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What is a beef share?

7 sources citedUpdated Oct 27, 2026General information, not financial, legal or health advice

Short answer: A beef share is part of one animal that you buy directly from a farm, usually a quarter, a half or the whole animal. The farm raises the animal, a processor cuts and wraps the beef, and you pick up packaged, frozen beef. You pay for your share of the animal, and often a separate processing fee.[1][2]

Share sizes

  • Whole: the full animal.
  • Half: one side of the carcass.
  • Quarter: usually "half of a half." Michigan State University Extension describes it as cuts from the hindquarter (round and loin) mixed with cuts from the forequarter (chuck and rib) for each buyer.[1]
  • Eighth: some farms sell smaller shares. As of Oct 27, 2026, 9 of the 41 Florida farms and 6 of the 48 Michigan farms on Beef Share Finder listed eighths on their own websites.[5]

How farms price a share

Farms quote prices on different weights, so the same animal can be described with very different numbers.[2]

  • Live weight: the animal on the hoof.
  • Hanging weight (hot carcass weight): the carcass soon after slaughter, before chilling and cutting.
  • Packaged (take-home) weight: the cut, trimmed and wrapped beef you bring home.
  • Flat price: one price for the share, sometimes with an approximate weight.

Ask which weight a price is based on and whether processing is included. On Beef Share Finder, each listing shows the price basis the farm's website states, or "unknown" if the site doesn't say.[5]

How much beef you get

The amount depends on the animal and the cuts you choose. Michigan State University Extension gives this example: a 1,200 lb steer at a 63% dressing percentage gives a 756 lb carcass.[1] For a 700 lb carcass, MSU estimates a half yields about 238 lb of mostly bone-in cuts, or about 175 lb if you choose boneless, closely trimmed cuts. A quarter yields about 119 lb bone-in or about 88 lb boneless.[1] MSU notes these are averages, not promises.

Processing: USDA-inspected or custom-exempt

Many farms sell you a share of the live animal, so you own your share before the animal is slaughtered. A custom-exempt processor can then cut and wrap it for you. Under federal rules, custom-exempt beef is only for the owner, the owner's household, nonpaying guests and employees, and every package must be marked "Not for Sale."[3] It can't be sold or donated.[3][4] In Michigan, beef that a farm sells by the cut or in packages must come from an animal slaughtered at a USDA-inspected plant, and the farm also needs a Michigan food license to store and sell it.[4][7] That's why some farms sell you a share of the animal and have you pay the processor yourself.

Freezer space

Plan on about 1 cubic foot of freezer space for every 35 to 40 lb of packaged beef.[1][2] See our guide How much freezer space do you need for a quarter cow?

How buying a share usually works

  1. Pick a share size and a farm.
  2. Ask how the price is figured, what processing costs and who you pay.
  3. Pay the deposit, if the farm asks for one, and ask whether it's refundable.
  4. Fill out a cut sheet with the farm or the processor. See Beef cut sheet explained.
  5. Pick up your beef on the date and at the place the farm or processor gives you.

FAQ

Is a beef share the same as a cow share?

Not always. "Cow share" is also used for dairy herd shares that provide milk. A beef share is for meat.

How much is a quarter share of beef?

It depends on the farm and how it prices the share. See our price guides: How much does half a cow cost in Florida? and How much does half a cow cost in Michigan?

Can I split a share with someone?

Many buyers split a half into two quarters. Ask the farm how it handles split shares and cut choices.

Beef Share Finder isn't the seller and doesn't check each farm's or processor's licenses or inspection status. This is general information, not legal, financial or health advice. Before you buy, ask the farm and processor how the beef will be processed and sold. For questions about Michigan rules, contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

Find a farm: Florida beef shares · Michigan beef shares

Sources

  1. Michigan State University Extension, "How much to expect when buying freezer beef: Part One." https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/how_much_to_expect_when_buying_freezer_beef_part_one
  2. University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Bulletin #1071, "What To Expect When Buying A Freezer Beef." https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/1071e/
  3. eCFR, 9 CFR 303.1, Exemptions. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-9/chapter-III/subchapter-A/part-303/section-303.1
  4. Michigan State University Extension, "Direct marketing of locally produced meats offers opportunity for livestock producers." https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/direct_marketing_of_locally_produced_meats_offers_opportunity_for_livestock
  5. Beef Share Finder farm data, checked Oct 27, 2026. https://beefsharefinder.com/data/farms-florida.json and https://beefsharefinder.com/data/farms-michigan.json
  6. Michigan State University Extension, "Selling meat from your farm? Make sure it is labeled properly!" https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/selling_meat_from_your_farm_make_sure_it_is_labeled_properly
  7. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, "Farmers Markets" FAQ (meat and poultry sales). https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/faqs/food/farmers-markets

General information, not financial, legal or health advice.

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