Half a cow in Montana costs $2,000-2,800 ($8.50-11.00/lb take-home). There are 17 local suppliers to choose from. Best time to buy: August-September. Most farms offer grass-fed beef.
Jump to the 17 suppliers ↓See the full half a cow price breakdown →Montana ranks 9th nationally in cattle inventory with 2.5 million head, mostly on vast rangeland operations. With just 1.1 million people across 147,000 square miles, the ratio of cattle to humans approaches 2.3:1. The state's identity is inseparable from ranching, and direct-to-consumer sales represent a return to the 'neighbors feeding neighbors' tradition that predates industrial beef.
Half cow: $2,000-2,800
Hanging weight: $4.50-6.00/lb
Take-home: $8.50-11.00/lb
Peak season: August-September
Late summer (August-September) is optimal—cattle have finished on summer grass at peak condition before fall works begin. Avoid October through January when hunting season overwhelms processors. Processing capacity is severely limited; book 6-12 months ahead. Spring beef (March-May) is available but cattle may have been on hay rations over winter.
Black Angus, Red Angus, Hereford, Black Baldy, Charolais
Typical practice: Grass-fed
Montana's distances are deceptive—a 'local' producer may be 100+ miles away. Arrange pickup logistics carefully or find producers who deliver to town on a schedule. Many ranchers sell direct from the ranch; be prepared for a scenic drive. Freezer capacity is essential—Montana's cold winters help with garage storage but plan for 8-10 cubic feet per half.
Let us find you a farm in Montana
We'll connect you with a nearby farm, butcher, or co-op selling quarter, half, or whole beef. Free, no accounts, and only one farm gets your contact details.
These farms have half a beef for sale in Montana — most also sell 1/2 and 1/4 cow shares direct from the farm, priced by hanging weight.
Greycliff
5.0(13)Greycliff, Montana Black Angus beef. No added hormones, antibiotic-free, and grass-raised on the family ranch.
Stanford
5.0(4)Third-generation Montana cattle ranch since 1926. Located at the base of the Little Belt Mountains. Grass fed sprout finished beef.
Great Falls
3.8(10)Grass-fed beef raised since 1836. No hormones, no antibiotics. Traditional Montana ranching with mRNA-free cattle.
Sheridan
The Mehlhoff family operates 5L Meat Shop from its Sheridan, Montana ranching business. It offers quarter, half and whole beef, with separate grass-finished and grain-finished options. The grass-finished half-beef program includes scheduled pickup in Sheridan and monthly pickup locations in Butte, Whitehall, Bozeman and Ennis. The mapped address is the family ranch and office; arrange the actual meat pickup point and time with 5L before visiting.
Baker
Baker family ranch selling quarter, half and whole beef. Large shares are available through arranged local pickup or delivery around Baker. Contact the ranch for its next processing allocation and exact collection location. The map uses an approximate Baker town point, not an asserted ranch entrance.
Forsyth
Forsyth meat shop selling locally sourced quarter, half and whole beef, as well as individual cuts and custom processing. Arrange large orders with the shop.
Harding Land & Cattle Company raises RanchStar cattle east of Miles City and sells beef by the side and half-side, equivalent to half and quarter beef. Its cattle graze pasture and receive homegrown alfalfa and corn; this is not a grass-finished program. Order by phone or the website form and arrange shipping and timing directly. The listed address and map represent the Terry office, not the ranch or a confirmed collection point.
Jordan
KegHandle Beef raises cattle on its ranch about 15 miles south of Jordan, Montana. Its store offers eighth, quarter, half and whole beef packages, with the quarter described as 100 pounds of ground beef, steaks and roasts. Share pages describe insulated frozen shipping; ask the business to confirm service to your ZIP, availability and the dispatch date. The map shows the approximate Jordan area, not the ranch entrance or a pickup location. Grass finishing has not been established.
Lolo
Family-owned cattle ranch in Lolo, Montana, offering half and whole beef by phone or email. Arrange collection at the ranch or Lolo Locker. Beef is priced by hanging weight, with cut-and-wrap processing charged separately. Contact the ranch for a current quote and processing date.
Butte
Family ranching business now operating its website under Montana Made Tallow, with a separate Local Beef program. Quarter and half beef deposits are applied toward a final hanging-weight bill. The business coordinates processing, custom cuts and pickup or delivery directly. The map marks its advertised store/contact address at 1319 Kaw Avenue in Butte. This is not the ranch or a confirmed beef-share collection point; call or text before visiting and arrange beef fulfillment directly. Checked September 16, 2026: quarter and half beef deposits are advertised. Confirm the reservation, final price and collection or delivery arrangements with Hailey.
Ashland
Montana Premium Beef is Tyler Gardner’s ranch-direct beef business, supplied by Home Creek Cattle Company in southeastern Montana. It offers quarter, half and whole Angus beef, finished on grain for at least 150 days. The business advertises monthly delivery to Miles City and Billings; confirm the next share allocation, delivery stop and date before ordering. The map shows the business’s own ranch location near Highway 212, in the Ashland mailing area west of Broadus. Ranch visits require an appointment.
Helena
Old Salt is a rancher-owned Montana meat co-op based in Helena. Its grass-fed, grass-finished half-beef shares include a range of steaks, roasts, ground beef, bones and organs. Beef shares are offered locally, with Helena collection arranged through the co-op. The mapped Bozeman Avenue address is the co-op’s Helena processing and share-collection location; arrange collection before visiting.
Birney
Omega Beef raises grass-fed, grass-finished Wagyu cattle on the Bones Brothers Ranch near Birney, Montana. It sells custom-cut half and whole beef through a reservation list, with seasonal processing in June and October or early November. Regional delivery is arranged with the ranch; confirm destination and the next available date. It does not advertise separate quarter orders. The map shows the approximate Birney area, not a farm entrance or collection point.
Hamilton
Skalkaho Meat Company raises cattle on regenerative pasture in the Bitterroot Valley outside Hamilton, Montana, and sells a limited number of whole, half, and quarter beef shares each year. Shares are priced per pound: $5.00 whole, $5.50 half, $5.95 quarter. Cuts are also sold year-round at the on-farm store.
Corvallis
Kendall and Ryan Mouw manage this family orchard’s beef program. Cattle are raised on orchard pasture, supplemented with apples and grain-finished. Quarter and half reservations require a deposit. Local pickup is offered, with some delivery routes available by inquiry. Checked September 16, 2026: the beef page invites Spring 2027 waitlist sign-ups and reservations. Confirm allocation and delivery before paying a deposit.
Molt
Family ranch in Molt offering whole-beef shares with nationwide frozen shipping included. Shares are reserved ahead of the fall harvest; the current product advertises delivery before Thanksgiving. Confirm allocation and timing by email. Map shows approximate Molt, not the ranch entrance.
Stevensville
What's Your Beef? raises American Wagyu near Stevensville and sells quarter, half and whole beef, processed locally in the Bitterroot. Whole and half beef are reserved with a payment; quarters come cut and boxed. Arrange pickup or delivery with the farm. The map shows the approximate Stevensville area.
Explore suppliers in neighboring states - many offer delivery or are worth the drive.
A half cow in Montana costs $2,000-2,800 total. At $5.00/lb hanging weight (350 lbs), expect ~$1,750 for the meat, plus $50-75 kill fee and $0.90-1.10/lb processing (~$350). Your take-home yield is about 210-230 lbs, making effective cost $8.50-11.00/lb. Montana's competitive pricing reflects the cattle-rich landscape.
Montana's hunting season (September-November) brings massive demand for wild game processing. Custom butchers prioritize deer, elk, and antelope—wild game is time-sensitive and requires immediate processing. Beef can wait in the freezer. Processors often stop taking beef appointments during peak hunting. Book beef for August-September or February-March.
Yes. Montana's vast rangeland operations raise cattle on grass as the default—it's not a premium niche but standard practice. The short growing season means grain-finishing requires expensive imported feed. Many producers offer true grass-finished beef at prices comparable to grain-finished beef elsewhere. The 'premium' for grass-fed reflects genuine grass-finishing, not marketing.
Be prepared for long drives. A 'local' producer may be 100+ miles away. Many ranchers deliver to town pickup points on schedule (weekly or bi-weekly). Coordinate timing carefully. Once you have the beef, Montana's cold winters allow garage freezer storage with natural temperature assistance. The investment in a relationship with a rancher is worth the logistics.
Everything you need to know
What cuts you'll actually get
How to customize your order
Compare share sizes and costs
Understand the real differences
How much space you'll need
See the real cost comparison
Estimate your total cost