting list.