FAQS

  • Most cows start out on pasture, drinking milk and eating grass. However, conventionally raised cows are later moved to feedlots and fed grain-based feeds, while grass-fed cows may continue to live on grassland.

    Grass-fed beef contains slightly less total fat than grain-fed but a lot more Omega-3 fat acids and CLA, which are both very beneficial for health.

    Even conventional grain-fed beef is highly nutritious, but grass-fed beef contains more Carotenoids, Vitamin E and minerals like Potassium, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorus and Sodium.

  • All meat is Cryovac sealed, frozen and ready for your freezer!

  • Our beef is processed and USDA inspected at Solar Meats.

    Solar Meats LLC

    101 Sunbeam Blvd E,

    Soldiers Grove, WI 54655

    (608) 624-5525

  • After you place your order, we will contact you regarding a time for pickup at the farm. We are open most Saturdays from 10-11am.

  • For the best deal on our premium grass-fed and finished beef, you are able to purchase a 1/4 or 1/2 steer (or beef side). See our shop for more details on deposits and future harvesting dates.

  • Viola Farm sells 1/4 or 1/2 steers by hanging weight.

    Pricing is determined by the hanging weight of your animal. Hanging weight is the actual weight of the animal shortly after it is slaughtered, minus skin, head, and most internal organs.

    What you receive should be approximately 60-65 percent of the hanging weight, depending on the cutting instructions you choose and the items you accept or decline.

    An example/average based on past experience, beginning with a 1,200-lb live, “finished” animal:

    – 730-lb (whole) hanging weight carcass is cut into (2) 365-lb “sides,” each of which become…

    –220-237 lbs of finished, table-ready meat.

    The actual finished weight you receive will depend on the size of your particular animal and on your cutting instructions. If you have everything deboned, and decline your soup/dog bones, organs, etc., your yield will be closer to 60%. If you take everything you have coming, and choose bone-in cuts, your yield could be as high as 75-80%. Regardless of cutting instructions, there will also always be a “shrink” or water weight loss, as the carcass hangs for 10 days prior to being cut, during which time it loses moisture (but gains flavor and tenderness).

    The size of your carcass may vary but the yield percentages will usually remain in the 60-65% range.

  • Filling out cutting instructions can be quite challenging when purchasing a quarter or half cow. To make this process easier, you can utilize our Standard Cutting Instructions. Alternatively, you also have the option to customize them according to your specific needs and preferences. This flexibility ensures that you receive the cuts of meat that best suit your cooking and dining requirements.

    Here are a few tips for success.

  • A rough guide to calculating freezer space needed is that 30 lbs of packaged meat takes up ~1 cubic foot of freezer space. So, a side of beef that yields 220-237 lbs will require 7 - 10 cubic feet of freezer space.