Question 1

Why does selling only steaks and fillet require more cattle than selling a whole animal?

Accepted Answer

A beef carcass contains only about 11% premium steaks (ribeye, sirloin, rump, fillet combined). If you sell only premium cuts, the remaining 89% of every animal — the mince, braising, joints, and other cuts — still has to go somewhere. If it cannot be sold, you are effectively buying the whole animal but only monetising a small fraction of it. This is why whole-animal or quarter-animal box schemes are far more profitable for farmers than cherry-picking premium cuts — the customer takes all cuts at a blended price, eliminating the surplus problem.

Question 2

How often should I process cattle for a consistent supply?

Accepted Answer

For a small direct sales operation supplying a farm shop or box scheme, processing one animal every 3–4 weeks is typical for 20–30 regular customers buying mixed boxes. For hospitality supply (restaurants, pubs), the frequency depends on freezer capacity and cut demand. Most processors prefer a minimum of one animal per run to make the trip economical. Having 2–4 weeks of stock in a chest freezer or cold room means you are not reliant on processing exactly when you run out of a cut.

Question 3

What is a binding constraint cut?

Accepted Answer

The binding constraint is the cut you need the most of relative to how much one animal produces. For example: if one 300kg beef animal yields 9kg of fillet and you need 18kg of fillet per month, fillet is the binding constraint — you need at least 2 animals. However, 2 animals also produce 120kg of mince. If you only sell 30kg of mince per month, you have a 90kg mince surplus that must be frozen, sold to a wholesaler, or diverted to another channel. This calculator identifies the binding constraint and shows the surplus of all other cuts.

Question 4

What do I do with surplus cuts?

Accepted Answer

Common options for managing cut surpluses: freeze and sell later (requires cold storage capacity), supply to a local butcher or deli as a wholesale trade, create value-added products (burgers, sausages, ready meals) from surplus mince or trim, offer a "butcher's box" subscription at a discount for customers willing to take surplus cuts, or adjust your cut demand mix to better match what one animal produces. The most sustainable direct sales businesses design their product range around the whole animal rather than leading with premium cuts.

Question 5

Can I mix species — sell beef and lamb from the same operation?

Accepted Answer

Yes — run the calculator separately for each species and add the results together. If you sell beef burger boxes and lamb leg joints, calculate the beef demand and the lamb demand independently. Each species produces different cut ratios, so the binding constraint and surplus will be different for each. Most successful farm direct operations run beef and lamb simultaneously, with each species fulfilling a different part of the product range.

Livestock Demand Calculator

Species

Average animal liveweight

Monthly demand

Frequently Asked Questions