Short answer: Indiana farms that post one flat price for a half beef list about $1,550 to $2,750[1][7]. The two lowest, Bartlett Farms ($1,550) and Dawson Angus ($1,600), don't include processing, so you pay the butcher separately.[1][2] Royer Farm Fresh and Tyner Pond Farm include processing in theirs[3][6]. Farms that price by hanging weight list $3.75 to $7.25 per pound[8][15], usually plus processing. The farms' own all-in estimates for a half, with processing, run about $1,800 to $2,500[12][10][16].
What Indiana farms list for a half (checked Oct 27, 2026)
These are prices posted on each farm's own website. "Flat" means one price for the share. "Hanging" is per pound of carcass weight. "Live" is per pound of the live animal.
| Farm | Half price as posted | Basis | Processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartlett Farms (Modoc) | $1,550 | Flat | Paid to Fisher Meats at pickup[1] |
| Dawson Angus (Morocco) | $1,600 | Flat | Paid to the processor[2] |
| Royer Farm Fresh (Clinton) | $2,300 (160 lb of beef) | Flat | Included[3] |
| For-Lou Farms (Greenfield) | $2,300 (~160 lb) | Flat | Not stated[4] |
| Schacht Farm (Bloomington) | $2,300 (160 lb) | Flat | Not stated[5] |
| Tyner Pond Farm (Greenfield) | $2,690 | Flat | Included[6] |
| Marbling Meadows (Woodburn) | $2,750 American Wagyu; $3,380 Japanese Wagyu | Flat | Not stated[7] |
| Crooked Creek Farms (Valparaiso) | $3.75/lb hanging | Hanging | Paid to the butcher[8] |
| Maple Crest Farm to Table (Elkhart) | $4.20/lb hanging (400 to 450 lb hanging) | Hanging | Not stated[9] |
| Fagan Family Farm (Cambridge City) | $4.50/lb hanging; farm estimates ~$2,120 with processing | Hanging | Paid to the locker ($1.00 to $1.19/lb)[10] |
| Wildcat Valley Farms (Lafayette) | $4.80/lb grain-finished; $5.80/lb grass-fed (hot carcass) | Hanging | Paid to the processor[11] |
| Mud Creek Farm (Ladoga) | $4.85/lb hanging; farm estimates $1,800 to $2,200 total | Hanging | Paid to the butcher ($1.20 to $1.30/lb)[12] |
| Holy Cow Farm Fresh (Monon) | $5.70/lb grain-finished; $5.80/lb grass-fed | Hanging | Extra[13] |
| Windy Meadow Farms (Lynnville) | $6.25/lb hanging | Hanging | Included[14] |
| Mayberry Acres (Middlebury) | $7.25/lb Wagyu (est. $2,718.75 to $3,625) | Hanging | Not stated[15] |
| Defiance Beef (Wanatah) | $2.75/lb live + $0.75/lb processing; farm estimates ~$2,500 all-in | Live | Billed separately[16] |
| Brookstone Terrace Farm (New Lisbon) | $3.10/lb live, plus butcher fee | Live | Paid to the butcher[17] |
| Coverdale Angus (Frankton) | About $1,500 (live-weight ballpark) + about $500 processing | Live | Paid separately[18] |
Some farms post sizes but no price, such as Brock Farms, Simpson Family Farm and Sankey Angus. See the full Indiana list for every farm, with deposits, processors and pickup.
Why Indiana quotes are hard to compare
Indiana farms price a half in three main ways. Some post a flat price for a set amount of packaged beef, like Royer Farm Fresh's 160 lb half for $2,300 with butcher fees included[3]. Some charge per pound of hanging weight and have you pay the locker separately, like Fagan Family Farm at $4.50/lb plus $1.00 to $1.19/lb processing.[10] A few charge per pound of live weight, like Defiance Beef at $2.75/lb live plus $0.75/lb processing[16]. A lower per-pound price on live weight doesn't mean a cheaper half, because a live animal weighs far more than its carcass. Read hanging weight vs. take-home weight before you compare.
Fagan Family Farm's own estimate shows the math: a half from a 600 lb live animal gives about 360 lb hanging weight and about 234 lb of packaged beef, for about $2,120 with processing.[10] That's about $9.06 per packaged pound (our arithmetic on the farm's numbers, not a farm quote).
Wagyu and grass-fed cost more
Wagyu halves run higher: Mayberry Acres lists $7.25/lb hanging weight (an estimated $2,718.75 to $3,625)[15], and Marbling Meadows lists $2,750 for American Wagyu and $3,380 for Japanese Wagyu[7]. Some farms price grass-fed beef above grain-finished. Wildcat Valley Farms lists a half at $4.80/lb grain-finished and $5.80/lb grass-fed[11].
What else to budget
- Deposit: often $150 to $500 for a half. Simpson Family Farm asks $1,000. Some deposits are non-refundable, so read each farm's page.
- Butcher fees: if processing isn't included, budget for it. Mud Creek Farm's butcher charges $1.20 to $1.30/lb rail weight.[12]
- Freezer space: a half needs about 8 cubic feet.[19] See the freezer space guide.
- Timing: processing dates can fill up months ahead. Brookstone Terrace Farm says its butcher dates are usually booked about 6 months out.[17]
FAQ
How much is half a cow in Indiana in 2026?
Indiana farm websites checked on Oct 27, 2026 list flat-priced halves from $1,550 to $2,750 (Japanese Wagyu up to $3,380), and hanging-weight prices from $3.75 to $7.25 per lb. Farms' own all-in estimates for a half, with processing, run about $1,800 to $2,500.
Is processing included in the price of half a cow in Indiana?
Usually not. Most Indiana farms that price by hanging weight have you pay the butcher or locker separately. Fagan Family Farm and Mud Creek Farm list about $1.00 to $1.30 per lb for processing. Royer Farm Fresh, Tyner Pond Farm and Windy Meadow Farms say their price includes processing.
How much meat is in half a cow?
Indiana farms that state it list about 160 to 255 lb of packaged beef for a half. For example, Royer Farm Fresh and For-Lou Farms list about 160 lb, Defiance Beef about 225 lb, and Maple Crest Farm to Table 225 to 255 lb.
Sources
- Bartlett Farms (Modoc, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Dawson Angus (Morocco, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Royer Farm Fresh (Clinton, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- For-Lou Farms (Greenfield, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Schacht Farm (Bloomington, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Tyner Pond Farm (Greenfield, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Marbling Meadows (Woodburn, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Crooked Creek Farms (Valparaiso, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Maple Crest Farm to Table (Elkhart, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Fagan Family Farm (Cambridge City, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Wildcat Valley Farms (Lafayette, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Mud Creek Farm (Ladoga, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Holy Cow Farm Fresh (Monon, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Windy Meadow Farms (Lynnville, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Mayberry Acres (Middlebury, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Defiance Beef (Wanatah, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Brookstone Terrace Farm (New Lisbon, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- Coverdale Angus (Frankton, IN) (seen Oct 27, 2026)
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Bulletin #1071: What To Expect When Buying A Freezer Beef (extension bulletin)
Prices on this page are examples from the farm websites listed in Sources, checked on Oct 27, 2026, plus our own arithmetic, and they can change. Each farm sets its own prices and terms. Beef Share Finder isn't the seller and isn't part of your purchase, so confirm the price, what it includes and the deposit terms with the farm before you pay.