Half a cow cost.
Grass-fed half, quarter and sixteenth packages, checked.
39 in-stock bulk beef listings (1/16 to whole cow) from 12 US ranches, read daily from each ranch’s own store. A grass-fed half cow costs $2,391.50–$3,600.00; a quarter cow $949.49–$1,900.00. Deposits and installment plans excluded. Full share tables also on bulk beef.
Half a cow vs quarter vs 1/16 packages
A half cow is roughly half the take-home beef from one animal (often ~235 lb in the MSU Extension example). A quarter cow is half of that (~118 lb in the same example). A 1/16 or 1/8 is a smaller freezer pack from the same animal mix — easier if you lack space. Buying by the cut (ground beef, steaks) lets you skip cuts you won’t use, but you lose the bulk mix price when steaks are expensive.
Available shares sorted by price per lb
Only listings that state packaged meat weight in the title get a per-pound figure. Sorted cheapest per lb first.
| Share | Ranch | Price | Stated meat weight | Per lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16 cowSCF - 1/16 Grassfed Beef Package (25 LBS MEAT) save 17% | Shirttail Creek FarmTexas | $389.31 | 25 lb | $15.57/lb |
| Quarter cow1/4 Grassfed Beef Package (92 LBS MEAT) Save 16% | Shirttail Creek FarmTexas | $1,487.93 | 92 lb | $16.17/lb |
| 1/16 cowSCF - 1/16 Grassfed Beef Package (25 LBS MEAT) save 15% | Shirttail Creek FarmTexas | $415.64 | 25 lb | $16.63/lb |
| Half cowHalf Grassfed Beef Package (182 lbs MEAT) SAVE 17% | Shirttail Creek FarmTexas | $3,055.48 | 182 lb | $16.79/lb |
| 1/16 cow1/16 Grassfed Beef Package (25 LBS MEAT) SAVE 14% · 1/16th Package - REGULAR OPTION Save 14%!! | Shirttail Creek FarmTexas | $469.99 | 25 lb | $18.80/lb |
| 1/8 cow1/8 Grassfed Beef Package (50 LBS MEAT) SAVE 15% | Shirttail Creek FarmTexas | $977.50 | 50 lb | $19.55/lb |
| 1/16 cow1/16 Grassfed Beef Package (25 LBS MEAT) SAVE 14% · 1/16 Package - CAVEMAN SPLIT OPTION SAVE 14% | Shirttail Creek FarmTexas | $499.99 | 25 lb | $20.00/lb |
| 1/16 cow1/16 Grassfed Beef Package (25 LBS MEAT) SAVE 14% · 1/16th Package - CAVEMAN OPTION SAVE 14% | Shirttail Creek FarmTexas | $534.49 | 25 lb | $21.38/lb |
| 1/16 cowFamily Freezer Beef Share - 1/16 Cow - 22 lbs | Ayers Valley FarmOhio | $549.99 | 22 lb | $25.00/lb |
All available shares by size
| Share | Lowest | Middle listing | Highest | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half cow | $2,391.50White Oak Pastures | $3,243.99 | $3,600.00Primal Pastures | 8 |
| Quarter cow | $949.49Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed | $1,487.93 | $1,900.00Primal Pastures | 10 |
| 1/8 cow | $605.30White Oak Pastures | $839.98 | $1,025.00Wholly Cow Market | 6 |
| 1/16 cow | $389.31Shirttail Creek Farm | $499.99 | $620.00Wholly Cow Market | 8 |
| Whole cow | $5,267.99John Henry's Meats | $6,199.00 | $6,800.00Primal Pastures | 7 |
Half a cow vs buying by the cut
Shares with a stated weight run about $15.57–$25.00/lb for a mixed pack. Individual cuts from the same ranches:
| Cut | Cheapest | Middle |
|---|---|---|
| Ground beef | $7.25/lbJoyce Farms | $13.99/lb |
| Chuck roast | $14.08/lbUS Wellness Meats | $16.60/lb |
| Stew meat | $9.00/lbPorter Road | $15.99/lb |
| Brisket | $6.50/lbJoyce Farms | $15.59/lb |
| Sirloin | $19.00/lbTexas Grassfed Beef | $34.98/lb |
| New York strip | $22.98/lbSnake River Farms | $47.40/lb |
| Ribeye | $22.97/lbUS Wellness Meats | $49.00/lb |
| Filet mignon | $39.96/lbAllen Brothers | $84.92/lb |
Also see bulk ground beef if you mostly cook ground, and ranch reviews like Beck Ranch (sells shares) or subscriptions like ButcherBox and Crowd Cow if you want smaller recurring boxes instead.
Ranch links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the order, which is always by price per pound. Disclosure
How much meat to expect (MSU example)
Mississippi State University Extension walks through a 1,200-lb live steer → ~756 lb hot carcass → ~470 lb packaged boneless beef. Half ≈ 235 lb, quarter ≈ 118 lb. Real yields vary; ask the ranch.
Questions
How much does a half a cow cost?
On our last check (Nov 5, 2026) grass-fed half cow listings ran from $2,391.50 (White Oak Pastures) to $3,600.00 (Primal Pastures), across 8 listings. The middle listing was $3,243.99. Check whether the price includes processing and delivery.
How much does a quarter cow cost?
Quarter cow listings ran from $949.49 (Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed) to $1,900.00 (Primal Pastures), across 10 listings; the middle listing was $1,487.93.
How much does a 1/16 cow cost?
Sixteenth-cow packages ran from $389.31 (Shirttail Creek Farm) to $620.00, across 8 listings. These are smaller freezer packs — useful if a half cow is too much.
How much meat is in a half cow?
It depends on the animal and how it’s cut. Mississippi State University Extension’s example: a 1,200-lb steer gives a 756-lb hot carcass, about 726 lb after chilling, and roughly 470 lb of mostly boneless packaged beef. Half of that example is about 235 lb, a quarter about 118 lb. That split is our arithmetic on their example, not a guarantee; ask the ranch for its typical take-home weight.
Is buying half a cow cheaper than buying cuts?
It depends on what you’d otherwise buy. The shares that state their packaged weight work out to $15.57–$25.00/lb today. That is more than the middle grass-fed ground beef listing bought on its own ($13.99/lb), and far less than the middle ribeye listing ($49.00/lb). A share pays off when you’ll use the steaks and roasts; if you mostly eat ground beef, bulk ground beef is often cheaper.
Where can I buy half a cow online?
We track 12 ranches with in-stock share listings on Nov 5, 2026 (39 of 47 total share rows available). Many shares deliver only regionally or need pickup — check the listing before you pay. Full tables also live on our bulk beef page.
Why don’t you show a price per pound for every share?
Many ranches price shares by hanging weight or only describe the expected yield loosely. We only calculate a per-pound figure when the listing name itself states the packaged meat weight. Deposits and monthly installment plans are left out.
Sources: share prices from each ranch’s public store, read daily; MSU Extension yield example linked above. Methodology. More detail: half cow & quarter cow prices.