Buying Half a Cow for the First Time: The Complete Guide
From deciding if it's right for you to sitting down to your first home-raised steak. Everything you need, nothing you don't.
10 min read
Tom has been buying half and whole cows from local farms for his own family since 2009. He spent 15 years working with small-scale cattle operations and now helps families find and evaluate farm-direct beef suppliers through Half a Cow Club's directory of 1,200+ producers.
Quick Answer
Buying half a cow costs $1,500-3,500 total and gets you 200-250 lbs of beef (every cut from ground to filet mignon) at an effective price of $6-10/lb. You'll need a chest freezer with 8-10 cubic feet of space. The process takes 3-6 months from deposit to pickup.
The basic steps: find a farm, place a deposit, wait for harvest, fill out a cut sheet telling the butcher how you want your meat processed, then pick up your beef and load the freezer. This guide walks through every step.
Step 1: Decide If Buying Bulk Is Right for You
After helping thousands of families find bulk beef through our directory, we've learned that buying half a cow is a great deal for most people, but it's not for everyone. Before you commit, ask yourself these questions:
It makes sense if...
- Your family eats beef 2+ times a week
- You have space for a chest freezer
- You can spend $1,500-3,500 upfront
- You cook a variety of meals (burgers, steaks, roasts, stews)
- You care about where your food comes from
It might not work if...
- You only eat beef occasionally
- You live in a small apartment with no freezer space
- You only want premium cuts (ribeye, filet)
- You can't wait 3-6 months for delivery
- The upfront cost is a stretch
Not sure about the size? A quarter cow is half the commitment at $750-1,500 for 100-125 lbs. Or you can split a half with friends to share the cost.
Step 2: Understand What It Actually Costs
The total cost has three parts. Most farms quote by hanging weight, which is the weight of the carcass after harvest but before butchering into individual cuts.
1. Hanging Weight Price (paid to the farm)
This is the per-pound price for the animal itself. Typical range: $3.50-6.00/lb hanging weight. A half cow hangs at 300-400 lbs, so you're paying $1,050-2,400 to the farm.
2. Processing Fee (paid to the butcher)
The butcher charges to cut, wrap, and freeze your meat. Typical range: $0.90-1.50/lb hanging weight plus a kill fee of $50-150. For a half cow: $320-750 in processing.
3. Your Take-Home Meat
You won't take home the full hanging weight. After trimming and bone removal, expect 60-65% of hanging weight as packaged meat. A 350 lb hanging weight becomes 200-230 lbs in your freezer. Learn more in our weight conversion guide.
Example Total Cost
- Hanging weight: 350 lbs x $5.00/lb = $1,750
- Processing: 350 lbs x $1.00/lb = $350
- Kill fee: $85
- Total: $2,185 for ~220 lbs of meat = $9.93/lb effective
That $9.93/lb gets you everything from ground beef to filet mignon. Use our price calculator to estimate costs for your area.
Step 3: Find a Farm or Supplier
This is where most first-timers get stuck. After building a directory of 1,200+ farms and reviewing their practices, here's what we've learned about finding a reputable supplier:
Use a directory
We list 1,200+ farms, butchers, co-ops, and online suppliers across 40+ states. You can browse by state and city to find what's near you.
Ask the right questions
Before you buy, ask: What breed do you raise? How are they finished (grass or grain)? How long do you dry-age? What processor do you use, and are they USDA-inspected? What does the price include? When is the next harvest? Can I visit the farm?
Look for red flags
Be cautious if a farm can't tell you the breed, won't let you visit, has no website or reviews, or offers prices that seem too good to be true. A healthy market price is $3.50-6.00/lb hanging weight. Below $3.00 should raise questions about animal quality.
Step 4: Place Your Order and Wait
Once you've found a farm you trust, here's the typical process:
Place a deposit
Most farms require $100-500 upfront to reserve your spot. This is usually non-refundable but applied to your final bill.
Wait for harvest
Harvest timing depends on the farm. Most process in late summer through fall when cattle are at peak weight from summer grazing. Some farms process year-round.
Fill out your cut sheet
2-4 weeks before processing, the farm or butcher sends you a cut sheet. This is where you choose steak thickness, roast sizes, how much ground beef, and specialty items. Don't stress - the butcher has standard options that work well for beginners.
Pay the balance
After processing, you'll get a final invoice based on the actual hanging weight (not estimated). Pay the remaining balance minus your deposit.
Pick up your beef
Most orders are picked up at the processor. Bring coolers and blankets to keep things frozen during transport. Some farms offer delivery or shipping. See our delivery guide for details.
Step 5: Get Your Freezer Ready
Don't wait until pickup day to figure out freezer space. Here's what you need:
| Share Size | Packaged Weight | Freezer Space Needed | Freezer Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter Cow | 100-125 lbs | 4-5 cubic feet | $150-250 |
| Half Cow | 200-250 lbs | 8-10 cubic feet | $200-400 |
| Whole Cow | 400-500 lbs | 16-20 cubic feet | $400-700 |
A chest freezer is the most popular choice. They're cheaper, more energy-efficient, and hold more than uprights. Buy your freezer at least a week before pickup so it's fully cold. Use our freezer space calculator to find the right size.
10 Mistakes First-Time Buyers Make
These come directly from conversations with farmers and buyers in our network. We see the same regrets come up again and again:
1. Not asking what kind of animal you're buying
A properly finished steer or heifer tastes completely different from an old dairy cow. Ask the farm specifically: is this a beef breed? How old at harvest? Was it finished on grass or grain?
2. Not planning freezer space before ordering
Half a cow needs 8-10 cubic feet. Your kitchen freezer probably has 3-5. Buy the chest freezer before you place the deposit.
3. Expecting to take home the full hanging weight
If you're quoted 350 lbs hanging weight, you'll take home 200-230 lbs of packaged meat. The rest is bone, fat, and moisture lost during aging. This is normal.
4. Not customizing the cut sheet
If you don't fill out the cut sheet, the butcher makes default choices. You might end up with roasts when you wanted stew meat, or 2-lb ground beef packages when you cook for two.
5. Being surprised by how much ground beef you get
About 40-50% of your take-home meat is ground beef. That's normal. If you don't cook with ground beef regularly, consider asking for more stew meat, kabob meat, or patties instead.
6. Forgetting to budget for processing
The price the farm quotes is just for the animal. Processing adds $300-750 on top. Always ask for total out-the-door cost upfront.
7. Waiting too long to order
Popular farms sell out months in advance. Some book a full year ahead. If you want fall beef, start looking in winter or early spring.
8. Not requesting bones, fat, and organs
You're paying for the whole animal. If you don't check the boxes for soup bones, marrow bones, liver, heart, and suet on the cut sheet, the processor keeps or discards them.
9. Expecting it to taste like grocery store beef
Farm-direct beef, especially grass-finished, has a different flavor profile. It's often leaner and more "beefy." Most people prefer it once they adjust, but the first few meals may taste unfamiliar.
10. Trying to fit half a cow in a kitchen freezer
It will not fit. A standard top-mount kitchen freezer has 3-5 cubic feet. You need 8-10. Don't learn this on pickup day.
What Cuts You'll Get from Half a Cow
Every half cow is different, but here's a typical breakdown for 220 lbs of packaged meat:
Ground Beef: ~90 lbs (40%)
Burgers, tacos, meatloaf, chili, pasta sauce
Roasts: ~45 lbs (20%)
Chuck roast, rump roast, arm roast, brisket
Steaks: ~45 lbs (20%)
Ribeye, NY strip, sirloin, T-bone, filet mignon
Other: ~40 lbs (18%)
Stew meat, short ribs, soup bones, organ meats
For the full breakdown of every cut and what to do with each one, see our complete beef cuts guide.
Typical Timeline
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to buy half a cow?
A half cow typically costs $1,500-3,500 total, depending on your region, the farm, and the breed. This breaks down to roughly $6-10 per pound of take-home meat. That price includes all cuts from ground beef to ribeye and filet mignon. You'll also pay a separate processing fee of $0.90-1.50 per pound hanging weight, plus a kill fee of $50-150.
How long does it take to get your beef after ordering?
Plan for 3-6 months from deposit to pickup. Popular farms book out 6-12 months in advance. After the animal is harvested, it hangs for 10-21 days (dry aging), then the butcher needs 1-2 weeks to cut, wrap, and freeze your order. The total from harvest to pickup is usually 3-5 weeks.
Do I need a special freezer for half a cow?
Yes. A half cow (200-250 lbs of packaged meat) needs 8-10 cubic feet of freezer space. A standard kitchen freezer won't cut it. Most buyers get a chest freezer (7-10 cu ft costs $200-400). The freezer pays for itself in savings within 1-2 bulk purchases.
Can I choose what cuts I get?
Yes, you'll fill out a "cut sheet" that lets you choose steak thickness, roast sizes, how much ground beef, and whether you want specialty items like bones, organs, and stew meat. Your butcher will walk you through the options. Our cut sheet guide covers everything you need to know.
What if I don't eat that much beef?
Consider a quarter cow instead (100-125 lbs, needs 4-5 cubic feet of freezer space, costs $750-1,500). Or split a half with a friend or neighbor. Many families of four go through a quarter cow in 6-9 months and a half cow in 10-14 months.
Is it really cheaper than the grocery store?
For most families, yes. Bulk beef averages $6-10/lb for all cuts combined. At the grocery store, ground beef runs $5-7/lb but ribeye costs $16-22/lb and filet is $25-35/lb. When you average all cuts, buying bulk saves 30-50%. The savings are biggest on premium steaks.
How Much Does a Half Cow Cost?
Related Guides
Related Calculators
Sources & Methodology
Pricing data is based on a review of farms listed in our directory across 40+ states, cross-referenced with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service beef market reports. Processing fees reflect 2025-2026 rates from custom processors nationwide. Yield percentages (60-65% of hanging weight) align with USDA and university extension office guidelines.
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service - Weekly National Cattle and Beef Summary
- Penn State Extension - Understanding Beef Carcass Yields and Losses
- Oklahoma State University Extension - Buying a Side of Beef
- Half a Cow Club supplier directory - 1,200+ verified listings
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