Reserving A Beef Share
Plain English, no fine print. This is what you are agreeing to when you place a deposit with us, and what we are agreeing to in return.
1. What you are buying
You are reserving a quarter, half, or whole share of one live animal, raised by Cottrell Cattle Company in Sonora, Kentucky. You are not buying a fixed number of pounds of packaged beef. The exact amount you receive depends on the animal.
2. Your deposit
Deposits are non-refundable. When you place one, we take that share off the table for anyone else and plan our processing schedule around you. That commitment is why we cannot return the deposit if your plans change.
Current deposits are $100 for a quarter, $150 for a half, and $200 for a whole. Your deposit is applied to your total.
If we are unable to supply your share for a reason on our end, we will refund everything you have paid us, deposit included.
3. Prices and what you pay
There are two payments.
- The beef, paid to us. This price is fixed at the price shown when you reserve. The balance is due before your beef goes to the processor.
- Processing, paid to the processor. This is an estimate, not a quote.
Processing is charged by the processor on the animal’s live weight, from $0.40 per pound. That rate is set by the processor and can change. Optional extras you choose on your cut sheet are charged on top, and some carry significant additional cost. That includes smoking, jerky, snack sticks, summer sausage and patties. We will confirm the current rate with you before your beef goes in.
4. Weights are approximate
Every animal finishes differently. All weights shown on this site are estimates based on a target finish weight of around 1,200 lbs. That applies to live weight, hanging weight, take-home weight and freezer space alike. Your actual take-home weight will vary, and we cannot guarantee a specific poundage.
5. Cut sheets
A few weeks before processing we will send you a cut sheet. Quarter shares use our standard cut sheet. Half and whole shares choose their own cuts.
Cut sheets must be returned by the date we give you.
6. Timing
We will give you expected processing and collection dates when we confirm your share. These depend on the processor’s schedule and on when the animal is ready, and they can move. We will keep you informed if they do.
We will not deliver your beef to the processor until your remaining balance has been paid and your pickup or delivery arrangements have been finalized.
7. Collecting your beef
You can collect from our farm in Sonora, collect from the processor in Smiths Grove, or we can deliver. Farm and processor collection are free. Delivery is priced case by case depending on distance, so ask us for a quote.
Your balance and your collection arrangements are settled before your beef goes to the processor, as set out in section 6. We will confirm a collection time with you once your beef is ready. We only hold beef at the farm where that has been arranged with you beforehand. We do not have storage for beef nobody has claimed.
8. Our beef
Our cattle are raised on our pasture, finished on grain, and never kept in a feedlot. They are never given added hormones or antibiotics. Beef is processed at a licensed Kentucky facility.
9. Changes to these terms
The terms that apply to your order are the ones published on the day you place your deposit. If we change them later, your order is not affected.
10. Getting hold of us
If anything here is unclear, ask before you place a deposit. We would far rather talk it through first.
Cottrell Cattle Company LLC
Sonora, Kentucky 42776
270-766-9041 · 270-268-4394
Last updated: 5 October 2026.