Buying beef in bulk- by the quarter, half, or whole- is a lot different than buying individual retail cuts of beef. If you have never done it before, the process takes some explanation. Bulk beef is generally sold by hanging weight. The hanging weight differs from the live weight, which is the weight of the full animal before it goes to the processor. Hanging weight is the weight of the beef carcass after it is slaughtered and the skin, head, non-usable organs, and hooves