Freezer Meat Storage Calculator

How big a freezer for a quarter cow, half pig, or whole deer?

Buying a quarter, half, or whole animal? Estimate the freezer space you need and the maximum USDA-recommended storage time. Sized using a 35–40 lb-per-cu-ft chest-freezer rule of thumb and USDA Food Safety meat-storage guidelines.

⏱ ~20 sec•USDA storage windows + chest-freezer density•Calculator

37.5

lbs / cu ft

Chest packed

150 lb

Quarter beef

Cut & wrapped

12 mo

Beef max

USDA quality

0°F

Storage temp

USDA target

STEP 01

Animal.
Quantity. Plan.

Hanging weights and cut-and-wrapped yields based on USDA primal-cut averages.

Meat type

Quantity

animals

Splitting a side with neighbors? Use fractional units.

Updates live as you type

Freezer space needed

4.0cu ft

5–7 cu ft compact chest freezer. Storage life: 6–12 months at 0°F.

Total weight

150 lb

USDA quality life

6–12 months

Approximate cut breakdown

Steaks (ribeye, sirloin, T-bone)45 lb · 30%

Roasts (chuck, rump, round)38 lb · 25%

Ground beef45 lb · 30%

Stew meat & short ribs15 lb · 10%

Bones & soup bones7 lb · 5%

Under the hood

USDA storage. Real cuts.

Cut-and-wrapped yields from USDA primal-cut averages; storage windows from USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance for frozen meat at 0°F.

01
Cut-and-wrapped weight
Quarter beef ~150 lb, half ~300 lb, whole ~600 lb. Half pig ~90 lb, whole ~180 lb. Whole lamb ~40 lb, whole deer ~50 lb.
02
Volume conversion
Chest freezers store roughly 35–40 lb per cu ft when packed (we use 37.5 lb/cu ft). Uprights are ~30 lb/cu ft due to shelving.
03
USDA storage windows
Beef 6–12 mo, pork 4–6 mo, lamb 6–9 mo, venison 8–12 mo. Ground meats are shorter. All values assume 0°F (-18°C).