Live, Hanging and Packaged Weight
One of the most common sources of confusion in farm-direct beef is weight. The animal’s live weight, its carcass or hanging weight, and the amount of packaged beef going into the freezer are three different numbers.
Live weight
Live weight is the weight of the living animal. It includes the hide, head, feet, blood, digestive tract and other parts that will not become the hanging carcass.
Hanging or carcass weight
After slaughter and dressing, the remaining carcass is substantially lighter than the live animal. This is commonly called hanging weight or carcass weight.
Many farm-direct beef arrangements use this weight as the basis for calculating the beef price or processing charge.
Packaged weight
Packaged weight is what ultimately leaves the processor as wrapped cuts, ground beef and other requested products.
It is lower than hanging weight because processing removes bone, excess fat and trim depending on the customer’s cutting instructions. Aging can also reduce weight through moisture loss.
If beef is sold at a price per pound of hanging weight, don’t describe that number as the customer’s price per pound of meat in the freezer.
Why there is no universal conversion
The relationship between these weights changes with the animal and the cutting instructions. Breed, sex, age, muscling, finish, gut fill and carcass composition can affect dressing. Bone-in versus boneless cuts, fat trim, aging and the amount made into ground beef affect packaged yield.
This is why a fixed promise such as “you will receive exactly X pounds” can create problems.
Canadian yield grade means something different
The Canadian Beef Grading Agency’s carcass yield classes predict the percentage of closely trimmed boneless retail cuts from the round, loin, rib and chuck. That grading measure should not be confused with the total pounds of packaged beef a farm-direct customer receives from a custom cut carcass.
Last reviewed: September 2026.