Skip to main content

Buy Half a Cow in California

Quick Answer

Half a cow in California costs $3,000-4,500 ($12.00-16.00/lb per pound take-home). There are 27 local suppliers to choose from. Best time to buy: May-July. Most farms offer grass-fed beef.

California has 5.05 million total cattle with 630,000 dedicated beef cows. The state is bifurcated: the Central Valley dominates dairy and grain-finished beef, while Marin, Sonoma, and the North Coast produce premium grass-fed beef for the Bay Area market. Multi-year droughts have contracted herds, but regenerative ranching is thriving on the coast.

27 Suppliers
$7.00-10.00/lb Hanging Weight
May-July Best Season
27 Farm Pickup
16 Local Delivery
5 Ship Nationwide

Buying Bulk Beef in California: Expert Guide

Pricing

Half cow: $3,000-4,500

Hanging weight: $7.00-10.00/lb

Take-home: $12.00-16.00/lb

Best Time to Buy

Peak season: May-July

The 'green season' harvest (May-July) produces peak quality grass-fed beef - cattle are at maximum marbling after grazing high-sugar spring grasses. Fall (September-November) faces severe processing bottlenecks from hunting season. Book shares in January-March for summer delivery.

Common Breeds

Black Angus, Red Angus, Hereford, Brahman crosses

Typical practice: Grass-fed

Local Tip

Don't wait until fall - the processing bottleneck is brutal. Pre-order in early spring for a May-July harvest when grass-fed quality peaks. If you're in LA, join a 'buying club' that aggregates orders for delivery from Central Coast ranches to reduce food miles.

Top Production Regions

Marin CountySonoma CountyMendocino CountyCentral Valley (Fresno, Tulare)Central Coast (San Luis Obispo)

Browse by City

27 Suppliers in California

Farm

Marin Coast Ranch

Tomales

โ˜…5.0(8)

Historic family ranch in Tomales focused on conservation and sustainable grazing practices.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-Raised
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Morris Grassfed Beef

San Juan Bautista

โ˜…5.0(15)

100% pasture-raised beef grown on the California Central Coast. Sustainable ranching with quality grass-fed beef.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Nevada County Free Range Beef

Nevada City

โ˜…5.0(2)

Community-focused operation with foothill grazing in Nevada City.

๐Ÿ„
Pasture-RaisedNatural
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Richards Grassfed Beef

Oregon House

โ˜…5.0(1)

Large regenerative operator in Oregon House with wide distribution across California.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Rancho Guejito

Escondido

โ˜…4.9(114)

Historic ranch in Escondido offering grass-fed beef, tours, and direct sales.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-Raised
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Sage Mountain Farm

Anza

โ˜…4.9(42)

CSA model including beef from high desert production in Anza.

๐Ÿ„
Pasture-RaisedNaturalDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

True Grass Farms

Valley Ford

โ˜…4.8(15)

Wagyu/Angus crosses with intense focus on ecology and oak woodlands in Valley Ford.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Yolo Land and Cattle

Woodland

โ˜…4.8(30)

Woodland operation famous for their jerky and grass-fed beef products.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Hearst Ranch Beef

San Simeon

โ˜…4.7(35)

One of California's largest historic ranches in San Simeon. Grass-fed beef from vast rangelands.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
Bulk Box
Farm PickupShips Nationwide
View Details
Farm

Stemple Creek Ranch

Tomales

โ˜…4.7(88)

Leader in regenerative agriculture offering 100% grass-fed Angus beef. Ships nationwide and offers local pickup in Tomales.

๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ–
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupShips Nationwide
View Details
Farm

Adelaida Springs Ranch

Paso Robles

โ˜…4.6(159)

Grass-fed Angus operation in Paso Robles wine country.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-Raised
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Five Marys Farms

Fort Jones

โ˜…4.6(47)

Famous Black Angus operation based in Siskiyou County, serving the Bay Area heavily. Known for quality branding and direct sales.

๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ–๐Ÿ‘
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +2 more
Farm PickupShips Nationwide
View Details
Farm

Markegard Family Grass-Fed

Half Moon Bay

โ˜…4.6(21)

High-profile regenerative operation on the San Mateo Coast managed by Doniga Markegard, known for holistic land management.

๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ‘
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Perennial Pastures Ranch

San Diego

โ˜…4.6(94)

San Diego grass-fed beef with 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and whole beef options. Variety of cuts from pasture-raised cattle.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
1/8 Cow ยท 1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Primal Pastures

Murrieta

โ˜…4.6(153)

Regenerative focus operation in Murrieta, heavily online with chicken and beef offerings.

๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ”๐Ÿ–
Pasture-RaisedNaturalDelivery
Bulk Box ยท Subscription
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Harris Ranch

Coalinga

โ˜…4.4(14406)

California's largest beef producer in Coalinga. Grain-finished, consistent quality available via shipping and at their dedicated inn/restaurant.

๐Ÿ„
Grain-FinishedNaturalDelivery
Bulk Box
Farm PickupShips Nationwide
View Details
Butcher

Cream Co. Meats

Oakland

โ˜…4.3(14)

Oakland-based aggregator for high-end restaurants, now selling direct to consumers. Sourced from best-in-class California ranches.

๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ–๐Ÿ‘
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
Bulk Box
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Marin Sun Farms

Point Reyes Station

โ˜…4.3(56)

Operates the last slaughterhouse in the Bay Area. Institutional quality with certified organic options from Point Reyes.

๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ–๐Ÿ”๐Ÿ‘
Grass-FedOrganicDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Mariposa Ranch

Mariposa

โ˜…4.2(29)

California pasture-raised, grass-fed, grass-finished beef. No antibiotics, steroids, or mRNA. No herbicides or pesticides on pastures.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Novy Ranches

Simi Valley

โ˜…4.1(13)

Grass-fed, pasture-raised beef strictly local to Ventura and LA areas.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

5 Bar Beef

Trabuco Canyon

โ˜…4.0(3)

One of the few authentic SoCal grass-fed producers with rare proximity to Orange County and LA.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Connolly Ranch

Tracy

โ˜…4.0(4)

150-year-old ranch in Tracy offering grass-fed natural beef, close to the Bay Area.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedNatural
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Butcher

Central Valley Meat Co.

Hanford

โ˜…3.3(93)

Large scale processor and supplier in Hanford offering bulk boxes and wholesale beef.

๐Ÿ„
NaturalDelivery
Bulk Box
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Da-Le Ranch

Lake Elsinore

Wild game and beef operation in Lake Elsinore, regular at Southern California farmers markets.

๐Ÿ„๐ŸฆŒ
Pasture-RaisedNaturalDelivery
Bulk Box
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Coastal grazing operation in Cayucos with holistic management practices.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-Raised
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Multi-species operation in Penryn offering pasture-raised beef, pork, and lamb.

๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ–๐Ÿ‘
Pasture-RaisedNaturalDelivery
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
View Details
Farm

Local family operation on the Central Coast using dry-land farming techniques.

๐Ÿ„
Grass-FedPasture-Raised
1/4 Cow ยท 1/2 Cow ยท Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details

Get notified when new suppliers are added in California

No spam. Just a heads-up when we find new farms in your state.

Bulk Beef in Nearby States

Explore suppliers in neighboring states - many offer delivery or are worth the drive.

Frequently Asked Questions: Buying Beef in California

01

How much does half a cow cost in California?

California is expensive - expect $3,000-4,500 for a half cow. Premium grass-fed from Marin/Sonoma runs $8-10/lb hanging weight (360 lbs = $2,880-3,600). Add $225 slaughter and $1.25/lb processing ($450). Your effective take-home cost is $12-16/lb - steep for ground beef but competitive with $35+ ribeyes at specialty markets.

02

Why is California beef more expensive?

Three factors: (1) Extreme land values near urban centers (Marin competes with vineyards and estates), (2) chronic drought cycles force expensive hay imports ($250+/ton), and (3) severe processor shortages allow facilities to charge premium rates. The 'California premium' is 15-30% above national averages.

03

When should I buy grass-fed beef in California?

The green season (May-July) is optimal. California grasses peak in spring - by summer they dry to golden stalks. Cattle harvested in early summer have maximum marbling from high-sugar forage. Avoid October-December when processors are backed up with hunting season and 4-H animals. Pre-order in January-March.

04

What is 'Custom Exempt' and is it safe?

Custom Exempt means you buy the live animal (or share) before slaughter. The processor then butchers YOUR animal as a service, not a sale. Meat is stamped 'NOT FOR SALE' - only for your household. It's completely safe and standard for bulk beef. This pathway allows use of smaller local butchers instead of overcrowded USDA facilities.

Buying Guides & Tools