Know Your Weights: Live Weight vs. Hanging Weight vs. Boxed Weight

Before making your first bulk order, it's important to understand the different weight measures and how they affect the overall cost of your order. First time buyers who don't already understand the weight measures often find themselves surprised that the weight of the meat they bring home (boxed weight) is different than the weight of the animal before butchering (live weight) and during dry-aging (hanging weight). We recommend you familiarize yourself with the following info and be sure to ask any questions you have before purchasing to avoid any confusion. Here is a breakdown.

Live Weight: Walking around weight of the live animal.

Hanging Weight: This is the weight of the butchered animal as it hangs in the locker to dry age. This weight does not include the head, hide, hooves, blood and innards, which have been removed.

Boxed Weight: This is the net weight of the meat you will receive that is packaged and ready for your freezer. The reduced weight here is attributed to the cutting and trimming of fat, connective tissue, bone, etc., as well as moisture lost during the dry aging process. This weight varies dependent upon the cuts of meat included and any additional package options, e.g. bones, fat and offal.
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Per GADA regulations, customers are charged by the live weight and hanging weight, not the boxed weight. It has been our experience that we will lose around 30% to 45% from hanging weight to boxed weight, though other web sites and farms indicate amounts ranging anywhere from 25-50%. It varies from producer to producer and is dependent on the animal's individual composition, the butcher, and the cuts that are chosen. If you have any additional questions, we are more than happy to assist.