Buying Your Finished Beef

You are paying for us to raise a finished beef steer for you and deliver the steer to the processor once it reaches market weight.

We are offering 1/2, and 1/4 animals.
- Please note: 1/4 animals are the same price per pound hanging weight as a whole animal. Because you are splitting an animal with 4 customers, a 1/4 has a standard butchering option with limited personal butchering options such as thickness of steak or how you would like your ribs processed. A mixed 1/4 will receive 1/4 of the packages of each particular cut of meat.

You are required to pay for the processor’s fee in addition to the price of meat per hanging weight.

There’s a lot of information here, so be sure to ask any questions if you have any!

Hanging Weight Price:

Overall price will vary depending on the exact weight of your steer at slaughter time.
You will owe $4.50* per pound hanging weight to us, payable in two parts, a non-refundable deposit due upon ordering with buying contract and the balance paid when the hanging weight is determined at slaughter. The meat will hang at the butcher for 10-14 days, your check for the balance must clear prior to pickup of the meat. Please plan accordingly.
Deposit:
- 1/4 steer: $100 deposit
- 1/2 steer: $200 deposit
- Whole steer: $300 deposit

*Price is subject to change without notice.*

Butcher Details:

You will owe a slaughter fee and processing fees to the butcher upon meat pickup. We are not in charge of processor fees, and they are subject to change. We are not responsible for any cutting errors made by the butcher.
Processing Fees Extra- approximately $0.80-0.85/ lb hanging weight.
All 1/2’s and 1/4’s animals are butchered at Rainbow Packing in Escanaba (USDA certified.)
For those ordering whole animals: We recommend Rainbow Packing in Escanaba (USDA certified.) If you are ordering a whole animal and have a preference for a different processor, we can deliver there. Depending on distance, a delivery fee might apply. Note: Due to increased demand, we currently do not have whole animals available.
If you are buying a whole or half animal, you are required to communicate with the processor/ butcher about how you want your steer cut.

Cow Details:

We aim for a live weight of around 1200-1300 pounds per finished steer. This results in approximately 700-750 pounds hanging weight and approximately 450-500 pounds of meat for your freezer.
Remember: the price that one pays is based on the hanging weight. The average weight losses from cutting and trimming make up about 25% of a yield grade 3 carcass. When buying beef one must be familiar with how much fat is on the carcass because this will influence the amount of product in the packages. A rule of thumb for carcass beef is 25% waste, 25% ground beef and stew meat, 25% in steaks, and 25% in roasts. More details: Buying Beef for Home Freezers.

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Example for Whole Finished Beef:

*box weight price/lb varies by butcher and consumer’s cutting preferences

Buying Carcass Beef Rules of Thumb:

25% waste (e.g. bone and fat, % varies per carcass, butcher, and how you prefer to have your meat packaged: For example, if you want a higher % fat in hamburger/sausage or want soup bones there is less waste.)
25% burger and stew meat
25% roasts
25% steaks

Pickup Logistics

The pickup date and location will be assigned to you based on location of all orders placed and availability.
The meat is already frozen and will come in boxes when you pick it up. A whole steer will fit in 4-5 large coolers.

Calculating How Much Freezer Space You Need:

As a general rule, 50 pounds of meat will fit in 2.25 cubic feet of freezer space. For comparison, this amount of space is about the equivalent of an empty freezer compartment of an average-sized home refrigerator. Any quantity larger than this will require a stand-alone freezer. Chest freezers generally use space better than upright freezers.