Home Butchering vs. Processor: The Real Cost Breakdown

“Is it cheaper to do it yourself?”

That’s the question everyone asks. The answer? It depends on what you’re counting and how you value your time.

I’ve done both — hauled animals to processors and processed everything at home. Here’s the honest breakdown after years of tracking actual costs.

The Processor Route

Typical Costs (2024 Prices)

These vary by region, but here’s what we see in the Midwest:

Hidden Costs People Forget

Transportation:

• Gas to haul animals (often 30+ miles each way)
• Trailer wear and tear
• Your time loading, driving, unloading

Scheduling:

• Most processors are booked 2-6 months out
• You process on THEIR schedule, not yours
• Animals eating expensive feed while you wait

Quality control:

• You get what you get
• Mixed up orders happen (ask me about the time I got someone else’s lamb)
• Cuts aren’t always what you requested

Second trip:

• Pick up usually requires another drive
• More time, more gas

For our lamb last year, the “simple” processor route actually looked like:

• Kill + processing fee: $145
• Two round trips (60 miles each): $40 gas
• Time (drop off + pickup): 4 hours
• Real cost: $185 + 4 hours

The DIY Route

Startup Equipment Costs

If you’re starting from zero, expect to invest $300-900 in equipment that lasts for years. See my complete equipment guide for details.

For this analysis, I’ll assume $600 in equipment amortized over 5 years and 10 animals per year = $12 per animal in equipment costs.

Per-Animal Costs

Time Investment

Here’s where it gets personal. For a lamb, realistic times:

The Real Comparison

Let’s compare a lamb (50 lb hanging weight, 35 lb take-home):

Even valuing your time at $25/hour:

• Processor: $185 + (4 hrs × $25) = $285
• DIY: $27 + (5 hrs × $25) = $152

DIY saves roughly $130 per lamb, and you get exactly the cuts you want.

When Processors Make Sense

I still use processors sometimes. Here’s when it makes sense:

1. USDA inspection required If you’re selling meat, you need USDA processing. No exceptions.

2. Large animals you can’t handle A 1,200 lb steer requires infrastructure most homesteads don’t have.

3. Specialty products Want dry-cured hams? Smoked bacon? Some products need commercial equipment.

4. You genuinely hate the work If processing feels like torture rather than meaningful work, pay someone.

When DIY Wins

For most homesteaders, processing yourself makes sense when:

• You’re doing 5+ animals per year
• You value the quality control
• You want specific cuts (not “standard” packages)
• The work feels purposeful, not burdensome
• You’ve made the initial equipment investment

The Intangible Benefits

Some things don’t fit in spreadsheets:

Skill development Processing your own meat is knowledge nobody can take from you.

Quality control You know exactly how that animal was handled from pasture to freezer.

Flexibility Process when the animal is ready, not when a slot opens up.

Connection There’s something grounding about completing the full cycle — raising, processing, eating.

My Recommendation

If you’re on the fence:

1. Start with chickens — Low stakes, fast learning curve
2. Process your next 2-3 animals yourself — See how it feels
3. Track your actual costs and time — Don’t guess
4. Decide based on real data — Not assumptions

For us, the math clearly favors DIY for everything up to pigs. We still use a processor for beef (nowhere to hang a 800 lb carcass) and any animals we’re selling.

Need help with the actual processing? The Homestead Butchering Handbook walks through everything from first cut to freezer.