Rancher Direct

Buy your Beef from the Rancher who raised it

Pick your product based on your taste and budget

How It Works

Reserve beef from the Ranch

We have set aside a limited number of our best cattle for sale directly to consumers.

You can reserve a whole, half, or quarter and pick it up at the butcher when it is ready.

Pick it up at the Butcher

When it is ready for harvest, we will arrange for your beef to be butchered, cut according to your preferences,  and made ready for you to pick up and put in your freezer

Buying beef directly from us is a little different than buying cuts of meat at the store. Here is what you can expect.

How It Works

  • Reserve your beef.

A deposit is required at the time you reserve your beef, Deposit amount will vary depending on the product. This deposit is not refundable.

  • Let it grow.

Relax while we take care of your animal as it grows. The time is takes to finish a steer can very, year to year. Typically, we harvest in the late spring and summer. You are welcome to check in from time to time for updates.

  • Butcher and processing.

We will arrange for the butchering and processing, we will use the butcher you prefer, if you have one, or we can use the one we use for ours.

  • Paying the balance.

Once the carcass has been weighed by the butcher and the HCW has been established, we will notify you and send you an invoice for the balance due. This must be paid before you pick up the meat. It must be paid within 30 days of notification.

  • Processing

Once the carcass is hanging at the butcher you will want to let it age. Usually around 14-21 days. You will give the butcher your cutting instructions, he can help you with this if you are unsure about your choices.

  • Pay the Butcher and pick up the meat.

 

What do you get

The actual size and amount of meet will vary from animal to animal. Are steers will typically finish between 800-1000lbs live weight. Grass finished will usually be o the smaller end and the Custom finished ones will be toward the larger end. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The size and weight will vary but 610lbs carcass at $4.00/lb (price of the whole angus option) would cost you $2440.00. Butchering will cost around $800. If after ageing and processing it produced 430lbs of beef. The cost average about $7.50/lb

A cow will typically have a heaver HCW, but if we use the same carcass weights, the cow would average $5.40/lb.

The amount of beef varies, but a typical 1000lb steer carcass will be around 600-650lbs. This is the Hanging weight or Hot Carcass Weight (HCW). The HCW is what your cost is based on.

Loss through ageing and process can vary according to prefetches of the customer, but a 600lb carcass will typically produce around 400-450lbs of beef.

Hot carcass weight (HCW) is the hot or unchilled weight of a beef carcass after harvest and removal of the hide, head, gastrointestinal tract, and internal organs. It is sometimes reported as carcass weight or hanging weight. Carcass weight is the most important factor in determining carcass value when cattle are sold.

The HCW is taken by the butcher at slaughter and provides a convenient, fair, and reliable measurement of the actual value of the animal.

This gives the most accurate and convenient representation of the actual beef yield of the animal while still providing flexibility for the customer preferences at processing..

The biggest difference is in the taste and texture. Cattle that are fed grain tend to get more fatty deposits or marbling in the muscle. This provide the tenderness and taste most Americans are accustomed to. They will also tend to yield more meat.

Grass finished cattle will be leaner (less fat) and have a stronger or beefier flavor. They will tend to be slightly smaller yield percentage. Grass finishing is considered, by many, to be a little healthier mostly due to the slightly different fat profile.

Our custom finishing process incorporates a grain supplement for around 30 days-160 days. 

That will vary depending one the size of your steer, but the freezer space required is typically;

  • Whole beef  at least 40 cubic feet
  • Half beef at least 20 cubic feet
  • Quarter beef at east 10 cubic feet

The timing of the harvest varies year to year, mostly depending on rainfall and grass production. Our cows and grass finished cattle will generally be ready in the summer or fall, the custom finished cattle are usually ready in fall or winter

More Questions?

Please reach out to us. We are happy to answer any questions about the ranch, the cattle, or the buying process.

Questions (#3)