Bison Whole/half/quarter Purchase
​Reserve your whole, half, quarter or eighth of a bison today. We are harvesting in September and have a limited quantity available.
Thank you for considering a purchase from our ranch. Our animals are pasture-raised, grass-fed and grass finished without any antibiotics or hormones, ever. Our animals have never seen a spec of grain or any grain by-product.
As our bison are grass-fed and processed at 2 – 2.5 years of age, they do not weigh in at the 1100-1200# range of a grain-fed animal or 3 year or older grass-fed animal. Our animals are generally in the 975# range live weight with a hanging hot weight (HHW) of 550#. Quantity is replaced with Quality. The HHW is what is left after you remove the parts that are inedible like the hide, feet, head, some of the bones and most of the innards. The dressing percentage for most bison is about 56% lower than beef because of their heavy hide and head.
As an example, a 25–30-month bison weighing 975 lbs would “dress out” or have a hanging hot weight of about 546 pounds (975 x 0.56). Of that hanging hot weight, you take home the finished cuts or “yield” which is generally 50% to 60% of the hanging hot weight (because the lean meat, bison have a higher yield than beef). Thus, from that 975 lb animal you should get about 250-300 lbs cut and packaged for your freezer. This will vary depending on how you want your meat processed; for example, boneless would have a lower yield than bone-in cuts. All meat is cryovac sealed for safe and extended freezer time to protect meat from freezer burn.
Bison are processed and cut a little different than beef for a variety of reasons. Bison have an extra rib and you cannot get a hump roast off of a beef cow. From the processed meat, about 17% will be steaks, 55% will be ground bison, 25% will be roasts (which can also be ground or stew meat if roasts are not desired), and 3% will be other (short ribs, shanks, soup bones, etc).
When you purchase the meat of a whole, half or quarter bison, we are required to follow certain regulations for processing. Our animals are hauled to Farm Country Butchery in Conrath, Wisconsin. They graze there for a few days to allow their insulin levels to rest. They are field harvested there a few days later. This is the most humane way to harvest an animal. The processing plant is a state inspected plant. You will be able to select your own cuts and choose how you want the animal processed in addition to being able to keep all organ meats, hides, skulls, etc if you choose if you purchase a whole or half. Quarters and eights are processed via standard processing (see below). Please note that you will be able to make your selections if you confirm your order prior to harvest and processing. If you purchase after harvest and processing, you will be able to enjoy the standard cuts.
In addition to paying for the meat, you will also be responsible for paying for the processing. We will pass this cost along to you directly from the processing plant. The processing costs are included on the cut sheet. After the animal is harvested and processed, you can pick your meat up directly from our ranch or we can deliver if you are in close proximity.
If you choose standard processing and cuts, you could expect to get approximately the following cuts and quantities (Halves, quarters and eights would get proportionally less of the below amounts):
Tenderloin filets – approx. 4-6 lbs.
Strip loin steaks – approx. 8-10 lbs.
Ribeye steaks – approx. 9-12 lbs.
Sirloin steaks – approx. 12-16 lbs.
Flank/Skirt Steaks – approx. 1-2 lbs.
Chuck Roast – approx. 6-10 lbs.
Round Roast – approx. 7-10 lbs.
Hump Roast – approx. 12-15 lbs.
Brisket – approx. 8-10 lbs.
Back and Short Ribs – approx. 6-8 lbs.
Stew Meat – approx. 12-16lbs.
Oxtail – approx. Marrow/Soup bones – approx. 20-22 lbs.
Ground Burger – 140-160 lbs.
This will require approximately 8-10 cu. ft. of freezer space.
We ask for a 10% deposit on all whole, half and quarter bison purchases. The balance plus processing costs will be paid when you pick up the meat. You can pay via cash, check or charge (square). If you use a credit card, we pass along a 3% convenience fee.
If you wish to reserve a whole, half or quarter, please complete the below and return to us via email (gnb@gnbranch.com) or mail to W1930 Trout Avenue, Rib Lake, WI. 54470. We look forward to serving you.
Name __________________________________________-
Address ____________________________________
Phone ____________________________________
Email Address ____________________________________
The estimated cost (including processing is as follows) – this is based upon $5.50/lb hhw plus $.94/lb processing.
__ Whole $3,526
__ Half $1,763
__ Quarter $881
__ Eighth $450