Quarter
1 to 3 people
$9.25/lb hanging weight · $500 deposit
Quarter. Or your first time buying bulk. About 150 to 175 lb hanging weight, cut to our standard cut sheet. Fits in a small chest freezer.
Reserve a quarter →Rivas Ranch / Your Local RancHer + Chef
Buy a Quarter Cow in North Carolina
- Grass-fed and grass-finished
- Your share comes from one animal
- Local, family-owned USDA-inspected processor
- Balance invoiced from the real hanging weight
- TodayPick a share and pay the deposit, or the full price for a Set-Price Box or Shipped Quarter. That holds your processing date.
- Before processingA few days before processing, we reach out to go over your order and any cut choices. Not sure what to pick? We help.
- After processingBy-the-pound shares get a final invoice from the real hanging weight, less your deposit, due within 3 days.
- ReadyAbout 3 weeks after processing. We text or email you to set free delivery to your door anywhere in North Carolina, pickup or shipping.
What does a quarter really cost?
By the pound, you pay for the hanging weight, the weight of the carcass after processing. Here's a quarter at 150 lb hanging weight:
| 150 lb × $9.25 | $1,387.50 |
|---|---|
| Deposit, paid today | − $500 |
| Final invoice, due within 3 days | $887.50 |
Most quarters come in around $1,390 to $1,620. Anything extra you ask for, like beef bacon, sausage or special processing, is added to the final invoice. A half works the same way at $8.75/lb with a $950 deposit, usually $2,630 to $2,840.
Would rather know the number up front? The Set-Price Box is one fixed price: $1,399 for a quarter, $2,699 for a half.
Will it fit in my freezer?
About 25 to 30 lb of packaged meat fits in 1 cubic foot.
| Quarter, by the pound | About 150 to 175 lb hanging weight. Plan on 3 to 4 cu ft, a small chest freezer. |
|---|---|
| Set-Price quarter | At least 75 lb. About 3 cu ft. |
| Half | About 300 to 325 lb hanging weight. About 8 to 10 cu ft. |
| Whole | About 600 to 650 lb hanging weight. Plan on a full-size chest freezer or two. |
Your take-home weight is about 55 to 65% of the hanging weight. That isn't missing meat: beef hangs to get tender and loses water while it does, and bones and trim come off. More in the freezer guide.
Already know what you want? Go to the order form ↓ · Questions first? Read how it works ↓
Questions first? How it works, cut sheets and FAQ ↓
Quarter cow for sale in North Carolina
Buy a quarter cow near you.
$9.25 a pound of hanging weight. A quarter is about 150 to 175 lb, so about $1,390 to $1,620. You take home about 80 to 115 lb of packaged beef. We deliver free to your door anywhere in North Carolina.
Quarter cow price, weight, and what you get.
How much does a quarter cow cost?
We charge $9.25 per pound of hanging weight. A quarter is about 150 to 175 lb, so it runs about $1,390 to $1,620. Your $500 deposit holds the processing date and comes off the final invoice. The deposit is not refundable. Want one number up front? A Set-Price quarter is $1,399.
How much does a quarter cow weigh?
About 150 to 175 lb hanging weight. Hanging weight is the carcass after processing, before it is aged, trimmed and cut. That is the weight the price is based on.
How much meat is in a quarter cow?
You take home about 55 to 65 percent of the hanging weight. On a quarter, that is about 80 to 115 lb of packaged beef. The rest is not missing meat. The beef hangs so it gets tender and loses water, and bones and trim come off. Plan on 3 to 4 cubic feet of freezer. About 25 to 30 lb fits in 1 cubic foot.
What do I get with a quarter cow?
A by-the-pound quarter is cut from one animal: steaks, roasts, brisket, stew, ground beef and the other cuts on our cut sheet. You can change the cut sheet. A Set-Price quarter is at least 75 lb of meat cuts, with about forty 1 lb packs of ground beef and about 10 lb of steaks. We do not add bones, organs or fat to make the weight.
What is a quarter cow?
One quarter of one animal. Not a mix from a hundred farms. Your steaks and your ground beef come from that animal. We process one animal at a time at a local, family-owned, USDA-inspected plant. Halal processing is available. Choose it when you order.
Where can I buy a quarter cow near me?
We raise the cattle in Tobaccoville. Pick up at the ranch by appointment, or at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market. In North Carolina we deliver free to your door, including Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Asheville and Wilmington. Our Ranch Route also stops in Durham, Cary, Morrisville, Huntersville, Statesville, Hendersonville and Brevard, and runs into Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, South Carolina and Georgia. Enter your ZIP in the order form and it shows your options.
How much is a half cow?
A half is $8.75 per pound of hanging weight, about 300 to 325 lb, so about $2,630 to $2,840. The deposit is $950. A whole is $8.25 per pound, about 600 to 650 lb, so about $4,950 to $5,360, with a $1,200 deposit. A Set-Price half is $2,699. Deposits are not refundable.
How much does beef cost per pound?
$9.25 for a quarter, $8.75 for a half, and $8.25 for a whole. That price is per pound of hanging weight, not the grocery-store price of a packaged steak. Take-home meat is about 55 to 65 percent of the hanging weight.
Where can I buy grass-fed beef near me?
Here. Our cattle are grass-fed and grass-finished in Tobaccoville. They eat grass and forage their whole lives, with no grain lot at the end. Same pickup and free North Carolina delivery as a quarter cow.
Can you ship a quarter cow?
Our Shipped Quarter is 70 lb of beef for $1,500, with shipping and handling included, to the lower 48 states and DC. By-the-pound quarters, halves and wholes are pickup or delivery, not shipped. Shipping is not refundable.
Is grass-fed beef better?
We don't make health claims. The claim we make is this: our beef is grass-fed and grass-finished. No grain lot at the end. Every share comes from one animal.
Still deciding? Text us at 336-747-3070. We answer every one.
100%
grass-fed and grass-finished. No grain lot at the end.
1 animal
per share. Single origin, never co-mingled.
Monthly
processing, standard or halal.
Why grass-finished
Slower. Worth it.
Our cattle eat grass and forage their whole lives. There's no grain lot at the end to rush them to weight. It takes more time and more land, and it's the beef we want on our own table.
Single origin
One animal. Not a hundred farms.
Every animal is processed one at a time at a local, family-owned, USDA-inspected plant. Your ground beef comes from one animal we raised, and we can tell you about it.
How many people are at your table?
Tell us who you're feeding and we'll point you to the right share. Priced by hanging weight, the traditional way to buy bulk beef and the best value. Then enter your ZIP in the reservation form and it tells you how you can get it: pickup, our delivery route, or shipped to your door.
Half
4 to 6 people
$8.75/lb hanging weight · $950 deposit
Half. A family of four for most of a year. About 300 to 325 lb hanging weight, and you pick the cuts. We walk you through the cut sheet on the phone.
Reserve a half →
Whole
7 or more
$8.25/lb hanging weight · $1,200 deposit
Whole. Big families, or split it with friends or family. About 600 to 650 lb hanging weight, and every cut is your call.
Reserve a whole →Rather we pick the cuts? Set-Price Box: Quarter $1,399 or Half $2,699, one set price. Too far for our routes? Our Shipped Quarter is a preset 70 lb box, $1,500 with shipping included.
How the pricing works, side by side
| By-the-Pound Share The traditional way · best value |
Set-Price Box | Shipped Quarter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who picks the cuts | You do, with us on the phone. Quarters get our standard cuts. Halves and wholes are cut your way. | We do. You pick a cooking style: Family, Grill or Rancher + Chef. | We do. Heavy on steaks and roasts. |
| How the price works | By the pound, on the hanging weight: $9.25 quarter, $8.75 half, $8.25 whole. Your final bill comes when your beef goes into processing. | One set price. Quarter $1,399. Half $2,699. It never changes. | One set price. $1,500, shipping included. |
| What comes home | About 55 to 65% of the hanging weight. Bones and organs if you ask for them. | At least 75 lb (quarter) or 150 lb (half) of packaged meat. No extra bones, organs or fat. | 70 lb of packaged beef. No soup bones or organs. |
| Sizes | Quarter, half or whole | Quarter or half | Quarter |
| Paying | Deposit now ($500 / $950 / $1,200). Balance due 3 days after we invoice. | In full, or half now and half at processing | In full |
| Getting it | Pickup, or a free stop on our Ranch Route | Pickup, or a free stop on our Ranch Route | Shipped frozen to the lower 48 and DC |
| Pick this if | You want the best value per pound, the traditional way. Halves and wholes give you a say in every cut. | You want it easy and want to know the price and pounds up front. | You live outside our area. |
The 3 Set-Price Boxes, side by side.
At least 75 lb of premium meat in every quarter. 150 lb in every half. No extra bones, no organs and no fat added to make the weight. Just cuts you'll actually cook.
Family
More meals out of every steak.
- Steaks
- Thinner cut, so there are more of them
- Brisket
- 1 brisket portion
- Roasts
- About 3, usually 2–3 lb each
- Also in the box
- Tips, stew meat, cube steak, stir fry and fajita beef
- Bones & organs
- None added. Your 75 lb is all meat cuts.
Grill
Thick steaks and cookout cuts.
- Steaks
- Thicker cut, same premium amount
- Brisket
- 1 brisket portion
- Roasts
- About 1
- Also in the box
- Grilling cuts, kabob beef, fajita beef, short ribs
- Bones & organs
- None added. Your 75 lb is all meat cuts.
Rancher + Chef
For cooks who want to try it all.
- Steaks
- Same premium amount, plus specialty steaks
- Brisket
- 1 brisket portion
- Roasts
- About 2
- Also in the box
- Shank, ribs, tips and other whole-muscle cuts, with our cooking notes
- Bones & organs
- None added. Your 75 lb is all meat cuts.
Every Set-Price Box quarter: about forty 1 lb packs of ground beef and about 10 lb of premium steaks, at least 75 lb packaged. Half: the same box doubled, at least 150 lb. About half or more of each box is ground beef. Bone-in steaks, roasts and ribs count toward the weight. Soup bones, organs and fat never do. Scarce cuts like hanger, flank and skirt aren't guaranteed in every quarter. Quarter $1,399 · Half $2,699, standard or halal.
Free Beef Cut Guide
Not sure what to put on your cut sheet?
Our 9-page Beef Cut Guide walks you through share size, freezer space and exactly what to circle on your cut sheet. Written by a chef, free to download.
From our pasture to your plate.
Reserve online
Pick your share, halal or not, and pay the deposit or set price.
Cut sheet call
A few days before processing, we walk through it with you.
Final invoice
Once your beef goes into processing. Due in 3 days.
Freezer time
Pickup, a Ranch Route stop, or shipped.
Quarter cow cuts
What do I get with a quarter cow?
Chuck
Roasts, chuck eye, flat iron, Denver, ranch steaks
Rib
Ribeyes (bone-in, boneless, tomahawk), rib roast, back ribs
Loin
NY strip, filet, T-bone or porterhouse, sirloin
Round
Roasts, London broil, cube steak, tri-tip
Plate & flank
Short ribs, skirt, flank, hanger
The rest
Brisket, oxtail, stew, stir fry, kabobs, bones, organs, ground
Some choices trade off, like bone-in ribeyes vs. back ribs. We'll walk you through it. Full chart: Beef. It's What's For Dinner.
Not ready for a share?
Start with a box.
10 lb ground beef box: $90. Ten 1 lb packs.
40 lb ground beef box: $340. Forty 1 lb packs.
Standard or halal. Order online and check out today.
Good to know.
Live, hanging and take-home weight?
Three different numbers. A 1,200 lb steer might hang at 725 to 775 lb and give 470 to 525 lb of packaged meat. Breed, aging and your cuts change that. The 70 lb, 75 lb and 150 lb amounts are set, not estimates.
What steak thickness should I pick?
For most families, 1 inch. Thinner (¾ inch) gives you more steaks for weeknights. Thicker (1½ inch) is steakhouse style, with fewer steaks from the same section.
Why can't I get all ribeyes?
There's only one animal. Rib roast and ribeye come from the same section, so more of one means less of the other. You choose how a section gets cut, not how big it is. Our free Beef Cut Guide walks through every section.
Is the processing date my pickup date?
No. Beef hangs, gets cut and packed, then goes out on the route, ships or waits for pickup.
Halal?
Answer "Must this be halal processed?" with Yes. Beef bacon and beef sausage aren't available halal.
Recipes?
Cook This Cut has recipes for every cut.
Boxes and bundles
Ready-to-go boxes.
Pick a box, choose how you want to get it, and check out. No waiting on a processing date.
Bulk beef in North Carolina
Buying a quarter, half or whole cow? Here's the straight answer.
We raise grass-fed, grass-finished beef in Tobaccoville, NC, and sell it in bulk the traditional way: by the pound of hanging weight. One animal per share, never co-mingled. We serve Winston-Salem, Greensboro, King and the Triad from the ranch, and Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Asheville and Wilmington on our Ranch Route.
How much does a quarter cow cost?
We charge $9.25 per pound of hanging weight. A quarter is about 150 to 175 lb hanging weight, so it runs about $1,390 to $1,620. Your $500 deposit holds your processing date and comes off the final invoice.
How much is a half or whole cow?
A half is $8.75 per pound of hanging weight, about 300 to 325 lb, so about $2,630 to $2,840 with a $950 deposit. A whole is $8.25 per pound, about 600 to 650 lb, so about $4,950 to $5,360 with a $1,200 deposit.
What is hanging weight, and how much meat do I take home?
Hanging weight is the carcass weight before it's aged, trimmed and cut. That's how bulk beef is traditionally priced. Most people take home about 55 to 65 percent of the hanging weight as packaged beef, depending on bone-in or boneless cuts and how lean you want your ground beef.
Where can I pick up bulk beef?
At the ranch in Tobaccoville by appointment, at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, or at a Ranch Route stop. Enter your ZIP in the reservation form and it shows your options.
Do you deliver bulk beef to Charlotte, Raleigh or Asheville?
Yes. The first week of every month our Ranch Route stops in Statesville, Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, Huntersville, Charlotte, Durham, Cary and Morrisville, Raleigh and Wilmington. We also run routes into Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, South Carolina and Georgia.
Can you ship bulk beef?
Our Shipped Quarter is 70 lb of beef for $1,500, with shipping and handling included, to the lower 48 states and DC. By-the-pound quarters, halves and wholes are pickup or Ranch Route only.
Is your beef grass-fed and grass-finished?
Yes. Our cattle eat grass and forage their whole lives, with no grain lot at the end. Every share comes from one animal, processed at a local, family-owned, USDA-inspected plant.
When will my beef be ready?
About three weeks after your processing date, once it has hung, been cut and been frozen. We reach out about a week ahead so you can clear freezer space.
Still deciding? Read how to buy a quarter, half or whole cow in NC, or text us at 336-747-3070.
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