Frequently Asked Questions for All Natural Beef

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

How much does it cost?
Our beef is sold based on the rail weight or sometimes called “hanging weight”. This is the weight of the carcass after slaughter. We price our beef in this manner to ensure consistency for every sale and to every customer. We estimate a price of $7.50 per pound for a whole cow and approximately $8.50 per pound for a half. Please note that this is ONLY an estimate. Actual cost per pound varies from cow-to-cow and depends on the manner in which you have it processed. For example, if you have it cut in a manner which removes all of the bones and most of the fat then your total weight will be less. Likewise, if you process it such that you retain most of the bones and fat then your total weight will be much higher. These two scenarios can make your perceived “price-per-pound” fluctuate as much as $2 per pound.

Can I get the bones?
Yes the bones are available (at NO extra cost) just let us know. Some customers love using the meaty bones in soups and other dishes. Others use them as a healthy treat for their dogs or cats. Organs such as the kidneys and heart also make a healthy treat for your furry friend.

How much beef is in a whole cow?
The take home weight for a whole cow is approximately 35-40% of the live weight. For a 1200 pound animal this would be around 420-480 pounds of beef in your freezer. Divide these numbers by two for a half. I have customers who purchase two of these a year and others who only use a half per year. It depends on how big your family is and how much beef you use. Many families decide to “cow-pool” and buy a whole cow with friends or family and divide it up among themselves. This also helps keep the cost down.

Will I need a separate freezer?
Yes or at least a very large refrigerator freezer section dedicated for beef only. But remember it's vacuum sealed now. When processors used freezer paper it required a lot more freezer place because you had about as much paper as you had meat and the vacuum sealing process reduces it down as small as possible.

Where do I pick up my meat?
We have our beef processed by a butcher shop who slaughters, hangs the beef for two weeks, cuts to your order and vacuum seals your cuts. You will pick up your meat directly from their facility. Getting our beef processed has been a challenge due to COVID-19 and we have been having to use several processors in the area. I should be able to tell you which processor will be utilized when you place your order.

How do I pay?
There will be three payment transactions. The first two will be payable to All Natural Beef. First we require a non-refundable deposit at the time that an order is placed. The deposit is $250. The second payment will be at the time of slaughter.   The processor will provide us with the rail weight. For a whole cow we multiply rail weight by $3.95 and $4.45 times rail weight for a half cow. Your payment will be this amount less your original deposit. Your third payment will be made to the processor when you pick up your beef.

For example: You decide that you want to buy a half cow. You will pay $250 deposit at the time you place the order. After slaughter the processor informs us that we had a live weight of 1172 lbs with a rail weight of 740 lbs. Since you are buying a half I will divide 740 by 2 which is 370 and then multiply it by $4.45. This comes to $1646.50. Your second payment to us would be for $1646.50 minus your $250 deposit or $1396.50. Processing fees are typically $300-$500 per half.

You will have paid All Natural Beef a total of $1646.50 for the half cow. You will have paid the processor $300-$500 for slaughter, aging, cutting and vacuum packaging. Your total combined cost is approximately $$1700-$2000 for approximately 230 pounds of beef or about $8.36 per pound. Please understand that every cow's weight will vary so please use these numbers for estimating purposes only. We try to keep the processors fees current on this site but are not resposible if they increase without our knowledge.

We accept cash or check.

When will my beef be ready for pickup?
The beef is usually ready for pickup approximately 3 weeks after slaughter.

How do I place an order?
Call Craig Caughman at (803) 924-2252 or email to allnaturalbeef@gmail.com.
You will need to provide us with the following information:

    Name, Address, Telephone
    The amount you wish to purchase (half or whole)
    We require a $250 deposit at this time.
    You will need to complete a processor sheet at this time.