04/09/2026
🐄 BURGER COW BREAKDOWN — REAL NUMBERS
Ever wonder what a “burger cow” actually looks like?
This one hung at 782 lbs and went mostly into ground beef 👇
🥩 479.64 lbs ground beef
🥩 51 lbs kept for jerky (rounds)
👉 Total take-home: 530.64 lbs
👉 67.9% yield
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💰 THE COST
• Animal: $4000
• Processing: $1684.39
👉 Total: $5684.39
👉 $10.71/lb just to break even
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❓ WHY ALL BURGER?
Not every animal is meant for steaks.
• Age, structure & finish affect tenderness
• Some animals are better suited for grinding
• Grinding gives a consistent, high-quality product
• We kept the rounds for jerky to still maximize value
👉 Sometimes the best beef isn’t steaks — it’s really good ground.
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🔪 WHY DOES PROCESSING COST SO MUCH?
We can’t legally sell beef unless it’s processed in a government-inspected facility.
That means:
• Licensed slaughter & trained staff
• Strict food safety regulations
• Aging, cutting, grinding, wrapping
• Equipment, insurance, inspections
👉 Whether it turns into steaks or all burger — the work and cost is the same.
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⚡ REALITY CHECK
That’s $10.71/lb before feed, time, or risk.
So when you see local ground beef at $12 or more per lb…
you’re not overpaying — you’re seeing the real cost of raising food.
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Know your farmer. Know your food.