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Buy Half a Cow in North Carolina

How Much Does Half a Cow Cost in North Carolina?

Half a cow in North Carolina costs $2,200-2,800 ($9.50-13.00/lb take-home). There are 37 local suppliers to choose from. Best time to buy: May-June. Both grass-fed and grain-finished options available.

Jump to the 37 suppliers ↓See the full half a cow price breakdown →

Why Half a Cow Costs $2,200-2,800 in North Carolina

North Carolina is undergoing a profound agricultural transformation from a 'nursery' state (raising calves for Midwest feedlots) to a growing direct-to-consumer market. The state maintains approximately 720,000 cattle, with production shaped by the 'Fescue Belt' ecology and the legacy of tobacco farmers transitioning to livestock after the 2004 quota buyout.

37 Suppliers
$4.75-7.97/lb Hanging Weight
May-June Best Season
35 Farm Pickup
15 Local Delivery
3 Ship Nationwide

Buying Bulk Beef in North Carolina: Expert Guide

Pricing

Half cow: $2,200-2,800

Hanging weight: $4.75-7.97/lb

Take-home: $9.50-13.00/lb

Best Time to Buy

Peak season: May-June

The 'spring flush' (late May through June) is the premier harvest window—cattle gorge on lush, reproductive-phase grasses with maximum energy content before summer heat sets in. The fall rebound (October-November) offers a secondary peak as temperatures cool and fescue enters its second growth phase. Avoid August-September when the 'summer slump' from fescue toxicosis can reduce meat quality.

Common Breeds

Black Angus, Charolais, Simmental, Senepol, Belted Galloway

Typical practice: Mixed (pasture-raised, grain-finished)

Local Tip

MeatSuite.com (managed by NC Choices/NC State Extension) is the definitive platform for finding bulk beef by zip code. In dairy-heavy areas, verify you're buying beef breeds—Holstein beef is common and has different characteristics. Live animal purchases are sales tax exempt in NC under G.S. 105-164.13(4b).

Top Production Regions

Piedmont (Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh corridor)Blue Ridge Mountains (Asheville, Boone)Coastal Plain (Eastern NC)

Browse by City

Let us find you a farm in North Carolina

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.

A closest guess is fine. The farm will help you settle on the final amount.

Free for you. A supplier may pay us for the introduction. Privacy policy.

How matching works

We let nearby suppliers know what you are looking for: your general area, the share size you want, and your timeline, never your name, email, or phone. The one supplier who takes your request gets your contact details so they can contact you. We will not offer the same request to another supplier, including after a refund or replacement.

37 Suppliers in North Carolina

These farms have half a beef for sale in North Carolina — most also sell 1/2 and 1/4 cow shares direct from the farm, priced by hanging weight.

Farm

Back To Earth Farm

Asheboro

5.0(6)

Piedmont, North Carolina grass-fed beef. Whole cow $8.35/lb, half cow $8.85/lb hanging weight. Serves Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham areas.

Beef
$$
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

North Carolina and Georgia cattle farm specializing in Wagyu beef. Premium quality from a dedicated family operation.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Simpson's Quality Meats offers fixed-price eighth, quarter, half, and whole shares of locally raised, pasture-grazed, grain-finished beef near Monroe. Farm pickup is by appointment and the current site does not offer delivery.

Beef
Grass-FedGrain-Finished
1/8 Cow · 1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow +1 more
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Haven Farm

Chapel Hill

4.8(871)

Chapel Hill, North Carolina farm offering whole, half, quarter, or eighth cow. Pricing based on packaged weight (not hanging weight) includes processing.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/8 Cow · 1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Stewart Farms Beef

Stedman

4.7(14)

Stedman, North Carolina farm selling cow bundles from whole to quarter. Delivery within 100 miles of Fayetteville NC.

Beef
Grass-FedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Ample Farm offers quarter and half beef that is grass-fed and grass-finished. Shares can be collected at the farm or delivered free within 30 miles; the Ayden map point is approximate. Its 2026 processing dates are tentative, so confirm the next available share.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Anderson Family Farms near New Bern offers quarter, half and whole beef raised on pasture with grain finishing, returned directly to the buyer after processing. Arrange pickup or delivery with the farm.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedGrain-Finished
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Beam Family Farms offers eighth, quarter, half and whole grass-finished beef. Buyers arrange pickup and receive an estimated date when reserving, sometimes several months ahead. The map point represents the approximate Lawndale area.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-Finished
1/8 Cow · 1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow +1 more
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Big Ivy Beef Cattle Co. offers custom-cut halves and wholes of beef. Buyers work through a cut sheet and arrange collection with the farm shop. Its cattle are raised on pasture and finished with grain.

Beef
Grain-FinishedPasture-Raised
1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Caitlyn Farms

Mill Spring

Caitlyn Farms offers quarter, half and whole grass-finished beef. Buyers arrange farm pickup by appointment and confirm available cuts before ordering. The map point represents the approximate Mill Spring area.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-Finished
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

CATHIS Farm

Lillington

Lillington farm selling a custom half beef supplied by named partner Randleman Farms. These Angus/Simmental cattle are pasture raised and finished with haylage and grain. Half-beef orders are collected at CATHIS Farm after processing; general home-delivery advertising does not apply to this product. Confirm the next allocation.

Beef
Grass-FedGrain-FinishedDelivery
1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Family farm in Johnston County offering quarter and half beef packages. Farm pickup is available; processing dates and any arranged meeting location must be confirmed.

Beef
Delivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Concord area North Carolina farm offering large-size beef quantities for families looking to stock up or split with others. Hanging weight typically 600-700 lbs for whole cow.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-Finished
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Eastern North Carolina Beef offers standard or custom-cut half and whole beef. Orders are collected in New Bern, with delivery available by arrangement; the map point is approximate. Ask about the next allocation because same-day pickup and delivery are unavailable.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedDelivery
1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Hayes family farm in Goldston offering grass-fed and grass-finished Angus beef in eighth, quarter, half and whole shares. Buyers collect processed beef at Piedmont Custom Meats after notification. The map is an approximate Goldston town point; arrange the exact processor collection location and next allocation before ordering.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-Finished
1/8 Cow · 1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow +1 more
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Farm House Beef offers quarters and halves of grass-fed beef. Orders are collected at the farm after arranging the purchase by phone or email. The map point represents the approximate Marshall area.

Beef
Grass-FedPasture-Raised
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

French Broad River Cattle Farms in Hendersonville sells quarter and half beef. Contact the farm by phone or email to order and arrange pickup or delivery.

Beef
Pasture-Raised
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

North Carolina beef farm offering half and whole cows at competitive pricing. Quality local beef direct from the farm.

Beef
$
Pasture-Raised
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Hickory Nut Gap offers quarter-cow shares of grass-finished beef through its linked farm store. Buyers collect at the Fairview farm; the product warns that processing can take up to four weeks and contents may vary.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-Finished
1/4 Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

JS Lowland Cattle

Jacksonville

JS Lowland Cattle offers quarter beef through its farm store, with pickup at 228 Webster Lane in Jacksonville. The store shows low stock for the deposit and out of stock for the full-payment quarter. Confirm the allocation and pickup date, since the October pickup notice does not specify a year.

Beef
1/4 Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Keziah Family Farms raises pasture-ranged livestock near Monroe and accepts preorders for eighth, quarter, half, and whole beef shares. Published prices include an assortment of steaks, ground beef, roasts, stew cuts, bones, fat, and organs.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedNatural
1/8 Cow · 1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow +1 more
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Kornegay Hereford Farms sells grass-fed Hereford beef from single cuts up to a whole cow, out of a farm store built in a renovated tobacco barn at Mount Olive, North Carolina. A half cow is reserved with a $400 deposit and runs about 200 lb, needing roughly 8 cubic feet of freezer space.

Beef · Pork · Poultry
Grass-FedPasture-RaisedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Lockwood Farms offers eighth, quarter and half beef shares through its linked farm store. Buyers collect at the farm and should arrange the timing before traveling. Shares are reservations, and the store currently labels quarter and half stock as low.

Beef
Pasture-Raised
1/8 Cow · 1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

McCoy Cattle Farms offers quarter, half and whole freezer beef with cut preferences. Buyers collect at the farm or arrange local delivery. A deposit reserves the order; confirm the next processing date and whether delivery reaches the buyer's address.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedGrain-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Butcher

Melvin Hill Meats sells eighth, quarter, half and whole beef shares through its farm butcher shop. Buyers can collect at the Columbus shop or arrange delivery, with harvest and fulfillment timing discussed after reservation.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/8 Cow · 1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow +1 more
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Efland farm selling grass-fed beef by the quarter and half. The farm arranges Saturday delivery around Burlington, Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh, or a meeting at the delivery-area edge. Sides have a long wait list, commonly six months to a year; no delivery date is guaranteed. Whole beef is not currently offered.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow
Local Delivery
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Farm

No-BS Meats

Eastover

Veteran-owned family ranch offering grain-finished beef by the quarter, half or whole. Delivery is advertised within a two-hour drive of Eastover; confirm arrangements and processing availability. Map shows approximate Eastover locality.

Beef
Grain-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Local Delivery
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Farm

The Greene family raises cattle on pasture with some grain at North Fork Farm in Zionville. Quarter, half and whole beef orders can be custom cut, with a published preparation estimate of about two to three weeks after commitment. Arrange pickup at the farm store or ask about delivery in the Boone and Banner Elk areas. Confirm the current processing slot and collection arrangements directly; delivery to Bristol is not established.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Oak Cattle Farms offers quarter, half and whole beef with grass or grain finishing options. Buyers collect at the farm after notification or arrange delivery within 100 miles for a fee. The Ayden map point is approximate; contact the farm for its next processing date.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupLocal Delivery
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Farm

Piney Woods Ranch offers quarter beef from grass-fed and grass-finished cattle. Arrange collection through the farm or Lanier Hardware and Rental in Burgaw, and ask for the next available quarter. The Burgaw map point is approximate.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-Finished
1/4 Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Rainbow Meadow Farms offers whole beef processed to the buyer's specifications. Arrange pickup at the farm or one of its markets by phone or through its ordering route. The Snow Hill map point is approximate, and a current processing slot needs confirmation.

Beef
Pasture-Raised
Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Russell Family Farms in Morganton sells quarters and custom-cut halves of beef. Contact the farm to order and arrange pickup or delivery. The map shows the approximate Morganton area.

Beef
Grass-Fed
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Neal and Ava Morgan’s family farm in Leicester offers custom-cut half and whole beef by direct order. Cattle are born and raised on the farm, grazing pasture and finishing on farm-grown grass, hay and corn with supplemental brewer’s grains. The farm store is open by appointment. Contact the farm to confirm availability, processing and collection timing before finalizing an order.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedGrain-Finished
1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Shenk Family Farm offers quarter, half and whole grass-fed and grass-finished beef. Reserve a share and arrange the pickup day and location with the farm. The Newport map point is approximate, and the processing schedule needs confirmation.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-Finished
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm Pickup
View Details
Farm

Vilas family farm offering eighth, quarter and half beef shares. Shipley raises cattle on pasture with grain supplementation and also sources calves from regional family farms. Quarter and half shares require pickup at the farm; only shares up to an eighth are offered for shipping. Contact the farm to confirm half-share availability and a collection date before ordering.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedDelivery
1/8 Cow · 1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow
Farm PickupShips Nationwide
View Details
Farm

Warren Wilson College Farm offers grass-finished beef quarters as three preset beef-share boxes. Fall 2026 orders are due November 9 for pickup November 14 from 10am to 1pm at 165 South Lane. The map point marks the farm’s published business address at 108 South Lane.

Beef
Grass-FedGrass-Finished
1/4 Cow
Farm Pickup
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Farm

Wilders

Turkey

Wilders offers quarter, half and whole Wagyu beef shares. Arrange pickup at its Turkey or Clayton store, or shipping within the continental United States; the Turkey map point is approximate. The quarter-share page shows sold out, and the team confirms fulfillment dates and locations.

Beef
Pasture-RaisedGrain-FinishedDelivery
1/4 Cow · 1/2 Cow · Whole Cow
Farm PickupShips Nationwide
View Details

Bulk Beef in Nearby States

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Buying Beef in North Carolina

01

What does half a cow cost in North Carolina?

A half cow in NC costs $2,200-2,800 total. At $5.50/lb hanging weight (360 lbs), you pay ~$1,980 for the meat, plus $50 kill fee (half share) and $1.35/lb processing (~$486), totaling ~$2,516. Your take-home yield is about 234 lbs, making effective cost ~$10.75/lb for everything from ground beef to ribeyes.

02

Why is the fat on my NC grass-fed beef yellow?

Yellow fat is a hallmark of cattle finished on lush, green pasture, common during North Carolina's 'spring flush' (May-June). The color comes from beta-carotene, a pigment in fresh grass that cattle store in their fat. Grain-fed beef has white fat because grain is low in beta-carotene. It indicates high Vitamin A and E content—a quality marker, not a defect.

03

What is the 'Fescue Belt' and why does it matter?

NC lies in the heart of the Fescue Belt where toxic Kentucky-31 fescue dominates pastures. The grass harbors an endophyte fungus that produces toxins causing 'fescue toxicosis'—cattle can't regulate body temperature in summer heat, reducing weight gain. This creates the 'summer slump' quality risk. Ask producers about their fescue management strategy.

04

Can I split a quarter with my neighbor in NC?

Informally, yes. However, under Custom Exempt regulations, the 'owner' of the animal is the client. Designate one person as the primary buyer to pay the farmer and submit the cut sheet, then settle costs privately. Asking a processor to split a quarter into two separate orders often incurs extra fees or is refused.

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