Interesting read.
I helped a friend process a 1000 lb. steer not too long ago. It wasn't really by choice. The steer got spooked being loaded and in the end had to be put down. We lucked out that we had several days of sub freezing weather, a John Deer loader, a bunch of freezers, and a chainsaw. And most importantly David Bouska's phone #! The advice I got from David helped a lot!
When we started I learned that I'd forgotten most of what I learned watching my grandfather. I learned that it's a lot different than processing game animals that I'm familiar with. I learned that the sheer size of the animal becomes a huge issue. I learned that if I ever intend to do that regularly I'll have to invest in a walk in cooler, because I'm just not fast enough to process a large animal in August here in Texas. I also learned that a little Jack Russel will bark at the head for hours if allowed.
Even though "Norman" wasn't finished on grain, the ground beef has a much better flavor than what I can buy in the grocery store. The Cabela's grinder, will grind as fast as I can feed it, and I can control the true amount of fat. Maybe we will have a walk in, by the time the calf we're partners in is ready. His name is Zip-Loc.