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​Buying a quarter, half or whole beast is a bigger decision than picking up mince at the shops, and most people have the same handful of questions before they order. Here are honest answers to all of them. If yours isn't here, ring Mark on 0400 25 68 50 or send us a message — we'd rather talk it through than have you guess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pricing and what it costs
How much does a carcass cost?
Our beef is priced per kilogram of dressed carcass weight:
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Quarter carcass — $15.49/kg, approximately $960
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Half carcass — $14.49/kg, approximately $1,796
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Whole carcass — $13.99/kg, approximately $3,469
Larger carcasses cost less per kilo and give you more flexibility with your cut options. Pricing reflects current market conditions and processing costs, and may change for future advertised beef runs.
Why is pricing based on dressed carcass weight?
Dressed carcass weight is the industry-standard and fairest way to price beef. It's the weight of the animal after the hide, head and organs are removed, and it still includes bone.
Your final take-home weight — what we call boxed weight — is typically around 30% less, because of trimming and ageing. Ageing costs us time and cold storage, and we do it anyway, because it's what makes the beef tender.
We've set out the full explanation on our freezer and weight guide.
What's the $50 deposit?
The $50 deposit secures your spot on a beef run. It comes off your final invoice it isn't an extra charge.
Your final total is calculated once we know the actual dressed weight of your animal, and the invoice is sent about seven days before collection or delivery.
Is this cheaper than the supermarket?
It's better value, which isn't quite the same thing.
When you buy a quarter, half or whole carcass, you're not paying retail cut-by-cut. The premium cuts fillet, scotch fillet, porterhouse, rump are averaged across the whole animal along with your mince, sausages, roasts and slow-cook cuts. You pay one price per kilo for all of it. You are also buying Grass Fed which costs more to produce than feedlot grain fed meat you get in most supermarkets.
We've put the full comparison, including what it works out to per kilo of take-home meat, on our why buy direct page.
What you get
Is a quarter carcass just a forequarter or a hindquarter?
No. A quarter is one quarter of the entire animal, not just the front or the back.
That means you get a balanced mix of everything premium steaks, roasts, mince and sausages. You won't miss out on the good cuts. Everything is shared evenly.
What cuts are in a quarter?
Our quarter comes with a set selection we've built from the cuts our customers ask for most:
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Scotch fillet steaks
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Porterhouse and T-bone
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Fillet steaks
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Rump steaks
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Premium mince
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Gluten-free sausages
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Crumbed schnitzel, or uncrumbed gluten-free
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Diced beef
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Bolar roast
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Rib roast
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Seasoned brisket roast
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Blade steaks
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Corned silverside
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Sandwich steaks
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Osso bucco in winter, mince in summer
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Other slow-cook favourites
Free bones are available on request.
Can I customise the cuts?
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Quarter carcass — set cuts, no customisation
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Half and whole carcass — fully customisable
After ordering a half or whole, you'll get a link to our online cut sheet where you choose your steak thickness, T-bone or porterhouse, roasts, mince, sausages, schnitzel, BBQ and slow-cook cuts, bones and more.
Do you sell individual cuts?
No. We're farmers without a shopfront, so we sell by the quarter, half or whole carcass only.
It means nothing goes to waste, you get better value, and you get the full variety of the animal rather than just the popular bits.
We do sell bulk mince, beef bones and suet separately, and we can often include offal and specialty items ask us first.
What ingredients are in the sausages, schnitzels and seasoned roasts?
All value-added items are prepared by Menzel's Butchers in Kapunda using a short ingredient list.
Sausages — Meal: rice flour, potato starch, salt, mineral salt (451), preservative (223 sulphites), colour (160c), herb and spice extracts.
Rolled roasts with seasoning — Coating/stuffing mix: wheat flour, wheat bran, salt, yeast, sugar, canola oil, herbs and spices, dehydrated vegetables, rice flour, colour (102).
Schnitzels — Batter: maize flour, wheat starch, salt, thickener (412), breadcrumbs.
Freezer space and storage
How much freezer space do I need?
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Quarter carcass — a small chest freezer, or roughly 2–3 fridge-freezer drawers
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Half carcass — a medium chest freezer, 200–300L
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Whole carcass — a large chest freezer, 400L+
Because your beef arrives fresh rather than frozen, it's easy to portion and stack it efficiently before it goes in. Full detail on our freezer and weight guide.
How long will it keep?
Properly frozen, your beef will keep for up to 12 months. Most families work through a quarter in around six months.
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Ordering, delivery and pickup
How does ordering work?
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Choose your size — quarter, half or whole carcass
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Choose your beef run date from the dates available
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Pay your $50 deposit to secure your order
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Customise if required — half and whole customers complete the online cut sheet; quarters receive our set cuts
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We confirm the dressed weight once the animal is processed
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Your final invoice arrives about seven days before collection or delivery
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Collect your fresh beef, or take delivery
Where can I collect, and what does delivery cost?
Your beef travels in our accredited Garryowen Direct Beef refrigerated coolroom trailer.
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FREE — Garryowen Farm, Riverton. Flexible Thursday, Friday or Saturday collection after processing.
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FREE — Menzel's Meats, Kapunda. Thursday or Friday during butcher opening hours 8-12.
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$40 — Barossa and Mid North run. Nuriootpa, Tanunda, Lyndoch, Freeling, Roseworthy and Gawler. Approximately Thursday afternoon, timing confirmed before your beef run.
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$50 — Adelaide meeting point. BP Truckstop, Dunstan Rd, Wingfield. Meet Mark beside the refrigerated trailer, approximately Thursday afternoon or evening.
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$40 — Clare meeting point. Ampol Southern Cross, Clare. Thursday or Friday, timing confirmed before your beef run.
Do I need to be home for delivery?
Yes. We deliver from our accredited coolroom rather than packing everything into polystyrene boxes with ice packs it keeps the cost down and the packaging out of your bin.
We'll contact you within 24 hours of your order to arrange a time that suits.
How will my beef arrive? Is it freezer-ready?
Your beef arrives fresh, never frozen, in sustainable cardboard cartons from Menzel's. Inside you'll find a large plastic liner with smaller bags of individual cuts.
Roasts come pre-packed. Everything except the silverside is already cut for you the silverside comes brined, and you can leave it whole or cut it to suit. You divide it into the portions that suit your household and freeze it.
Are bones included?
Yes. Dog or soup bones are free on request you select your preference when ordering.
About our beef
Why grass-fed?
Our cattle are 100% grass-fed and finished, grazing pasture rather than being grain-finished in a feedlot. Grass-fed beef offers a favourable nutritional profile, including beneficial omega-3 fats, while still being a naturally rich source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
Keeping cattle grazing on-farm also supports the regenerative practices we use to look after our soils and pastures.
Where is it processed?
Locally, at Menzel's Meats in Kapunda. Short supply chain, fewer food miles, and a butcher we've worked with for years.
Why buy direct from your farm?
No middleman. Local processing. Lower food miles. Full transparency from paddock to plate. And you're supporting a fifth-generation South Australian family farm.
The longer answer is on our why buy direct page.
What if I'm not sure which size to choose?
Most people start with a quarter, then move up to a half once they see how manageable the freezer space actually is and how much they like choosing their own cuts.
If you're weighing it up, get in touch. We'd rather help you pick the right size than sell you the wrong one.
Ready to fill your freezer?
Choose your quarter, half or whole carcass, pick an available beef run date, and secure your order with a $50 deposit. Numbers are limited on each run, once a date sells out, ordering for that run closes.
Mark and Rachael Garryowen Direct Beef — local food for local people.
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