Just called in my cutting instructions for my beef. This quarter will run me close to $950. I purchase my beef by the live weight and we just agree to look that the sale barn prices from the past week. This one is $1.98 per lb on the live weight.
I’m not complaining. IMHO it’s the only way to go. My dad would be smiling if he was still around. He predicted this a year and a half ago, and it’s only going to keep rising.
My brother has 5 kids and signed on for a half… he he
I assume 950.00 is a increased amount from prior purchases. How much was your last 1/4? I have no idea what 1/4 cost are now or prior.
Last time I did a 1/4 it was around $700 I think. It was a few years back now.
I’ve never done a 1/4, ever so I don’t know is that the butcher buying live and selling???
I only do whole and split half with someone. what is the cost for trucking, killing it and butcher?
from the USDA report:
STEERS: LIVE FOB QTY Sold WT range Trade/100 Avg
Over 80% Choice 28,318 1,345 – 1,725 188.00 – 196.00 1,554 194.62
65 – 80% Choice 1,447 1,400 – 1,602 191.00 – 195.00 1,442 192.39
35 – 65% Choice 1,772 1,300 – 1,550 190.00 – 192.00 1,384 191.01
0 – 35% Choice – –
Total all grades 31,537 1,300 – 1,725 188.00 – 196.00 1,539 194.31
If you can find an unbeaten dead horse, I’m sure it’d be much cheaper. 
I think my last 1/4 was around $825 about 10 months ago. I’m from a small town in NW Iowa. I just buy the animal from a farmer I know and they drop in off in town at the locker on the day they have an appointment for it. I pay the farmer the current going rate from the sale barn and the butcher the processing price.
Its the right way to go, if you can afford it, and if you have freezer space. Not everyone is in that situation which is why there are grocery stores and butcher shops that sell it in smaller amounts.
I think the last quarter I bought last year ran me $750 or so total. That’s from a life long friend who raises a dozen steers or so at a time. Part of that goes to him, and part to the locker. They have me down and know how I want my cuts as a repeat customer. Pretty painless process that takes making one call to get on his list, and receiving another call to pick it up at the local locker.
If you think this is expensive, I’d encourage you to document all of your beef purchases from other sources bit by bit through a calendar year.
Its the right way to go, if you can afford it, and if you have freezer space. Not everyone is in that situation which is why there are grocery stores and butcher shops that sell it in smaller amounts.
Thanks for the helpful insight. Many of us were unaware
I remember paying around $375 per quarter, but then thinking back, that was a 1/4 century ago… Dang time marches on.
If you think this is expensive, I’d encourage you to document all of your beef purchases from other sources bit by bit through a calendar year.
I like beef (who doesn’t) but there’s no way I spend 950 bucks on it alone throughout the year. Maybe half that, and that’s being generous.
Not a bad idea to keep track of it and see where that number falls at the end of the year though.
For me, the cost of a quarter of beef is only one part of the equation when deciding if its worth it. Quality of the beef compared to store bought meat makes it a no brainer. From time to time I will eat store bought beef and get reminded again why buying local raised beef is far superior. It’s not even close. You get what you pay for.
So for fun math, let’s say the $950 quarter did last you a year. You’d have to buy $18.27 of beef per week to make it even. That’s a 2 lb roast and 2 lbs of burger from the store. No steaks for you or you have to go without for another week. 
We burn through the roasts in winter and steaks the other parts of the year. Burger is just a staple that gets used all season. Although, I used to give the FW the evil eye when she made tacos from my locker beef, but then thinking about it, it’s the same price per lb as I paid for the all the 1/4, so fine. Still seems wrong.
We don’t have to even go down the quality path. That dead horse has decayed and long gone.
Just bought a 1/4 few months ago. Around $700. 190lbs, $500 + $200 processing.
All depends on the size of the animal in the end. This one was a 1450 lb Red Angus.
All depends on the size of the animal in the end. This one was a 1450 lb Red Angus.
So for a 1450 lb animal what’s the final package weight of your quarter? Complete guess would be around 120ish
Red meat is bad for you. I’d suggest the following as an alternative:
If you buy a quarter it can be cut in perfect cubes so it fits in your freezer. This would work well for Gimruis.
Lol you can’t be serious Matt
For me, the cost of a quarter of beef is only one part of the equation when deciding if its worth it. Quality of the beef compared to store bought meat makes it a no brainer. From time to time I will eat store bought beef and get reminded again why buying local raised beef is far superior. It’s not even close. You get what you pay for.
Agreed, this goes for pork as well. Our family raises two pigs every year. The cost is actually higher than going to the store and we process ours at home. But quality is no comparison.
I have done this for the past few years and as others have said, there is no way I would go back to buying store bought beef. Yes, the upfront costs is higher, but in the end for the quality standpoint it is a no brainer. One has to look at the price per pound, sure the burger might be a few cents more, but your also getting your roasts, t-bones, and ribeyes for far less than what you pay in a store
So for a 1450 lb animal what’s the final package weight of your quarter? Complete guess would be around 120ish
Believe hanging weight is roughly 40 perecnt less then live weight and processed weight is about 40 percent less then that. So with that about 130-135lbs.
anyone care to give a idea of the final lb’s of meat they receive from a average size beef? How many of each meat cut? Just curious of what all you receive for your total cost.
I have done this for the past few years and as others have said, there is no way I would go back to buying store bought beef. Yes, the upfront costs is higher, but in the end for the quality standpoint it is a no brainer. One has to look at the price per pound, sure the burger might be a few cents more, but your also getting your roasts, t-bones, and ribeyes for far less than what you pay in a store
well said. its hard to come up with an accurate comparison… but something like a McRib compared to real southern bbq. ok maybe not that dramatic but you get the idea.
Its ironic this came up just now… Last night I went to a friends house for tacos and they bought a LB of 80/20 from the local grocery store for $6 and the taste (compared to my beef at home) was borderline terrible
I’m picking up a quarter beef tomorrow. $660 for 160lbs. Cut wrapped and frozen. Getting it from a farmer up by our lake place. Just met the guy this year at a farmers market. Needed cabbage for making kraut. He didn’t have any left but told me to come out to his place and I could pick some up. He was 15 minutes away from the cabin so I went. Got four enormous cabbage from him that were the best cabbage I’ve had. We got to talking and he raises beef as well so I signed up for a quarter.
His garden was huge and immaculate. If he raises beef like he gardens I’m golden. I get a mix of the front and rear half so lots of choices. Looking forward to grilling up a nice juicy steak. Been holding off buying beef knowing I had this coming.
We buy 30lbs of ground beef and 1/2 hog each year from the 225 acre farm down the road. They raise over 100 beef cattle, 20 or so Bison, and over 100 hogs (and chickens, rabbits, geese, turkeys, ducks, sheep). They have over 400 paying customers. Their cattle and bison are grass fed and pasture harvested. We’re not saving any money doing this, but as others have said it’s well worth it..
Our 30lbs of ground beef. (57lbs hanging weight). Paid the farmer $171 and the meat shop $62. Comes out to $7.78/lb.
Our 1/2 hog was 117lbs hanging weight. Paid the farmer $409 and the meat shop $240. Can’t remember how much we actually netted in weight though..
We get all our Beef, Pork, Chicken, Eggs & now Lamb from my Nephew and Nieces farm. It is ALL organic, it never leaves the farm. Crosswinds
For inquiries on cuts and how many, depends on what you want. My neighbor like tissue paper steaks about 1/2” thick. For me, my steaks are cut minimum 1”, so he get “double” the steaks, but same weight. We cut all our roasts about 2.5# . All our hamburger is kept very lean roughly 90/10. We don’t drain any fat and we do all 1.5 # packs. My daughter does all 1# packs.
A good locker will ask plenty of questions and if it’s a first time will explain your cuts and what impacts what.
This last year, we did a steer that had Holstein. Got to admit, meat is much better than I expected. I forget the live weight, but it was a freak giant. Hanging was just over 1100# I took half and we completely filled about 24 cubic foot freezer and put over flow in another.
When guys get a quarter, I have no idea how the locker takes cut instructions or how it’s divided- I just assume the half is done then it’s one for me/one for you ????
But besides the taste quality, it’s the assortment of all the cuts. I’m picky, so certain steaks and roast cuts are private stock. As for cost, I was figuring about $2.50/# on the hang weight all in. That cost is obviously up , but when garbage burger at the store is near $5/#, I’ll eat steaks for less
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