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How much of a cow is used for meat?

It is estimated that 70 percent of a cow is used for meat. This figure comes from The U.S. Department of Agriculture, however, those in the industry would estimate this figure to be closer to 60 percent. 

To put this into context, a 1200 pound cow with average muscle mass and ½ inch fat, yields a 750 pound carcass. This carcass can be broken down into 490 pounds boneless, trimmed beef, 150 pounds fat trim and 110 pounds bone. 

The 490 pounds of boneless, trimmed beef can be broken down into cuts that any meat-eater would be familiar with. It is made up of roughly 185 pounds ground beef, 85 pounds round roasts, 95 pounds chuck steaks or roasts, 80 pounds rib or loin steaks and 50 pounds other cuts such as ribs. 

A 1000 pound cow will lose approximately 39% of its weight during the dressing procedure. The remaining 61% is often referred to as the ‘hanging weight’ and this weight may decrease further as a result of moisture loss.
Other parts of the cow are used for byproducts, for example, one cowhide can produce 12 basketballs or up to 144 baseballs or 18 soccer balls. Gelatin is another byproduct of beef and is used in gum and Jello, it comes from the connective tissue of the animal. The bones can be used to produce bone china, the intestines can be used for tennis racket or instrument strings and the hooves are used to make protein foams used by firefighters. The list of cow byproducts is long and varying. 

If you have any more questions about how to buy either a full or half a cow, or any queries relating to pricing, please do not hesitate to contact us on (530) 949-4241 or via our contact form where we would be happy to answer any queries you may have.

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TX Bar Grassfed Cattle Company

10910 Shasta Blvd, Los Molinos, CA, United States

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I'm glad I went with TX Bar Grassfed Cattle Company. I didn't get the amount of take home beef as I thought I would(my mistake), but the second I saw... read more

Raphael Terry Avatar Raphael Terry
April 4, 2023

Worked with Travis of TX Bar and Los Molinos Meats. It was our first time going through a "cow purchase" process and Travis was extremely helpful and the whole process... read more

Jesse Martin Avatar Jesse Martin
March 25, 2023

First time buying half a beef. Travis was very informative and was always available to answer questions. Great overall experience. We will be placing a second order... read more

Maria Alaniz Avatar Maria Alaniz
March 25, 2023

Great customer service and excellent meat!

Kyle Glagovich Avatar Kyle Glagovich
February 25, 2023

Transaction very smooth, great communication from deposit, to harvest , to butcher. The beef tastes heavenly. Nothing better than fresh. We'll be back. Thank you... read more

Debbie Waterman Avatar Debbie Waterman
January 25, 2023

Great price!!! Grass fed and grass finished. Easy communication with Travis and the Butcher. This was my first experience and absolutely no issues and great farmer doing what he does... read more

Artem Kolmyk Avatar Artem Kolmyk
January 25, 2023

Big shout out to TX Bar cattle company for feed the freezer with the highest quality grass fed beef. Working with Travis was really a please. Hands down... read more

Adam Lesly Avatar Adam Lesly
January 25, 2023

From the start I knew I chose the best in the business. Quick response and everything was lined out on from day one. Most fear grass fed and finished beef... read more

Seth Laam Avatar Seth Laam
October 25, 2022

This was my first experience buying beef off the hoof. I was so afraid I would mess it up. Fortunately I found TXBAR, their advertisement is fantastic, it explains... read more

Barbara Stewart Avatar Barbara Stewart
August 25, 2022

Thanks again for your hard work for another amazing animal!! Butcher said hanging weight was 775lbs!!! Massive lol. Woooo!! Food for a year+. And... read more

GUITAROO SluGG Avatar GUITAROO SluGG
August 25, 2022

First time purchasing a half beef and it was a great experience.Travis was more than helpful and was easy to get ahold of if any questions were to come up.... read more

Ian Seifert Avatar Ian Seifert
May 25, 2022

Thank you very much! I picked it all up on Friday and the meat looks great. My wife's birthday was on Sunday and I whipped out the sous vide and... read more

George Mount Avatar George Mount
April 25, 2022

Hi Travis, As a new customer to the bulk meat buying process I was more than a little apprehensive spending this kind of money. But after working with you... read more

Stephen Boehringer Avatar Stephen Boehringer
April 25, 2022

Best👍👍👍💵💵💵

Bg Gerel Avatar Bg Gerel
April 25, 2022

Picked up our first order of beef from TX Bar and very pleased with our purchase. Our first taste was the hamburger, cooked in cast iron along with onions/bell peppers/mushrooms... read more

Mark Stafford Avatar Mark Stafford
April 25, 2022

Absolute dream working with Travis. The whole process was so easy and seamless. From the deposit to the pickup we knew what was going on every step of the way.... read more

Reefer Tek Avatar Reefer Tek
April 25, 2022
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