08/31/2026
Thinking about buying meat in bulk? Here are a few things you’ll want to know first.
When buying a quarter, half, or whole animal, there are three weights to understand:
1. Live weight — the animal’s weight before processing.
2.Hanging weight — the carcass weight after processing.
3. Packaged weight — the actual meat that ends up in your freezer.
A 1,200 lb animal does NOT equal 1,200 lbs of meat! There’s a big difference between live weight, hanging weight, and what you actually take home.
One more important question to ask your rancher: Are the butcher/processing fees included in the hanging-weight price, or are they charged separately?
Know what you’re paying for before you buy, and don’t be afraid to ask questions