Buying a Quarter, Half or Whole Beef

Buying beef directly from a farmer is different from selecting individual
packages at the grocery store. With a quarter, half or whole beef, you are
usually purchasing a share of an animal that will be processed into many
different cuts.

What is a quarter beef?

A quarter provides a portion of the animal’s steaks, roasts, ground beef and
other cuts. Some farms sell a front or hind quarter. Others offer a split or
mixed quarter so the customer receives a more balanced selection from the
whole carcass.

What is a half beef?

A half beef is one side of the carcass. Because you are buying considerably
more meat, there is usually greater flexibility in choosing steak thickness,
roast size, ground-beef package size and other cutting instructions.

What about a whole beef?

Buying the whole animal provides the greatest amount of meat and usually the
most control over cutting instructions. It also requires substantial freezer
space and a larger upfront purchase.

How is the price calculated?

Farmers may price bulk beef using carcass or hanging weight, packaged weight,
a flat price for the share, or another clearly explained system. Processing
may be included in the farmer’s price or charged separately by the processor.

You are buying more than steaks

A beef animal produces a mixture of premium steaks, roasts, braising cuts,
ground beef, fat, bones and potentially organ meats. Buying an animal share
means thinking about how you will use the entire assortment.