The Massive Amount Of Beef Just One Cow Can Produce

There's no doubt about it, humans love meat. Historians say that our ancestors started eating meat around 2 million years ago and actually began cooking this protein around 800,000 years ago. We've been consuming meat in some kind of primitive form for a long, long time. 

When it comes to beef, most of us stick to the meat itself, while more resourceful home cooks and chefs, like Martha Stewart, might use parts like bones and cartilage for stock. But the shocking thing is that a large majority of the cow isn't the take-home beef. The packaged beef we actually eat is roughly 40% of an average cow's total live weight — about 1,200 pounds. Using that overall weight, the math says that 40% of 1,200 comes to 480 pounds. That's about how much red meat is packaged from the average cow. Also, keep in mind that the size of a cow can vary slightly across different breeds. Herefords are the heaviest at an average of 1,419 pounds, while Gelbvieh are the lightest, weighing an average of 1,323 pounds, meaning the take-home weight can vary.

So if 40% of the cow goes to the butcher, what happens with the other 60% or so? In addition to the bones we mentioned, there's the hide, head, organs, excess fat, and excess moisture. After all that is gone, you have the red meat you're used to purchasing at your butcher or grocery store.

All that packaged meat includes the best cuts of beef you'll see at a grocery store or butcher shop. That includes ribeye, New York strip, sirloin, and filet. Then there are other underrated cuts to ask your butcher for, like ribeye cap (spinalis), picanha, teres major, and skirt steak. 

According to Simpson's Meats — a family farm with a whole carcass beef program in Tennessee — the amount of beef from a whole cow is enough to last the average family between 12 and 18 months, depending on the number of people and eating habits. But if a whole cow seems overwhelming, no worries. You can typically order a half or quarter cow — with half weighing in around 200 pounds and a quarter totalling 100 to 125 pounds. All of which can be easily vacuum sealed and stored in a chest freezer. And if you're still thinking, "How can one family eat that much beef?", just consider all the ways you incorporate beef into your weekly meals.

With this much meat, we're not just talking about steaks every night. Ground beef is one of the most versatile food options out there. Use it for tacos, pasta sauces, burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, stir fries, and enchiladas, to name a few. That's not to mention all the stewed meats and roast cuts that can simmer in the slow cooker all day. So, however you incorporate red meat into your diet, there's a lot of red meat out there to incorporate — over 400 pounds to be exact.