Prices – Whole and Half Beef

 

 

Whole/Half Beef Cost Estimate – 2023 Prices

 

Here’s a quick calculation using a whole beef purchase and a half beef purchase:  If the beef being processed weighs 1,000 lbs live weight*, it will yield approximately 600 lbs hanging weight (60% of live weight).    A 600-pound hanging carcass yields approximately 65% of its weight into packaged meat or 390 lbs for the freezer.  

 

  Cost of Whole BeefCost of Half Beef
Paid to Elm Fork Ranch600 x $3.35$2,010.00$1,005.00
Paid to Processor600 x $1.10**660.00330.00
Paid to Processor – Processing fee$85/beef85.0077.50
Total Cost to Customer $2,755.00$1,412.50
Price per lb. packaged meat$2,755/ 390 (whole) $1,412.50/ 195 (half)$7.06/lb$7.24/lb

 

This figures out to be an average cost of $7.04/$7.24 per pound for tenderloin to lean ground beef. 

 

* Elm Fork Ranch prefers to process calves when they are between 900 – 1100 lbs.   1,000 lbs is used in this example as an easy NRN (nice round number) 

**Processing costs at Bluebonnet Meat are currently $1.10 lb based hanging weight. Incidental costs apply – see bluebonnetmeatcompany.com for detailed pricing.