Buying beef by the share: a beginner’s guide

Part 1 · Is it for you?

Why people buy beef this way

Instead of a few packages at a time, you buy a share of one animal from a local farm. A butcher cuts it the way you ask, and you take it home frozen in labeled packages.

Know where it came fromOne farm you can name, see and visit. You know what it ate and who cut it.
Good cuts for lessOne price per pound for every cut, so a ribeye costs what ground beef does.
Cut your waySteak thickness, roast size, how much ground, soup bones or not.
A full freezerMonths of dinners on hand, and fewer trips to the store.
Raised your wayGrass-finished, organic, no hormones: pick the farm that fits.
Money to the farmerMost of what you spend stays with a local farm.

What to know before you buy

Buying a share suits a lot of families, but go in knowing these six things. Tick the ones that work for you.

0 of 6Tick each one that works for you.

Part 2 · Pick a size

Whole, half or quarter

The size is how much of one steer you buy. Pick one to see what it means for your freezer and your budget.

Half beefA family of 4 or 5 who eat beef a few times a week.

Take-home meat: About 200 lb
Freezer space: About 6 cu ft, a medium chest freezer
Lasts a family of 4: About a year
All in, estimated: $2,260–$2,410

You get your own cut sheet, so you choose how it is all cut. Hanging weight: 300 to 350 lb.

Typical ranges at the USDA grass-fed average of $5.75/lb , with our 5% fee and a typical butcher bill. Each farm sets its own price.

Which size fits your household?

Set your household and how often you eat beef. We estimate how long each share lasts.

Adults and teens

2

Young kids

2

Counted as half portions

Beef meals per week

4

Burgers, tacos, roasts, steaks

I want it to lastMost beef keeps best eaten within a year

Your household eats about4 lb a week

Or roughly208 lb a year

Quarter beef

About 100 lb of packaged beefLasts about 6 monthsNeeds about 3 to 4 cu ft of freezer space

Half beefBest fit

About 200 lb of packaged beefLasts about 12 monthsNeeds about 5 to 7 cu ft of freezer space

Whole beef

About 400 lb of packaged beefLasts about 23 monthsNeeds about 11 to 14 cu ft of freezer space

A half is the closest fit for about 9 months.

Browse half beef shares

Estimates assume about 1/3 lb of raw beef per adult serving and typical take-home yields. For reference, the average American eats about 58 lb of beef a year.

Want a fuller answer, with budget, freezer space and a starter cut sheet? Take the buyer quiz

Part 3 · What it costs

Hanging weight and the real cost

Farms price a share by : the carcass before it is cut. You take home less, about 60 to 65%, because bone, fat and trim come off. So the number to compare is the price per pound you take home.

Example: one half beef

Hanging weight: 330 lb
Farm: 330 lb × $5.75: $1,897.50
Service fee (5%): $94.88
Butcher: kill fee share + 330 lb × $0.95: $373.50
All in: about $2,370
You take home, at about 62%: about 205 lb

Real cost per pound you take home$11.56

The same beef, bought cut by cut

Tenderloin steak$30.49
Ribeye$27.09
NY strip$24.79
Sirloin steak$18.76
Brisket$12.35
Chuck roast$12.12
Ground beef$10.46
Your share, every cut$11.56

Per lb, grass-fed beef sold straight from farms. USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Jul to Sep 2025. Ground beef can cost less at the store; the savings are in the steaks and roasts.

Paying the farm and the butcher

This is the part that surprises most first-time buyers. There are two ways it works; most beef is the first.

Most farms that sell halves and quarters use a local butcher. You buy your share of the live animal from the farm, and the butcher cuts it for you, the owner. So you pay the farm for the animal, and the butcher for cutting, wrapping and freezing, when you pick up.

Today$315Deposit, holds your half
After weighing~$1,680The rest, to the farm
At pickup$320–$430To the butcher

The butcher charges a kill fee per animal, split between shares, plus about $0.70 to $1.00 per lb of hanging weight.
Packages say “Not for sale” because the meat already belongs to you.
Extras like patties, sausage or smoked cuts cost more.

Either way, every listing on Pasture Direct shows who you pay and about how much, butcher included, before you claim a share.

Part 4 · What you get

What’s in a share

Every share is a mix of cuts. Your cut sheet moves the mix around; this is a typical half, about 200 lb.

Ground and stew45%~90 lbGround beef in 1 lb packs, stew meat, patties if you ask
Steaks23%~45 lbRibeye, NY strip, sirloin, T-bone or filet, flank and skirt
Roasts18%~35 lbChuck, rump and round roasts, sirloin tip
Brisket and ribs14%~30 lbBrisket, short ribs, shank, oxtail. Bones and organs if you want them

Where each cut comes fromTap a part of the steer.

Rib

RibeyeRib roastBack ribs

Grill the steaks hot; roast the rib roast.

A typical quarter, about 100 lb

40–50 lb ground beef
20–25 lb steaks
15–20 lb roasts
10–15 lb brisket, short ribs, stew meat and bones

A hindquarter has more steaks. A forequarter has more pot roast, stew and ground beef, and usually costs less.

Freezer space and storage

Plan on 1 cubic foot for every 35 to 40 lb of packaged beef, plus a little extra because packages are odd shapes.

How much room each size needs

Quarter~3 cu ft

Half~6 cu ft

Whole~12 cu ft

A 5 cu ft chest freezer fits a quarter. A half needs about 7 cu ft, a whole about 15.

How long it keeps at 0°F

Ground beef3 to 4 months
Steaks4 to 12 months
Roasts4 to 12 months

Best quality. It stays safe to eat for as long as it stays frozen. Vacuum-sealed packs keep longer than paper wrap.

Part 5 · How it goes

How it works, step by step

From claiming a share to a full freezer. Tap a step, or let it play.

Pick a steer from a farm near you and choose a quarter, half or whole.
Deposit · about $150 for a quarter, taken off the price

Step 1 of 5 · Today

Claim your share

Pick a steer from a farm near you and choose a quarter, half or whole.

Deposit · about $150 for a quarter, taken off the price

Playing. Tap a step to stop.

Common questions

Is it actually cheaper than the store?

For steaks and roasts, almost always. For ground beef, often not. You pay one price for every cut, so the savings come from the good cuts. The price check in this guide shows it cut by cut.

Why do I pay the butcher separately?

With custom processing you own your share of the animal, so the butcher works for you and bills you directly. Listings marked “Butcher included” put that cost in the farm price instead.

Can I split a share with friends or family?

Yes, it is very common. One person claims the half, and you split the packages at pickup.

What is a cut sheet?

A form that tells the butcher how to cut your beef: steak thickness, roast size, what to grind, package size and extras. The farm sends it after you claim your share, and will help you fill it in.

Do I need a separate freezer?

For a quarter, an empty kitchen freezer can be enough. For a half or whole, plan on a chest or upright freezer.

What is the difference between grass-fed and grain-finished?

Grass-finished cattle eat grass and hay their whole lives. Grain-finished cattle are on grass most of their lives, then get grain for the last few months, which adds marbling. Both are common; it comes down to taste.

How do I bring it home?

Bring coolers or boxes. A quarter fits in two or three large coolers, a half in four to six. It is frozen solid, so a drive home is fine.

Buying beef by the share