How much is a half of beef cut and wrapped in your neck of the woods. And how much volume is a half to you cut and wrapped, 450lbs?

I wish I could remember, it filled large chest freezer for have a cow. That's all I recall, if I remember I can dig through receipts but I think mine was closer to 350 hanging weight.

We get a whole grassfed Hereford steer from my in-laws every fall. Average live weight is 1,200#, hanging weight after slaughter is about 750#, and we end up with about 500# cut and wrapped in the freezer. That's a whole critter that has some of the cuts boneless, and other cuts bone-in.

I also know local beef farmers that will sell right off the farm, for about $2.50/# hanging weight, and you pay the butcher. That runs about $100 to slaughter/hang/cool the carcass, plus $0.65/# (again based on hanging weight), to process/cut/wrap. The butcher bill this year was $620.

I get a half Dexter from my dad’s farm every 6 months or so. They are smaller. I think I usually pay $150ish? Probably 250lbs of meat?

Funny you should mention this. I just saw this video a few days ago, it's quite current. I feel like I learned a lot from it. This guy puts forth some great info to know before you proceed.

Went through this recently for the first time. Didn't get my order in quick enough to
Get a whole side. Ended up reserving a quarter beef for next spring. Do you have a rancher lined up already?
-TVz

Thanks for that Gene. That answered a bunch of questions. Really appreciate it.

TVz, yes and we have used before. And he is a good rancher. Raise's good beef and has a good butcher.
Had to get clear in my mind of weights and volume vs pricing, etc. All seams right for this period in time. Thanks.

In my area, average on the hoof is 1000-1100lb for 12-15 month steers
Hanging weights 550-650lb(beef breeds)
Kill fees are $85-100
Processing $.85-$1 on hanging weight

I just picked mine up a couple of days ago. I got 240lbs. Vacuum sealed off of a 400lb. Hanging carcass. I paid $45 kill fee and .70 a pound hanging for a total of $325.00 for processing.

I charge $3/ pound hanging weight for black angus steers. They’ll average 600-800 pounds hanging weight whole. Kill bill is $35 and the butcher charges $.45/pound to process and vacuum seal.

Mine ends up being just over $3/lb.

The video posted say's $1750 for a half of beef in the freezer. He does not say but guessing that is about 300lbs. Which would equal $5.83lb for an assortment of cuts and about 70% burger give or take.

My side of beef was 277 pounds, total price was $1,331 ($4.80 a pound average)

The beef was $1036, the butcher was $295. I could get cheaper beef, but not the same quality. The butcher vacuum seals everything, no paper option (usually a little cheaper if available).

quote:

Originally posted by armedmd:
I charge $3/ pound hanging weight for black angus steers. They’ll average 600-800 pounds hanging weight whole. Kill bill is $35 and the butcher charges $.45/pound to process and vacuum seal.

Those are some great processing fees, might be worth bringing mine up there few at a time lol

I just picked up a 1/2 beef last weekend for $792. It was #210 hanging weight at $3/lb. Three weeks hanging, processing, and vacuum sealed was $.60/lb. I came away with #158 total pounds.

Got a whole cow coming in January. After processing it's $2560 for 480 lbs, or ~$5.31/lb. I taking a 1/4 for myself and splitting the rest with some friends.

I paid about $3,40 lb for the last 1/2 we bought this spring.

quote:

Kill bill is $35 and the butcher charges $.45/pound to process and vacuum seal.

The last one I had done may have been slightly higher, but that's pretty close. Killed, hung for 2 weeks, processed to my specs, and vac sealed.