“But most of the carcass weight is on the ends – the chuck and round. The typical novice producer starts into business, gets the cattle harvested and processed, sells the steaks and filets, and in a few weeks realizes the freezer is full of less-preferred cuts that move at a slower pace,” he explains.
The direct marketer needs a good merchandising plan and good understanding of the beef animal. “We do a two-day grass-fed beef conference at Texas A&M and spend the final morning fabricating a side of beef. At the end of that process, all the boneless trimmed retail cuts are on top of the table. Underneath, we have a bin of bones, a bin of fat and a bin of trim for grinding,” he says.
“Our participants quickly realize how much of the carcass weight they don’t get to sell (bone and fat). From live animal to carcass we lose about 45 percent, and the drop credit (hide, head, organs, etc.) value is difficult for the small producer to capture.” 
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