Beef Hanging Weight
What is Hanging Weight?
What does Hanging Weight mean? The “Hanging Weight" is the weight of a cow after the initial kill of the animal, with the carcass remaining, after slaughter, processing, and removal of organs, head, blood, and skin. This is the effective weight of a carcass on the hook at the processing facility - commonly referred to as the Hanging Weight. Note, bones and water weight are still included in the final Hanging Weight before the aging process. Butchers expect you to pay for processing based on the Hanging Weight.
The importance of the Hanging Weight is that it is factored in by the processor for the Farm’s costs, but it is not the Final Weight of the products received by your Buyers. Instead, processing and butcher costs from the Hanging Weight must be factored into your cost basis to ensure positive margins for your Farm business (based on the Final Weight of actual products received by Buyers). Failure to do so will result in a loss in profits from your processing and service fees.
To learn more about the pricing you may encounter when working with Hanging Weight, including a cost breakdown, access the new blog:
Why Hanging Weight Matters
As a pastured protein producer, is it crucial to know the steps it takes to process, butcher and sell your beef. Your animal will lose weight throughout processing due to loss of organs, water weight, bones, and more. When selling Pre-Orders or Subscriptions to Buyers, you want to be aware of how much product they will receive, and accurately price your meat for profit. This is why it is crucial to understand the fluctuations in weight and processing costs for your animals. Hanging Weight is important to note, because this is the most accurate measurement of weight prior to aging and cuts. While it is important for you (as the Farmer) to understand Hanging Weight when determining your cost basis, it is not relevant to Buyers (who are unfamiliar with the terminology).
Average Hanging Weight of a Cow
The average Hanging Weight of a whole cow is between 500-800 pounds after it has been slaughtered and processed (this can vary significantly based on the breed, age and finishing of your animals). However, the Hanging Weight is not the total weight that Buyers will receive when acquiring your products (quarter, half or whole). The Final Weight of the actual products when received by Buyers is roughly +/- 60% of the Hanging Weight. This is due to bones and water weight being removed.
If your animals are raised consistently (to the same size, age and Live Weight prior to butchering), then you can typically estimate your average Hanging Weight after processing. This can help when it comes to planning ahead for Subscriptions and Pre-Orders. Using Barn2Door, your Farm can set an estimated Final Weight and cost per pound to charge Buyers, to accurately charge buyers for the actual products received.
Live Weight vs. Hanging Weight vs. Cut Weight
Various weights of an animal depend on whether the animal is alive, processed and/or cut. These specifications can affect the price of the animal, as well as the products a Buyer may receive. It is important for the Farm to be transparent about the weight specifications they choose to use when selling to Buyers, so they know exactly what they will get. The distinctions between each type of weight will affect the cost of the animal and the margins a Farmer will receive on a purchase.
Live Weight is the weight of a given animal prior to any slaughtering or processing. Selling by Live Weight means the Buyer is responsible for the butcher and processing fees once they buy the animal. This takes the extra work (and costs - kill and processing fees) out of the hands of the Farmer, but it is not attractive to Buyers who simply want to purchase actual products. When selling by Live Weight, there are background costs they may not be aware of, and it will require additional education and explanation in your marketing and sales efforts (lowering conversion).
Hanging Weight is more accurate for determining the actual processing costs than Live Weight, since most processors charge by this cost. However, most Buyers are unfamiliar with the concept of Hanging Weight, leading to more education and explanation in your marketing and sales efforts (lowering conversion). Additionally, there is shrinkage when purchasing by Hanging Weight, since weight will be lost once the animal is cut and processed, which may lead to additional Buyer confusion. Transparency is crucial when selling directly to Buyers by Hanging Weight.
As a Farmer or Rancher, it is important to understand this terminology to best manage your business, accurately calculate your costs, and improve your profit margins. Note, however, that less than 3% of Americans own a chest freezer and will never buy an animal by the quarter, half or whole. The most successful producers selling direct-to-consumer, sell their products by the actual Final Weight - it is the easiest for Buyers to understand (and requires no explanation or education by the Farmer or Rancher).
Key Terminology
Live Weight
The “Live Weight” of an animal is the full weight of an animal as-is standing on pasture, in your trailer on a scale before the animal has been killed. The Live Weight reflects the total weight of an animal in its natural state. Depending on the age, breed and finishing of your animals, the live weight of a cow typically ranges from 1,000-1,800 pounds.
Pro: Helps Buyers break down the weight percentage of the meat they will get versus the animal weight (Hanging Weight is 50-60% of live weight).
Con: If you are selling meat directly to your community, this weight is irrelevant to Buyers in relation to the actual product costs.
Hanging Weight
The “Hanging Weight” is the weight of an animal after it is slaughtered and processed, hung on the hook at the processor (but has not yet been cut down). This weight does not include skin, organs, head or blood. This weight is typically taken and used by the processor for charging. No matter what the final weight is (which could range from 50-60%), the cost charged by your Butcher would remain the same. This often leads to confusion for Buyers who do not understand the concept.
Pro: This is how processors charge for their services, so this weight is the most accurate when determining your cost basis (and should be factored into your prices).
Con: This is not the final weight Buyers will receive for the actual products, without water weight and bones, and cut. This weight is irrelevant to Buyers in relation to the actual product costs.
Final Weight (or “Cut Weight”)
The “Final Weight” of an animal is the net weight of a cow after the carcass has been aged and cut, bones removed (as applicable) and water weight has diminished (especially if the meat is dry-aged). Buyers expect to pay for your products based on the Final Weight per pound. Once a carcass is aged and cut, water weight and bones are not included in the final weight. After processing, the final packaged weight of a whole cow typically comes out to be around 400 - 500 pounds of trimmed and de-boned meat.
Pro: This is the weight of the actual products purchased by your Buyers, eliminating any confusion of what is/is not included in the final packaging. It does not require any explanation to any type of Buyer (leading to the highest conversion).
Con: This is not the weight used by processors when charging your Farm. As a result, it is critically important for your Farm to factor in the Hanging Weight, kill fee, and other processing/butcher charges to optimize your profit margins.
Conclusion
Understanding Hanging Weight is crucial when selling meat direct to market. With consistent animal production and finishing, your Farm or Ranch can begin to predict your average Hanging Weight to better estimate your costs basis, optimize your margins, and project your income. Keep it simple for Buyers - our most successful Farms and Ranches sell their products by Final Weight. Unless a Buyer asks for details, do not confuse prospective customers with unnecessary terminology (e.g. Live Weight, Hanging Weight) - you’ll lower conversion. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to ensure all your costs are covered in the butchering process, to make it a simple and easy purchase experience for Buyers.
Barn2Door offers software for Independent Farmers to create and promote their brand, sell online and in-person, and save time managing their business. If you’re curious to learn more, watch this 5-minute video.