Butchered a Heifer

Long story. Decided to butcher 32 month old heifer, been with bull for a year and a half, and was still open. Was surprised when I got hanging weights, 460# and 465#. I knew she was big.
Had a customer for one side and I took the other. She wanted to go to a different processing plant because they shrink wrap not plastic and paper. Picked up my side yesterday and got an inventory sheet telling me breakdown of cuts. Was surprised when I saw what I had gotten. When I started putting it in freezer, I only had 3 porterhouse, 4 T-bones, 6 rib steaks (no rib roasts), but had 9 chuck steaks and 8 sirloins (all steaks were 1") and 97# of ground beef, and about 30# of roasts.
Called as soon as I finished putting meat in freezer to complain and was told they always have more waste on older animals because they are required to remove all backbone. I said I understood that, but where were the rest of the rib, porterhouse and T-bone steaks? was told you get more lesser quality cuts because of age and it was a heifer.
We've been raising our own beef for over 50 years and first time I've heard this story. Is there any truth in their story? I told him I usually get kissed when somebody does this to me, he hung up! I'm going back to my old processor after this and he's 20 miles closer.

Years ago there was a joke about the owner of a local slaughterhouse,said he ate steak every night but never owned a head of cattle in his life.Never ever take an animal to a
place to be slaughtered that sells the same kind of meat.

There is some truth to what he said. Personally, I don't like anything that is much over about 16 months old. Guy I work for, gave me a half of a 24 month old Hereford steer. Talk about CHEWY!! Should have either had the whole thing ground, or more roasts. At least that way you stand a chance of getting it tender in the slow cooker.

They all have stores around here and sell retail cuts.

There's a lot to be said about knowing how to cook.
Most tough beef is caused by consumer's inexperience in kitchen, cut any roast the wrong direction and its tough or stringy.

To tell the truth, unless you're standing right there watching, I think most places skim at least some of the better stuff.

I think they pinched me pretty hard!

Has your customer picked up their side yet. Maybe a little comparison if they used a different butcher?

She picked up at the same time and wanted to know why she had 4.5 boxes and I had over 6. She wanted ground beef and hamburger patties. No chuck or round steaks or roasts.

Your totals don't sound right at all. Were your porterhouses 3 packages of two steaks in each or wrapped individual? Heck when we cut T bones from boxed short loins I think we get 20-24 steaks about an inch thick. Off that half of 460 you should have had .... guess 300lbs at least of meat. I don't buy the story of more waste on an older animal (other than backbone) but it may mean more gets ground up to hamburger at the most. I think I would take my beating since you really cant prove it and spread the word real well and never go back.

Single wrapped, I had almost as much ground beef left from last year as I got this time. I'm not sending anything else to them.

Temptation is just too much to resist,I stopped having animals slaughtered years ago. Now I buy the cuts we like on sale,freeze them and take live animals to auction barn.

There will be good and bad in all things. We have been using a packing house owned and run by Menonites in south central MO for many years and they do a great job. They are 2 hours from home but worth it.

Ground beef and hamburger patties mean less bone weight. Still, I think you got shafted. I"ve gone to half a dozen shops in 45 years...too many short you. In one, my original home town, the clerk carrying out the boxes even commented about how little it was. At home I put it on the TMR scale...was only 36% cutout.

Not to offend anyone but butchers and loggers can getcha pretty easy . Have had problems with both . Unless you are there , it's pretty easy to fool someone.