Farm
Hillside Beef
Elkins
★5.0(12)Local beef supplier in Elkins, Arkansas. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Natural
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View DetailsBuy Half a Cow in Elkins, Arkansas
2 local suppliers selling bulk beef in the Elkins area. Prices in Arkansas typically range $9.00-10.50/lb per pound.
Avg. Rating
5 stars
18 reviews
Half Cow Cost
$2,000-2,500
in Arkansas
Best Season
May-July
peak availability
Hanging Weight
$4.00-5.75/lb
before processing
When to Buy in Arkansas
The 'Golden Window' for Arkansas beef is May through July. Cattle finishing in late spring graze the 'spring flush' of lush grass, gaining weight rapidly and promoting tenderness. Avoid August-September when fescue toxicity peaks. The 'Deer Season Bottleneck' (mid-October through January) makes processing nearly impossible - book by late summer for fall/winter beef.
2 Suppliers in Elkins
Farm
Mashie Farm
Elkins
★5.0(6)Local beef supplier in Elkins, Arkansas. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Natural
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View DetailsLocal Tip for Arkansas Buyers
The 'fescue toxicity' factor is your quality control metric. When cattle consume infected Kentucky-31 fescue during summer heat, they suffer heat stress that can reduce marbling and create tougher meat. Ask your farmer about their fescue management strategy - novel-endophyte varieties, clover interseeding, or moving cattle to summer annuals. May-July harvest captures animals before the heat/toxicity peak.
Other Cities in Arkansas
Frequently Asked Questionsabout buying beef in Arkansas
01
What does half a cow cost in Arkansas?
A half cow in Arkansas costs $2,000-2,500 total. At $5.00/lb hanging weight (360 lbs), you pay the farmer ~$1,800, plus $65 slaughter fee (half share) and $1.15/lb processing (~$415), totaling ~$2,280. Your take-home yield is about 234 lbs, making effective cost approximately $9.74/lb for everything from filet mignon to ground beef.
02
What is 'fescue toxicity' and why does it matter for Arkansas beef?
Arkansas lies in the 'Fescue Belt' where Kentucky-31 grass hosts a fungal endophyte toxic to cattle. During summer heat (June-August), affected cattle suffer from reduced feed intake, heat stress, and poor weight gain - potentially producing leaner, tougher beef. Ask your farmer about fescue management: novel-endophyte varieties, clover dilution, or summer annual grazing mitigates this issue.
03
Why can't I get beef processed in November-January in Arkansas?
The 'Deer Season Bottleneck' overwhelms Arkansas processors from mid-October through January. Thousands of deer carcasses flood small lockers, and many simply stop accepting beef. If you want beef for the holidays, schedule slaughter by late September. The 'Golden Window' is May through July when processors are less burdened and cattle quality peaks.
04
Why is it hard to find beef in the Delta (Eastern Arkansas)?
The Delta's deep alluvial soils are among the most valuable in the world for row crops - rice, soybeans, cotton, corn. Pasturing cattle on land that could produce 200 bushels of corn per acre is economically irrational. Local herds are virtually non-existent. Strategy: source from Crowley's Ridge (Sunshine Farms, Jonesboro) or use delivery services from farms like 2 Rivers that run routes into the Delta.