Quick Answer
Half a cow in Texas costs $2,500-3,500 ($10.00-13.00/lb per pound take-home). There are 40 local suppliers to choose from. Best time to buy: October-December. Both grass-fed and grain-finished options available.
Texas is the undisputed national leader with 12.2 million cattle - approximately 14% of the entire U.S. inventory. The state has over 4 million beef cows dispersed from the piney woods of East Texas to the Trans-Pecos. Most direct-to-consumer beef comes from the cow-calf sector, where multi-generational family ranches retain select animals for local finishing.
Half cow: $2,500-3,500
Hanging weight: $5.50-7.50/lb
Take-home: $10.00-13.00/lb
Peak season: October-December
Fall (October-December) is the traditional harvest window when cattle are fat from summer grazing. For grass-fed, the spring flush (April-June) also produces excellent quality as cattle graze ryegrass and clover. Winter (January-March) often has lowest availability - cattle may be leaner without supplementation.
Brangus, Beefmaster, Santa Gertrudis, Black Angus, Hereford
Typical practice: Mixed (pasture-raised, grain-finished)
Request a 'Full Packer Cut' brisket (whole, fat cap on, point and flat connected) - essential for Texas-style smoking. Standard cut sheets often split or grind the brisket. Also request 80/20 ground beef ratio for proper burgers, and don't forget the oxtail.
Bastrop
★4.7(130)100% grass-fed Texas beef with free delivery on half and whole cows. No hormones, antibiotics, or chemicals. Trusted by Texans for over 14 years.
Hico
★5.0(128)Farm-to-table, all-natural pasture raised beef. Grass fed and grain finished. Pick up from the ranch in Hico, Texas.
Boerne
★5.0(2)Free delivery on whole and half beef within 40 miles of Boerne. Serves Boerne, Comfort, Kerrville, and greater San Antonio area.
Denton
★5.0(6)Maintains a closed herd of Angus genetics ensuring biosecurity and consistent health. Partners with local farms to increase capacity.
Marble Falls
★5.0(5)Grass-fed beef operation in Marble Falls with transparent pricing based on hanging weight. Offers whole and half beef.
San Antonio
★5.0(6)San Antonio and Hill Country ranch selling by the pack or bulk. Operates on an appointment-only basis for ranch visits.
Amarillo
★5.0(1)Panhandle producers of American Wagyu (Brangus/Hereford base). Grain-fed for 400-500 days with premium pricing strategies.
Corpus Christi
★4.9(193)Corpus Christi craft butcher focusing on locally sourced, curated meats and artisanal goods.
Austin
★4.9(589)Premium Corriente beef, hormone-free, grass-fed and grain-finished. USDA Prime and Choice graded. Half beef around 158 lbs take-home weight.
Tyler
★4.9(81)East Texas operation offering monthly subscriptions and bulk orders of natural beef raised without antibiotics.
Corpus Christi
★4.9(647)Old-fashioned butcher shop in Corpus Christi manufacturing products in-house with traditional butchering techniques.
Victoria
★4.9(69)Victoria-area supplier selling fresh local beef, connecting hay customers with farm-to-table beef products.
East Texas
★4.9(18)East Texas licensed processor and supplier specializing in multi-species free range meats including goat, lamb, and beef.
Justin
★4.8(30)Family-owned meat market in the Denton area sourcing from partner ranches. Offers beef boxes and custom sides with shipping options.
Austin
★4.8(42)Focuses on regenerative agriculture and soil health, producing 100% all-natural beef with Texas meat delivery.
Houston
★4.8(69)Houston-area farm offering bulk beef options from 1/8 to whole cow with a focus on grass-fed genetics.
Grandview
★4.8(41)Pioneer in the grass-fed sector since 1999 with vertical integration from ranch to retail store. 100% grass-fed beef serving DFW area.
Corpus Christi
★4.8(41)Corpus Christi and Victoria area retailer sourcing from Dean & Peeler (Premium Angus) and Peeler Farms (Wagyu).
McKinney
★4.8(165)Historic butcher shop in McKinney sourcing local meats, providing a traditional counter experience with fresh quality meats and custom cuts.
Marble Falls
★4.8(40)Major processor in Austin and Marble Falls area that also retails local beef and wild game. Specializes in custom processing.
Poth
★4.7(192)Legendary processor and retailer in Poth near San Antonio. High-volume processing for both wild game and domestic livestock.
Houston
★4.6(2195)Voted best meat market and butcher shop in Houston. Major wholesaler and butcher shop offering bulk beef and goat meat with immediate availability.
Texas
★4.6(1260)Family ranching operation delivering whole and half steers directly to doorsteps. Emphasizes farm-to-table traceability and family ranching history.
Paducah
★4.4(18)Texas grass-fed meat delivery focusing on chemical-free production and rotational grazing. Delivers to Houston, Austin, and DFW.
Georgetown
★4.3(48)Local Texas grass fed beef. Half beef shares with a variety of nutritious cuts to provide your family with healthy meals all year.
Dallas
★4.3(8)All-natural, hormone-free beef with free delivery in the DFW area for quarters and halves.
Crosby
★4.2(34)Clean, healthy, quality grass-fed, pasture finished beef from Crosby, Texas. Available at Houston area farmers markets.
Meyersville
Direct-to-consumer farm offering grass-fed beef, pork, and chicken. Known for high transparency, subscription boxes, and efficient shipping logistics across Texas.
Austin
Premium meat delivery service serving Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Specializes in Wagyu and premium cuts from South Texas ranches.
Fort Worth
Connecting consumers with partner ranches for doorstep delivery of bulk beef in the Fort Worth area.
Fredericksburg
Direct ranch sales located in the heart of Texas wine country offering 100% grass-fed beef.
Austin
Aggregates from family-run ranches near Austin and San Antonio. Offers smaller bundles (1/8, 1/4) for those with limited freezer space.
Fredericksburg
Markets 'Texas Tipsy Cows' finished on wine grapes and whiskey grains—a unique value-added product for culinary enthusiasts.
Tyler
All-natural, ranch-raised beef in Tyler. Uniquely operates their own USDA processing facility, creating a closed-loop system.
Muenster
North Texas grass-fed beef operation selling live cattle directly to consumers and facilitating processing. Known for 14+ day dry-aging.
San Antonio
Leader in regenerative agriculture near San Antonio. Produces chemical-free beef on pastures with whole and half beef options.
Fredericksburg
Long-standing ranching family in Fredericksburg offering both grain-finished and grass-fed options with pasture-raised beef.
San Antonio
Delivers 100% grass-fed beef to Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Highly rated for customer service and strict grass-fed protocols.
Corpus Christi
Large commercial processor in Corpus Christi with high safety standards, primarily B2B but influencing local supply.
Houston
Texas cowboy raising the highest quality beef. Quarter, half, whole steer and custom options. All animals from local South Texas ranchers.
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Explore suppliers in neighboring states - many offer delivery or are worth the drive.
Expect $2,500-3,500 total for a half cow in Texas. At $6.50/lb hanging weight (typical grain-finished rate), a 375 lb half runs about $2,440 to the rancher, plus $60-65 slaughter fee and $1.25/lb processing ($470). Your take-home yield is 240-250 lbs, making the effective cost $10-13/lb for everything from ground beef to ribeyes.
American composite breeds excel in Texas heat. Brangus (3/8 Brahman, 5/8 Angus) delivers excellent marbling with heat tolerance. Beefmaster and Santa Gertrudis are also outstanding. Pure Angus is common in North Texas and produces superior marbling but requires more management in the heat. Texas Longhorn is very lean - great for health-conscious buyers but yields less meat.
Custom Exempt is the standard for half/quarter purchases. You buy the live animal before slaughter, then pay the butcher for processing. The meat is stamped 'NOT FOR SALE' and is only legal for your household. USDA-inspected beef can be sold by the cut but costs more. Both are safe - the difference is legal, not quality.
Texas heat can spoil meat fast. Use high-quality roto-molded coolers (Yeti, RTIC), not cheap styrofoam. Transport in the air-conditioned cab, never a hot truck bed. The butcher freezes meat to -10°F - pack it tight with no air gaps. A 2-hour drive in a 130°F truck bed can start thawing the outer layers.
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