3 Board Farm
Downsville
โ 5.0(13)Local beef supplier in Downsville, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Quick Answer
Half a cow in Louisiana costs $1,800-2,200 ($9.00-10.50/lb per pound take-home). There are 35 local suppliers to choose from. Best time to buy: April-June. Most farms offer grass-fed beef.
Louisiana is a 'cow-calf' state with approximately 720,000 cattle, primarily raising calves that historically ship west for finishing. However, a growing direct-to-consumer movement is keeping more beef local. The subtropical climate requires heat-tolerant cattle genetics, making Louisiana beef distinctly different from Midwest production.
Half cow: $1,800-2,200
Hanging weight: $5.00-6.75/lb
Take-home: $9.00-10.50/lb
Peak season: April-June
The spring 'ryegrass flush' produces peak quality beef - cattle finishing on lush ryegrass in April-June achieve the best marbling and flavor. Avoid October through January when deer season overwhelms local processors. Summer beef (July-September) may be leaner due to heat stress and lower forage quality.
Brangus, Brahman crosses, Black Angus, Beefmaster
Typical practice: Grass-fed
Louisiana humidity is brutal on frozen meat storage. Invest in vacuum-sealed packaging (worth the extra processor fee) and use a chest freezer in your garage rather than an upright - chest freezers maintain temperature better when opened and resist the humidity-caused frost buildup that plagues uprights here.
Downsville
โ 5.0(13)Local beef supplier in Downsville, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Pineville
โ 5.0(10)Local beef supplier in Pineville, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Abbeville
โ 5.0(18)Local beef supplier in Abbeville, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Downsville
โ 5.0(4)Local beef supplier in Downsville, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Jennings
โ 5.0(13)Local beef supplier in Jennings, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Vinton
โ 5.0(8)Local beef supplier in Vinton, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Slaughter
โ 5.0(40)Local beef supplier in Slaughter, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
DeRidder
โ 5.0(9)Local beef supplier in DeRidder, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Alexandria
โ 5.0(5)Local beef supplier in Alexandria, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Lena
โ 5.0(8)Local beef supplier in Lena, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Mount Hermon
โ 5.0(14)Local beef supplier in Mount Hermon, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Cut Off
โ 5.0(12)Local beef supplier in Cut Off, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Perkinston
โ 5.0(11)Local beef supplier in Perkinston, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Sunset
โ 5.0(19)Local beef supplier in Sunset, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Morganza
โ 5.0(19)Local beef supplier in Morganza, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Slaughter
โ 5.0(7)Local beef supplier in Slaughter, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
New Iberia
โ 4.9(27)Local beef supplier in New Iberia, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Metairie
โ 4.9(43)Local beef supplier in Metairie, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Jefferson
โ 4.9(62)Local beef supplier in Jefferson, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Thibodaux
โ 4.8(260)Local beef supplier in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Haughton
โ 4.8(91)Local beef supplier in Haughton, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Calhoun
โ 4.8(25)Local beef supplier in Calhoun, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Sibley
โ 4.8(9)Local beef supplier in Sibley, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Addis
โ 4.7(146)Local beef supplier in Addis, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Gretna
โ 4.7(252)Local beef supplier in Gretna, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Baton Rouge
โ 4.7(220)Local beef supplier in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Bogalusa
โ 4.7(12)Local beef supplier in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
New Iberia
โ 4.6(24)Local beef supplier in New Iberia, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Pineville
โ 4.5(112)Local beef supplier in Pineville, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Lafayette
โ 4.5(254)Local beef supplier in Lafayette, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Shreveport
โ 4.5(105)Local beef supplier in Shreveport, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Alexandria
โ 4.5(68)Local beef supplier in Alexandria, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Baton Rouge
โ 4.4(110)Local beef supplier in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Geismar
โ 4.3(103)Local beef supplier in Geismar, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
Loranger
Local beef supplier in Loranger, Louisiana. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing on bulk beef purchases.
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Explore suppliers in neighboring states - many offer delivery or are worth the drive.
Expect to pay $1,800-2,200 total for a half cow in Louisiana. This includes $5.00-6.75/lb hanging weight to the farmer, plus $50-75 kill fee and $0.55-1.00/lb cut and wrap to the processor. Take-home yield is approximately 200-230 lbs, working out to about $9-10.50/lb effective cost.
Louisiana cattle often contain Brahman genetics (the 'ear' you see on many local cattle) which provides essential heat tolerance. This creates a slightly leaner, firmer texture. The ryegrass-based diet also contributes a more robust, distinctly 'beefy' flavor compared to corn-finished Midwest beef. The yellow-tinted fat from beta-carotene in green grass is a sign of quality pasture finishing.
Avoid planning a harvest between October and January. Deer season overwhelms local processors - they switch almost entirely to venison processing. If you want beef for the holidays, book your slaughter date by July at the latest. The optimal window is April-June during the spring ryegrass flush.
Always request soup bones and shanks for gumbo stocks. Keep brisket whole for Creole daube (beef stew). Have round steaks tenderized/cubed for chicken-fried steak rather than leaving them as tough full steaks. Request oxtails - they're a local delicacy that processors often discard if not specified.
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