2.5# on 8 racks seems very low. I would think you could get at least 1#-1.5# per rack. The yield is really good though. I usually end up with about 1/3 of the raw packaged meat left after trimming, smoking, dehydrating. You got about 10% more than me.
Holy smokes, I see what I did here, the starting weight was as I said as well as the final weight. I did half of it last weekend and used the vertical as well as the GMG’s, yesterday we finished it up on the the vertical. 2 loads yesterday. Sorry about that.
EDIT. I also forgot to add that I based 2.5# on the times we only had 4 racks. Double it for 8. Notice the shinier rack supports.
Last weekend about 6 #’s between the vertical (with 4 racks) and probably 2#’s each on the GMG’s. Yesterday the balance of about 10#’s on 2 cooks.
I have told clearer stories drinking. For this one though no alcohol was harmed, sorry for the confusion.