Reservations and Availability

 

When should I make my reservation?
Since Patriot Cattle Company typically butchers once a year, they request buyers place their reservations as soon as possible. This forecasting ensures enough animals are retained to meet locker beef demands. We will reach out to prospective buyers in the early spring (around the time they wean calves from their mothers) to determine how many animals need to be held back. We practice a "first come first serve policy" and priority will be given to buyers who pay their non-refundable security deposit first. 

What size quantities can I reserve?
Beef orders are reserved in the following quantities: ¼  ,  ½  , and whole. Patriot Cattle does not sell individual cuts of meat or meat by the pound.

 

When do I pay my security deposit?
PCC requires a 50%, non-refundable security deposit (¼ = $250, ½ = $500, Full = $1,000), to be paid directly upon reservation confirmation. Payments are expected immediately upon receipt of your invoice. This fee will be applied to your total purchase price after the animal’s hanging weight is known. 

Can I go in on a share with family or friends?
Absolutely! However, such coordination should be conducted among the participating buyers of the share, not Patriot Cattle Company, nor the butcher. Division of payments and meat will need to be handled among your family and friends. 

                                                           Butchering Specifics
 

Do I need to make a reservation with the butcher?
No. Patriot Cattle Company will reserve a date with a local butcher and deliver the animal to the meat processing facility on your behalf. We will attempt to select butchers within a close proximity to buyers’ locations, but no guarantees can be made (regular locations: Grangeville, Greencreek & Lewiston, ID).

Do I need to contact the butcher?
No. The butcher will reach out to you. Patriot Cattle Company provides the butcher with your contact information, and any special requests, when the animals are dropped off to be slaughtered. The butcher will contact you to discuss the specifics of your cutting and wrapping requests, before beginning processing of the animal. Please be sure to share your BEST contact information, as this will be provided to to the butcher. We will not share this information with any other entities.

Will I be able to make special request for HOW my share is processed?
Yes. Buyers will communicate directly with the butcher to ensure the beef is processed according to their individual specifications. If ordering a 1/2 beef, you will have complete control over your cutting and wrapping specifications. With a 1/4 beef, specific cutting an wrapping requests may be more limited.

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Can I request organs, bones, fat, etc.?
Yes! You can discuss those specifics with the butcher directly. However, please keep in mind that other buyers who are sharing your animal, may want the same organs or "extras." Patriot Cattle asks that you communicate any of these special requests to us immediately. This will allow us to disperse buyers, who many be desiring similar "extras," across various animals. 

Is there an extra charge for organs, bones, fat, etc.?
Currently, Patriot Cattle Company does not charge extra for these parts. There may be additional cutting and wrapping fees added by the butcher, for processing these items. PCC encourages you to ask the butcher directly. 

 

                                                     Timing and Delivery

 

When should I expect to get my meat?
Customers can expect to pick-up their meat from the processing facility approximately 2 weeks after the scheduled butcher date. Many butchers add daily storage fees for any pick-up delays extending past specified pick-up times.

Do you deliver the beef or do I pick-up my own order?
All buyers are expected to pick-up their own meat. However, Patriot Cattle Company has accommodated deliveries to northern and southern Idaho. These deliveries are not guaranteed with your reservation and are coordinated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the number of buyers from your area. (Example: delivery may become available to southern Idaho if 2-3 customers order from the same region). This being said, we encourage buyers to share our locker beef information with your local friends and family; this can increase your chances of delivery!

Will you ship meat?
Unfortunately, we are unable to ship orders.

When does PCC typically schedule butcher dates?
This is dependent on the butchers' availability; we typical makes reservations between December and February.

Why do we have to make our reservations so early?
Since Patriot Cattle Company only butchers one time a year, knowing reservations early is critical to our decision making process throughout the year. While butchering takes place late in the year, we wean our calves in early spring. It's during the weaning process that PCC needs to decide whether or not they retain animals for butchering. It's simply not cost efficient to retain animals if we cannot guarantee they'd be claimed.

Does PCC ever have beef available during other times of the year?
Occasionally, although it's uncommon and typically unpredictable. If you'd like to make a reservation, but are hoping to acquire your meat at another time throughout the year, please indicate that desire within the "Notes/Questions" section of the reservation form. Should we have an unplanned butcher opportunity arise, we will reach out to you!


                                                     Prices and Payment
 

How much does it cost?
Patriot Cattle Company charges a flat rate of $4 per pound, for the hanging weight of the animal. Cutting/wrapping fees are determined by the butcher and may vary from year to year. Butchers typically have a cutting and wrapping fee (by pound of hanging weight) as well as a kill fee which is evenly dispersed among buyers, based on the size of their reserved share. 
***Please reference the 'Quick Facts' infographic above for a more detailed price breakdown.***

                                                         Beef Specifics
 

What do you feed your cattle?
During the spring and summer months, our animals are grazing on pasture, meaning they consume natural grasses. During the late fall and winter, when fresh grass is not available, animals get a mixture of alfalfa and grass hay which is grown here on the ranch. They also receive free-choice salt and minerals throughout the year.

How do you "finish" the animals you're preparing to butcher?  
Approximately three months before an animal's butcher date, Patriot Cattle Company begins to supplement the beeves' diets. This consists of alfalfa and grass hay, with a moderate amount of whole oats and canola meal. This supplementation serves several purposes. First, it provides the animal with essential nutrients during the winter months when weather is cold and fresh feed is unavailable. Second, it helps the animal develop a healthy amount of marbling (interstitial fat), which results in more tender and juicier beef.

Are you animals given growth hormones?
No, our animals do not receive any type of growth hormone.

Have your animals been treated with antibiotics?
Many people are concerned about residual antibiotics within the meat they're consuming. It is known that some feedlot cattle are fed low-level antibiotics during the feedlot period, in order to prevent illness and increase rate of gain. While PCC does not implement this practice, they WILL administer antibiotics to any of their animals that may be sick or dealing with infections. PCC refuses to let any of their animals suffer unnecessarily. Please keep in mind these treatments are a case-by-case basis and short term. If an animal intended for butcher, requires this type of medical intervention, PCC adheres to very strict withdrawal periods prior to butcher. Rest assured, any animal being butchered will be safe for consumption. 

Do you give your animals vaccines?
Yes, we do. However, we do not administer vaccines unnecessarily. Each one is considered standard and essential to the overall health of the animal. We also adhere to a strict withdrawal period. No animals are sent to the butcher if they do not meet those standards. Beware of the “mRNA” scare tactic/marketing ploy. Currently, there are no mRNA vaccines approved for cattle. This means, NO COWS have been vaccinated utilizing mRNA vaccine technology. Some producers selling locker beef may advertise, “No mRNA,” implying other people’s cattle have potentially been vaccinated using the technology. Patriot Cattle would be more than happy to provide a copy of our vaccination schedule to anyone purchasing beef. We would never discourage anyone from doing their own research.