What to Expect When Buying a Quarter Cow
Farmers often sell cows and other large livestock (pigs, goats, sheep) by the quarter, half or whole. This is called a ‘custom sale’ and is approved for direct-to-market sales from your local Farmer.
Depending on the state, legally this may mean that you are buying a ‘cow share’ versus individual, specific cuts. Technically you are buying on the hoof, while the animal is still alive, and before it is processed by a butcher.
To take orders for a Cow Share, Farmers typically request a deposit before they commit to harvesting the animal. As a result, a Farmer can track orders from customers, manage their inventory, and line up processing dates with a butcher. Once the cow is harvested, your Cow Share is ‘weighed’ (also referred to as ‘hanging weight’) before it is actually processed into specific cuts.
A Quarter Cow might weigh between 160 and 225 lbs (depends on the age, breed, and feed). Let's assume the hanging weight price is $5/LB—your cost for that share would fall in the range of $800-$1125.
Your Cow Share will be cut, wrapped, labeled and frozen. When buying a quarter cow, you should know that you are paying for the Hanging Weight of the animal which is different than buying a single steak or roast at the store. Expect 25-40% of your Cow Share will be lost during the 14-28 days of hanging (moisture loss but improved flavor!), plus butchering (removing hide, cartilage, bone, etc.).
Let’s assume after the cuts and aging your Quarter Cow is 33% ‘lighter’ than the original Hanging Weight. Take home meat would likely range from 120-160 lbs of take-home meat (based on original weight less 33%). This means you will have 4-5 grocery bags full of mixed cuts (from New York steak to roasts to ground beef), and the math for your take home meat would be approximately $7 - 8 / LB.)
At Barn2Door, we support Farmers who run their business selling livestock for consumption (often called a “herdshare”), with software that enables Farmers to take deposits, track customers, offer various delivery or pickup options after processing. Farmers can showcase the price per LB and final estimated cost when you buy a quarter, half or whole animal. Farmers can track your order and Buyers receive a receipt of initial deposit, a receipt of final charge and a pickup reminder when your herdshare is available!
When shopping at a market in person, a butcher can weigh your product at the time of purchase. However, since online sales are not in person and large animals may not be harvested for weeks or months in advance, Barn2Door has built a patent-pending deposit feature so Farms can secure orders in advance. As a result, a Farmer can subsequently weigh individual items that can be reconciled against the original deposit amount. Because you may order items with different harvest dates --- 1/2 of a hog, and 1/4 side of beef --- Barn2Door also enables Farmers to apply final charges for items individually. .
For Buyers this means that you’re only charged the final remaining balance for items as they become available.
Are curious how to purchase direct from local, sustainable Farms? You can search LocalFarmFinder.com to find anything from grass fed beef to organic vegetables, direct from a Farmer in your community.
For the complete breakdown
You are not charged per pound of take-home meat.
You are charged per pound of hanging weight (e.g. $5 per pound). The amount of take-home meat will vary depending on details like the breed, butcher process, how long it hangs, etc.
Hanging weight is determined immediately after the animal is harvested—-and hung. After it is weighed, cows 'hang' for 14-28 days. This is an ideal range and it improves the taste.
Actual take-home meat will be 25-40% less than hanging weight. This is normal due to moisture loss during hanging, breed (ratio of meat to bone / non-meat) and cartilage / bones / waste during the butcher process.
Your average price of take-home meat is calculated once final take-home meat is weighed, and that is divided by your initial quarter share payment. In the above scenario, we estimated $7-8 per pound for take-home meat. This includes everything from ground to roasts to tenderloin and New York steaks.
You should expect a mix of steaks, roasts, ground and stew meat. Roughly speaking, 1/2 of your meat will be ground and stew, 1/4 will be roasts (chuck, shoulder, rump, sirloin tip etc.) and 1/4 will be steaks (sirloin, prime / rib, T-bone, filet mignon, tenderloin etc.).
In addition to meat, you have the option of requesting soup bones, dog bones, offal (oxtail, kidney, tongue, heart, tallow). Contact your Farmer directly for more information.
Many Farmers offer Standard Cut Sheet Options. If you want Custom Cuts (typically 20-30 minute conversation with the Butcher if you are fast at decisions!), it often costs a little more than Standard Cuts.
Support your local Farmer and invest in your local economy by purchasing food from local producers who employ sustainable practices and promote humane treatment of their animals.
To learn more, read our Seller Requirements.