How Beef Shares Work

When you buy a quarter or half cow, you are purchasing a portion of an entire animal. Here’s how it works:

1. Sizing Your Share

   • A half cow typically yields 200–250 pounds of meat after processing.

   • A quarter cow typically yields 100–125 pounds of meat after processing.

   • Exact amounts vary depending on the animal’s size and butchering.

2. Hanging Weight vs. Finished Meat

   • The hanging weight is the weight of the animal after slaughter but before trimming, deboning, and processing.

   • Finished meat (what you take home) is typically 60–65% of the hanging weight.

3. Cut Preferences

   • For ½ and Whole Orders. You can specify how you want your meat cut: steaks, roasts, ground beef, stew meat, etc.

   • We provide a cut sheet to record your preferences.

   • For ¼ Orders, there is a pre-selected standard cut

4. Storage & Pickup

   • Your share is packaged, labeled, and frozen for easy storage.

   • Pickups are scheduled as your portion becomes available.

5. Fair & Transparent

   • All shares come from the same whole animal, so each customer gets a proportional portion.

   • Timing depends on the processing schedule and current supply.

6. Supply Notes

   • Orders are placed in the order they are booked.

7. Pricing

   • A $100 deposit is due upon ordering to secure your share.

   • Priced at $6.50 per pound hanging weight.

   • Your final amount is calculated based on the hanging weight, not the finished meat weight.

   • You will receive a confirmation email after securing your spot, then a follow up email 2-3 weeks before completion with link to submit final cut sheet.