Frequently asked questions
1. How much freezer space do I need?
For a 1/2 of a beefalo you would need approximately 10-15 cubic feet of freezer space
2. What other costs are associated with the purchase?
None! The prices includes everything! Some sellers quote a lower price and you don't realize there are other
costs such as; cut & wrap, or transport fees. We want to make sure you feel confident knowing exactly what your getting & there
no surprises, so we have included all the possible costs into the final cost quote.
3. What is the difference between "Live Weight", "Hanging Weight", and "Take-Home Weight"?
“Live” weight. This is what the animal weighed when it was alive. The average live weight on one of our beefalo is around 1000 lbs.
“Hanging” weight. This is the weight we receive from our processor once the beefalo has been harvested. The weight difference from live to hanging is from loss of the hide, head, legs, organs, and fluids. The hanging weight is usually about 60% of the live weight. So, a 1000 lb animal would have a hanging weight of around 600 lbs. (A half share would then be 300 lbs). This is the weight we base our per pound prices on.
“Final” or “Take-home” weight. This is the weight of the meat once it has been dry aged, cut, and packaged. This weight is usually about 65-68% of the hanging weight, when using our standard cutting instructions. That percentage will be a bit higher when you request soup bones, and will be much less if you chose the boneless option. The weight difference from the hanging weight to what you take home is lost in two ways. Some is from moisture lost during the 14-21 day dry aging period. Then about another 30-35% is lost during the cutting process. This amount is variable based on the amount of fat on the beef and your cutting instructions. Higher fat means more loss when trimming. The more boneless cuts you request and the more you request to be ground for burger in your cutting instructions, the lower the final weight. (Note that the lower weight doesn’t mean that you are receiving less meat – rather, you are receiving fewer bones).
4. What does Dry-aging mean?
The flavor of beef is enhanced when it is aged. Dry aging means the beef is stored in carefully controlled conditions (cool temperatures, with high humidity) for 14-21 days, allowing enzymes naturally present in the meat to break down the muscle tissue and fibers, resulting in increased tenderness and flavor. At the end of the aging period, the outer layer of fat is trimmed, with the rest of the beef being portioned into the various cuts and then packaged. Dry-aged meat is still juicy when you cook it, and the juices are even more delicious.
5. Do you Ship?
Not yet...this might be an option in the future.
6. How is the meat packaged?
After a minimum of 11-14 days aging, your beef is cut, vacuum packaged, with each cut labeled for easy identification. This airless packaging ensures high quality and a long shelf life in your freezer. It also allows for easy defrosting in a sink of cold water or in your refrigerator.
7. How much is delivery?
in 2023 we changed our delivery process. All customers that bought in 2023 picked up their shares at pre-designated locations. The same protocol will be implemented in 2024
8. Do you deliver outside of the Tri-City Area?
No, we unfortunately are not able to accommodate this
9. Do you sell baby beefalo?
No, we do not. All babies stay with their moms until appropriate weaning time. If the rare chance happens that we end up with a bottle calf, we hand raise it & he/she will summer with us in Benton City instead of going to the ranch with the rest of the herd since it does not have a mother cow to protect it or feed it.
10. What if I want to get into raising my own beefalo, do you sell breeding animals?
Sometimes we will sell breeding quality heifers, yearling bulls, and bred cows to the right homes. Please send us an email if you would like to discuss the possibility. Or check out our sale barn to see if we have anything that would fit your needs.
