"We'll reserve a quarter in the spring and a half in the fall. We'll probably do that for about the next decade or so:)" - Kevin P.
At Carwood Farm, we make it easy for you by giving you an idea of the amount of beef you’ll get for your freezer. Of course, we can't give you an exact poundage because cows don't all weigh the same. The “final” or “take-home” weight is the weight of the meat that you will bring home to put in your freezer. This weight is usually about 70% of the hanging weight. On average a quarter of beef weighs about 187 pounds (hanging weight) so the final weight, after processing, would be about 130 lbs (estimated).
During processing, this "yield loss" occurs in 2 ways. About 4% is water weight lost during the 10-14 day period that the carcass is hung (or “cured”). Then about another 26% is of the yield loss is fat and bones. This amount is variable based on 2 factors – one is the amount of fat in the meat, and the other is the cuts that a customer requests. For example, the more boneless cuts requested by the customer, the lower the final weight. (Note that the lower weight doesn’t mean that you are receiving less meat – rather, you are receiving fewer bones).
If you decide to
buy a cow from a farmer, it is good to know approximately what you’ll be taking home before you buy so you can make space in your refrigerator or freezer in advance.
In summary, on average, take home weight is:
quarter = 130 lbs and half = 260 lbs
Freezer space needed
**35 lbs. of beef = 1 cubic foot...So a typical quarter requires about 4 – 5 cubic feet of freezer space.
Buying a Quarter Cow:
We sell "split" quarters, which are an equal share of cuts from the front and the back of the cow, so you can get a nice variety of cuts (ground beef, steaks, roasts, etc.).
Buying Half a Cow:
Halves are "split" as well. A half cow includes 1/4 from the front and 1/4 from the back of the steer, so you can get a nice variety of cuts (ground beef, steaks, roasts, etc.).
Custom processing made easy
Often, the idea of speaking with a processor to decide how you want your order processed is an intimidating thought. We've eliminated that part of the process by offering Carwood Farm Beef Processing Recommendations. Choose one of these options at check out when you place your order and you don't have to think about it again:
Carwood Farm Beef "Standard" Processing Recommendation (Click Here!)
Carwood Farm Beef "Select" Processing Recommendation (Click Here!)
Cost is simple
quarter beef = $747 paid to Carwood Farm, LLC
half beef = $1,494 paid to Carwood Farm, LLC
whole beef = $2888 paid to Carwood Farm, LLC
Processing is a separate charge paid to our processor. We use several area federally inspected processors who charge $.95/lbs. - $1.10/lbs. calculated using the hanging weight. So using the average weights listed above. You can figure your processing costs to be:
quarter processing = $180 *estimate
half processing = $360 *estimate
Add the cost for the beef and estimated cost for processing and you have your total investment. The actual cost/lbs. (found by dividing your investment by your estimated total take home weight of 130 lbs. for a quarter or 260 lbs. for a half) will be about $7.13/lbs.. Try getting a prime cut of steak for that price anywhere else!
