FAQs

Question: What day of the week do you butcher?
Answer: Unless it is a holiday, we typically butcher every Thursday. Animals may be dropped off anytime Wednesday afternoon or Thursday before 10 a.m. All beef will be tagged using one of our tag numbers to maintain proper identification.

Question: Do you do custom labeling/pricing so I can resell it individually?
Answer: Yes. We work with a label company that will help you create a label with your business information and prices on it. We can label and price each vacuum packaged cut for a nominal fee.

Question: Will you butcher my animal inspected or non-inspected?
Answer: All animals that are brought in for our normal inspection day (Thursday) will be inspected. If you need an animal slaughtered outside of the inspection period, or you slaughtered the animal yourself, it will be processed as “NOT FOR SALE.”

Question: Do you have a mobile slaughter service that butchers on the farm?
Answer: No. All slaughtering is done at our facility. If you need animal(s) picked up please contact us prior to the butchering date.

Question: What will it cost to butcher/cut and package my animal?
Answer: All animals are billed on hanging weight. Hanging weight is the weight of an animal as it hangs on the rail.

Question: Who performs inspections?
Answer: There are two types of inspections, state and federal. A state inspection is regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP).

Question: Who regulates us?
Answer: We are regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

Question: What does it mean to be “inspected”?
Answer: There are a few types of inspections: slaughter, processing, and ready-to-eat. Pinter’s Packaging Plant, Inc. is assigned an inspector who monitors cleanliness and makes sure we follow regulation programs set by the state. This ensures that our products are safe to eat.

Question: Can anyone be inspected? Aren’t all meat shops inspected?
Answer: No. In order to be inspected, a facility must meet certain criteria set forth by the Department of Agriculture.

Question: What is HACCP?
Answer: HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. It is a customer approved plan that is developed by the meat plant. An inspector oversees the plan to make sure that it is being observed and followed.

Question: What times of the year do you accept boneless venison?
Answer: We accept and process venison year-round. No appointment is necessary. Customers may bring in their venison anytime during normal business hours.

Question: Do you accept whole deer?
Answer: Yes, we accept whole deer with the hide on. The processing fee for this service is $70.

Question: How much pork is added to the venison?
Answer: We add 40% pork to all venison orders. Bacon includes 50% pork. No pork is added to jerky.

Question: How much venison will I get back?
Answer: This chart shows how much venison customers can expect to get back. (Note: This is the amount that is mixed before going into the smokehouse and does not represent yield. Shrinkage in smokehouse varies between each product.)

Question: How is the bill calculated?
Answer: The bill is calculated by multiplying the weight of the product (prior to entering the smokehouse) by the price shown on our Venison Prices page. For example, if a customer brings in 15 pounds of venison and we add 40% pork, the result will be 25 pounds. If that 25 pounds is made into summer sausage with a price of $3.19 per pound, then the bill is calculated as follows: 25 x $3.19 = $79.75. The final yield will be approximately 24 pounds due to smokehouse shrinkage.

Question: What is your turnaround time on venison?
Answer: At Pinter’s we have a team of sausage specialists that process your meat as quickly and efficiently as possible. During peak times of the year turnaround time is approximately six weeks. During the summer months, the turnaround average is about three weeks.

Question: What is vacuum packaging?
Answer: The process of removing air around a food product and sealing the product in an impermeable package.

Question: Why vacuum packaging?
Answer: Vacuum packaging extends the shelf life of perishable products by three to five times the normal refrigerated/freezer life.

Question: How does vacuum packaging extend shelf life?
Answer: Removing the air that surrounds food inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold, yeast, and other spoilage microorganisms because they need oxygen to grow. Once the moist air is removed and the packaging is sealed, oxygen levels continue to drop and carbon dioxide levels increase. The low oxygen, high carbon dioxide environment significantly reduces the growth of normal spoilage organisms. This allows for a longer shelf life.

Question: Do vacuum packaged products still need to be refrigerated?
Answer: Yes. Some spoilage microorganisms are resistant to high carbon dioxide levels. Their growth is slowed by storing food products at lower temperatures.

Question: Who should vacuum packaging?
Answer: Anyone who buys, sells, transports, or stores perishable food products.

Question: What are the advantages of vacuum packaging?
Answer: Vacuum packaging makes it easier for customers to buy in bulk. It allows for a more efficient use of time in planning and preparing meals. Vacuum packaging saves customers money by reducing spoilage and trim losses. For a complete list of advantages, please see the Beef & Pork Prices page.