Want To Buy Half a Cow? Here’s What You Need to Know
There are many reasons why it may make sense for you to buy half a cow instead of continually purchasing beef from the grocery store. Besides saving money in the long term, buying half a cow from a local beef producer means you get higher-quality meat and a custom array of your favorite cuts.
But we admit, there is one big obstacle to overcome– freezer space. To adequately store your meat, you need plenty of freezer space. But how much exactly? Typically, at least one cubic foot of space per 25 pounds of meat.
Besides freezer space, there are some other considerations for buying and freezing beef that are important to consider. Keep reading if you are a beef eater and want to move away from grocery-store-bought beef and replace it with bulk purchases of beef straight from your local producer. In this article, I’ll talk about:
A general rule of thumb for freezer space
Chest vs. upright freezers
Factors that impact your freezer space
Advantages of buying beef from a local producer
Tips for freezing your half-cow
**J&R Pierce Family Farm is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to allow sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. I often link to Amazon when recommending certain products, and if you choose to purchase, I may earn a small percentage of the sale. It costs you nothing extra, and all recommended products are ones that I personally vouch for.**
How Big of a Freezer Do I Need to Fit Half a Cow?
Deciding how much freezer space you need to store your beef depends on exactly how much beef you want to freeze. A general rule of thumb is 25 pounds of meat per one cubic foot of freezer space.
Exactly how much beef you receive after purchasing half a cow will depend on the size of the animal at slaughter and your producer. Every producer is a little different. In general, animals yield 50 to 75% of the hanging weight as retail cuts. So if you have a 650 lb hanging weight you’ll get around 325-480 pounds of meat back on a whole share of beef.
To keep things simple, let’s assume you received back 200 pounds of meat. Following the rule of thumb I included above, you should plan to have at least eight cubic feet of freezer space, or slightly more.
Chest Freezers
Small
29–38″ W x 32–34″ H x 22–27″ D
Medium
54–65″ W x 33–36″ H x 24–28″ D
Large
72–84″ W x 31–34″ H x 27–32″ D
Upright Freezers
Small
21–25″ W x 55–60″ H x 22–26″ D
Medium
23–30″ W x 60–73″ H x 27–30″ D
Large
27–33″ W x 64–76″ H x 29–30″ D
The actual hanging weight you receive is not the only thing that may vary when purchasing a half cow. There are other factors you should consider that may dictate how much freezer space you need.
Chest vs. Upright Freezers
The biggest contributing factor to how much beef you can freeze is the design of the freezer itself. Regarding freezers, there are two prominent designs to choose from– chest and upright. Which type of freezer you select will depend on a variety of pros and cons for each design and your personal preferences.
Chest Freezers
Pros:
More energy efficient
More storage capacity
Less expensive to purchase
Keeps foods fresher for longer after a power outage
Longer lifespan
Cons:
Fewer organization accessories
Food can be harder to access
More difficult to clean
Takes up more floor space
Upright Freezers
Pros:
Foods are easier to access
Easier to clean
Comes with more organization accessories
Occupies less floor space
Often comes with an auto-defrost feature
Cons:
Not as energy-efficient
More expensive to purchase
Larger items are more difficult to organize
Shorter life span
The Type of Cut Matters
How you get your beef butchered will impact how much you can store. That’s because different cuts of beef take up different amounts of space. For example, 200 pounds of ground beef is drastically different than 200 pounds of ribeye, sirloin, chuck roasts, or short ribs.
Therefore, if you know your preference is for larger cuts of beef, then I recommend you opt for getting more space. In the end, more space will also make organizing and accessing your beef much easier moving forward.
Consider the Packaging
The packaging of your beef also comes into play when considering how much freezer space you need for half a cow. Some packaging is bulkier than others. Ultimately, every producer is a little different regarding how they package their product, so the nuances of how much extra space your beef takes because of its packaging will depend on your specific situation.
Other Freezing Needs
If you’re buying beef directly from a producer, chances are you are buying other types of animal products from local farmers, also. So if you’re raising pigs for meat, or like to purchase other types of froze animal products, consider going bigger with your freezer.
What Are the Advantages of Buying Half a Beef?
There are some disadvantages that come with buying a half beef. Besides having enough freezer space to store all your products, the large lump sum you pay upfront can also be intimidating. But if you can overcome these obstacles, you’ll get to enjoy many advantages.
You Pay Less Per Pound
When you buy half a cow from a local beef producer, you end up paying less per pound than you would if you went to the grocery store. Exactly how much less you pay and how much you save will depend on your specific scenario, but the difference is normally substantial for most people.
Support Local Ranchers, Farmers, and Butchers
When you buy beef from the grocery store, you rarely know where it's coming from or how it was raised, and eventually slaughtered. On the other hand, when you buy half a cow directly from the producer, you know exactly where it's coming from.
Even better, most small-scale beef producers are very transparent and prideful of their farming practices. Therefore, you can learn about how the beef was raised. Additionally, you can learn about how the beef was slaughtered.
For many beef eaters, understanding the process from start to finish and knowing that what they are eating is super high-quality and that it was raised and butchered humanely gives them peace of mind. In many cases, it’s better for the environment, too.
Customized Cuts
When you work with a beef producer, you can be in control of how your beef is butchered. Oftentimes, you can order specific types and quantities of your favorite beef cuts. This is helpful for meal planning and ensures that you never miss out on the cut you need for a specific meal.
Want a flank steak? It’s in the freezer. Need a t-bone? Got it. Filet mignon for date night? Already there. No need to run out for stew meat on Sunday afternoon - you’ve already got it! You can’t beat the convenience.
Better Taste
This may be more of an opinion rather than an objective fact, but– when it's all said and done, a ribeye steak from your local farmer is going to taste better than a ribeye from the grocery store. Whether you opt for grass-fed beef, grain-fed and grass finished, or even just plain old grain fed, you can’t deny that beef from small-scale farmers almost always taste better.
Tips for Storing Beef in the Freezer
Thinking about purchasing half a cow or even a whole beef to store in your freezer? Here are some tips to make your life easier.
If you can afford to have multiple freezers and have enough space, store your beef and other animal meats like mutton separately from other frozen items like ice creams, pies, and frozen treats or your chickens. It’ll make your life easier regarding the organization of your frozen foods.
Over time, your freezer will create ice build-up. Whenever you have a lot of frozen ice build-up, and your freezer is almost empty, take the opportunity to unplug your freezer and let it thaw. While you’re at it, give the freezer a deep clean. Then restock your items.
If you don’t have enough organizing basket, you can use repurposed cardboard. You can measure and cut cardboard “walls” to help organize your items. Or you can store categorized cuts of beef in stackable cardboard boxes. This will allow you to access different areas of your freezer easier.
Storing away 200 pounds of beef can be tricky regarding remembering where everything is inside the freezer. Paint your freezer with chalkboard paint and write where things are stored. Jot down where you have the brisket, where you have the skirt steaks, and where you have the burger to make your life easier. Or, more simply, write the quantities and locations of the different cuts of beef on a cheat sheet you keep near the freezer.
How Long Will Beef Last in the Freezer?
How long your beef lasts in the freezer will depend on the freezer functioning properly. The USDA recommends continuously storing your frozen beef at 0°F (-18°C). If your freezer breaks or there is a power outage and you’re unable to keep your stock frozen, the shelf life of your beef will greatly diminish.
How the beef is packaged is another important factor in how long it will last in the freezer. For bulk storage of beef in the freezer, a vacuum-sealed container is by far the best. Vacuum-sealed plastic containers will keep your beef the freshest and the longest.
Lastly, your beef consumption impacts how long your beef will last. Are you purchasing a half cow for your family? How many mouths are you feeding? How often do you eat beef?
In most cases, with high-quality and reliable packaging and a properly functioning freezer, your beef can last upwards of 12 months in the freezer.
The estimated shelf life for some common products include (first in the refrigerator, at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, and second in the freezer, at 0 or below):
Ground Beef
1 to 2 days
3 to months
Steaks
3 to 5 days
4 to 12 months
Chops
3 to 5 days
4 to 12 months
How Much Does Half a Beef Cost?
The regular price for half a beef vary based on location, farming practices, butcher costs, and other fees associated with the process. Most prices for half a beef are by the pound. At J&R Pierce Family Farm, in 2025 as a sale price for retail, we’ll charge $3.89 per hanging pound, plus the cost to pay the butcher (which comes out to around $8.50/lb for grass-fed beef).
Remember that the pricing for half beef is based on the hanging weight of the animal. The hanging weight is the numerical value before the animal’s been butchered or dressed.
Despite sounding like buying directly from a beef producer will cost more because you are paying for the hanging weight before it’s been butchered rather than the dressed weight you’d pay at the grocery store, it’s important to know that buying direct is often cheaper because you eliminate middlemen and mark up costs. Again, you also have the customization benefit. You can get back everything when you specify in your cutting instructions, from the soup bones to the fat and so much more.
Final Thoughts About Buying Half a Cow
Despite the large sum upfront and the obstacle of freezer space, there are many advantages to buying half a cow directly from a local producer. You can order custom cuts, your beef tastes better, you support local businesses, and you save money in the long run. What's not to love?
Sign up for your share of beef and never go back to buying at the grocery store again.
