Sorry, but we are sold out this year.


Beef available:
Cattle on the Earl farm do not reach the size of commercial raised beef as ours are not given growth hormones, antibiotics, or fed animal proteins. Instead, they eat grass and hay with the right mix of corn and oats to promote a healthy 18 month growth cycle.  They are not organic, however  they eat naturally with a small amount of grain to promote marbling for an appropriately lean and tasty meat. They live a calm and relaxed life and only have one bad day.

Key Information:
Breed:  Black Angus 
Cost:  $4.25 lb of hanging weight plus processing (approx. $.60 per pound of hang wt).  

Quarters, halves, and whole cows available.  
Whole cow:  $3,700 (approx.) 400- 450 lbs of beef in freezer
1/2 cow:  $1,850 +/- 
200lbs to 225 lbs of beef in freezer
1/4 cow:  $925 approx.
100 lbs to 110 lbs of beef in freezer

*When you calculate the cost comparison between buying cuts of beef at the grocery store to purchasing a portion of a steer, you will find it is an equal or less cost to purchase a quarter or more of a steer. The key is you know where your beef is coming from and that it is quality beef without added hormones or unnatural feed practices.
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Please call or email Brent to secure your order:                             
517-294-1271
brent@earlfarm.com



​Beef Industry Statistics
Historical retail beef cost per pound index:

YearAverage price (Ground beef)
2022          $5.30 
2021          $4.88 
2020          $4.63 
2019          $4.23 
2018          $4.12 
2017          $4.12 
2016          $4.25 
2015          $4.63 
2014          $4.30 
2013          $3.82 
2012          $3.72 
2011          $3.46 
2010          $3.18 
2009          $3.10 
2008          $3.04 
2007          $2.85 
2006          $2.72 
2005          $2.74 
2004          $2.68 
2003          $2.45 
2002          $2.29 
2001          $2.19 
2000          $2.01 


Beef Industry Overview
  • Most unique and complex lifecycle of any food, includes variety of segments
  • Takes 2-3 years to bring beef from farm to fork
  • 2016 Forecasted Economic impact: $67.56 billion in farm cash receipts for cattle and calves1
Evolution of Beef Industry
  • The U.S. beef production system used to be inefficient- cattle were moved around based on the location of grass at any given time
  • The first widespread early cattle feedyards in the nation were built by cottonseed oil-mill operators in the 1850s to utilize mill by-products
  • Around 1914, due to a drop in number of cattle, we started feeding cattle at earlier age, which resulted in higher-quality meat
U.S. Beef Community
  • Average age of a principle beef cattle rancher is 58.32 
  • 913,246 total cattle & calf operations. Of these:
    • 727,906 are beef farms and ranches. Of these:
      • 91% are family-owned or individually-operated
      • 11% are operated by women
    • 26,586 are engaged in cattle feedlot production. Of these:
      • 80% are family owned or individually operated
      • 5% are operated by women
    • 64,098 are milk cow operations
  • Cattle inventory: 93.5 million, up 1.8% from January 2016       
    • 31.2 million beef cows
      • 6.4 million beef replacement heifers in 2017, a 1.3% increase from 2016
    • 9.35 million milk cows
    • 35 million head calf crop (2016)
  • The average beef cow herd size is 40 head of cattle
  • Of the 30,219 feedlots those with less than 1,000 head of capacity compose the vast majority of U.S. feedlots (93%)
  • As of Jan. 1, 2016 of the 13.1 million head on feed, feedlots with greater than 1,000 head capacity account for 81% of all cattle on feed5
  • U.S. beef production in 2016 (commercial carcass weight) was 25.2 billion pounds
  • U.S. commercial slaughter in 2016 was 30.5 million head3
  • The amount of beef consumed in the U.S. (i.e. purchased by consumers in foodservice and retail) in 2016 was 25.668 billion pounds
  • The amount of beef consumed in the U.S. Per Capita 55.7 lbs
  • Average price of USDA Choice beef sold in retail in 2016 was $5.96/lb down from $6.29/lb in 2015
  • Value of U.S. beef exports (including variety meat) in 2016: $6.343 billion, up from $6.302 billion in 2015
  • Volume of beef export: 1,187,050 (metric tons) in 2016 up from 1,067,614 (metric tons) in 2015
  • Top U.S. beef exports markets (including variety meat) for 2016 (in order):  
  1. Japan: 258,653 metric tons; $1,510 million
  2. Mexico: 242,373 metric tons; $975 million
  3. South Korea: 179,280 metric tons; $1,059 million
  4. Canada: 116,266 metric tons; $758 million
  5. Hong Kong: 112,770 metric tons; $684 million
  6. Middle East: 104,488 metric tons; $216 million
  • Top 5 states that raise cattle and calves as of Jan. 1, 2017:
  1. Texas – 12.3 million
  2. Nebraska - 6.45 million
  3. Kansas – 6.4 million
  4. California - 5.15 million
  5. Oklahoma - 5 million
  • Top 5 states for cattle in feedlots with capacity more than 1,000 head as of Jan. 1, 2017:
  1. Texas - 2.42 million
  2. Nebraska - 2.37 million
  3. Kansas - 2.17 million
  4. Colorado - .900 million
  5. Iowa - .600 million

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