I personally would start with a smaller creature if you have never 
processed an animal before. This IS a homesteading site. Butchering 
happens on many homesteads. Many people do not know how to do this 
and it is a skill that is at times needed. Case in point, I almost 
went out with a friend today to a farm where they had a 14 year old 
cow that was down and could not get up. Cattle have to get trucked 
from here as there are no processing plants. It was either, shoot 
her and let the wild animals have her, or process her and utilize 
the meat for my musher friends dogs.

If you have never butchered an animal before, I suggest you start 
with rabbits and chickens. Then perhaps a 4-5 month old goat kid. 

It helps if you have a tractor with bucket, many of the people 
around here that butcher on the farm for home use, have outside 
sheds for hanging the meat. It is cold enough here, that 
refrigeration is not needed. One family does 6 cows/steers twice 
yearly for all 15 families in their family. The whole crews come and 
help from start to finish.

Many people do not know where the different cuts of beef are from, 
so I found this little game on the net for you to play with. Dont 
take offense from the title of it.

http://www.mistupid.com/food/butcher.htm

This is a good article from Backwoods Home on home butchering. It is 
graphic, so you vegetarians or people who prefer not to know where 
your meat comes from, may want to avoid the link.

http://www.self-reliance.com/articles/geissal23.html

tenzicut


