"Hanging weight" is the term used to describe the weight of a side of beef as it hangs up in a meat cooler with the useable cuts intact.  The picture to the right shows sides of Green Vista Farm Grassfed beef dry aging in the cooler. Whole, halves and quarters are sold to consumers based on hanging weight. This hanging weight varies as cattle "finish", or put the proper amount of fat cover on at different sizes. Some sides of beef are fatter or leaner than other sides of beef based on age, gender and genetics.  Excess fat and bone are removed from the hanging side during final cutting, therefore, carcass fatness will affect how much take-home meat a side of beef will yield. Keep in mind that 100% grass feeding typically creates a leaner carcass than what a grain fed feedlot carcass will be.