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The Cost of Raw

1.6K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  Neeko  
#1 ·
So I did a little math today. We were supposed to go and harvest a goat yesterday, but at the last minute hubster decided it was "unnecessary," since we have all the beef trim we can use right now. Explaining that the girls also need bone every day to make their poops good, he said we would just buy a case of chicken drumsticks. We even got a Costco membership.

So here's what I came up with: My girls each eat one lb. per day.
The beef trim we are getting for 25 cents a pound. The girls each get 1/2 lb. of beef trim each day.

We just got a bulk package of chicken drumsticks for 96cents a lb. at Costco. The package had 30 drumsticks, which I re-packaged into 15 pairs. The girls each get one pair of drumsticks each day. This balances out their poops and makes it nice and tidy.

My in-laws will sell me a goat for $30 each. My sil said they are pygmy/boar crosses, and weigh about 120 lbs, live. I figure I would get 60% of that back after slaughter, bleeding, and removal of intestines.

So here's the math I worked out:

Beef Trim @ .25 per lb. per day, x 30 days = $7.50 per month
Chicken drumsticks @ 15 pr. Of drumsticks for $10.00, 2pr. Per day = 7.5 pr. Of drumsticks per week for $40.00 per month
Grand total of $47.50 per month

One goat yielding 84lbs. of dog food for $30 @ 1lb. per day = 84 days = $10.80 per month (60% of 120 lb. live after slaughter)
Beef Trim @ $7.50 per month
Grand total of $18.30 per month


I went ahead and slipped my sil the $30 for one goat when hubster wasn't looking, because I know they are struggling and they were really counting on the extra money-- even just $30. I told her to just keep it fat for me, lol. And she said when the time comes, I get to have my pick of any one in their herd! Is that awesome, or what?

Here's the other comparisons: Ol Roy 50lb. bag costs $20 and lasts six weeks. VF 40 lbs. bag is $23 per month.

Maybe this can help others who are still on the fence about raw feeding, and worried about the cost... Yes, you gotta have connections, but still... even buying chicken at Costco is comparable to the high-end kibbles out there!

And I have decided I am going to go get that goat. I just won't tell the hubby what my plans are, that's all. He won't know until I come home with a bunch of meat and stuff it in the freezer, heh, heh, heh.

But I'm also hoping that showing him these calculations will persuade him into realizing that a whole grass fed goat for $30 is way better than a commercially farmed chicken from Costco for 96 cents per lb.!
 
#2 ·
That is great that you are so prudent to do the math.

This is my first year of feeding raw full time. Since 2007 I was feeding my dogs kibble but would give them "raw days".

I have 3 dogs and two of them are over 100 pounds. I feed about 4.5 lbs every day! At first I was concerned about the cost. We do not have money. But, I didn't want that to stop me. I located a place to buy beef heart and chicken backs as a staple. The price is alright but not spectacular. Then I started posting craigslist ads.I go to a slaughter house on occasion for some cheap tripe and tracheas. I had my husband get the word out to his farmer friends to keep us in mind when they butchered an animal, that we could use what they noprmally throw out for the coyotes. I have friends and family call mee if they see a fresh roadkill deer. (Yeah, hardcore!!!) I also hit up deer processors.

The last time I bought red meat (it was beef heart and tongue) was in May! I also keep an eye out at the grocery stores. Early this summer I found clearance chicken leg quarters for .23 cents a pound and bought 100 pounds of it. I figured out that since May, I averaged about 50 a month up until november. That will continue to lower until I have to buy again.
No way could I feed my dogs a good kibble on 50 bucks a month! I have been blessed to get a lot of free meat. That just does not happen with kibble. I know I will not always be able to get free meat but I have a lot of good sources to help me afford to feed my dogs what I believe to be the best diet.
 
#3 ·
I think there is a few people who feed kibble that is way more expensive than oroy which goes more like this 38lbs bag for 76.00 so I think that comes to about 2.00 a pound and I have four dogs that 38lbs would last about 10 days well anyway do the math. So I figure anything I get under 1.00 a pound is good. And I feed beef heart, pork heart, deer, turkey and chicken necks and chicken and fish and what ever else comes my way. My dogs love goat, they go for about 80.00 for one here and then you have to pay a guy about the same to slaughter it way to expensive :(
 
#5 ·
I developed a spreadsheet to track my raw costs. I am currently spending .62 per pound to feed my dogs and they eat good. They eat deer, beef and beef heart, pork, lamb and lamb heart, duck wings and gizzards, eggs, chicken for bone, goat (rare due to cost), and fish (mackeral, salmon heads. anchovy). They eat about 4 pounds per week so I spend $2.50 a week to feed them both. Granted they are small but no way could I feed quality kibble for that price.
 
#6 ·
I have a spreadsheet too but I don't do that well! I'm happy with keeping it under $2/lb because I don't have any deer connections or free meat scores.

OP I would think you could get quarters on sale for under .96/lb so keep hunting for a deal on that and you can do even better :) Also, have you thought about where you are going to get 5% liver and 5% kidney's (or other organs) from once you get to organs in your transition?
 
#7 ·
Mine depends on the time of year lol, if I have to buy meat they get chicken, turkey, pork, beef, fish and rabbit, average about $1.20, might run me up to $100 a month, I could do it cheaper but I like them to eat well and get variety. Around here TOTW is like $55 and a bag would last 2.5 weeks. I'm saving a little money on feeding the cat since we buy in bulk. Right now it's deer season and I probably won't buy meat for a few months.
 
#8 ·
Since acquiring Faolan, I have been feeding three dogs a total of about 200 lbs per month. I track my expenses. Since August I have spent $657 for roughly 800 lbs of meat.

My staples are chicken quarters, beef heart and pork heart. I also feed beef and pork tongue, goat, sheep, lamb, and turkey heats, and various organs.