Find out exactly how many animals per month you need to sell DTC before direct sales cover your overhead — and start generating real margin above auction prices.
Animal & Pricing
Lbs at harvest
lbs
Live → hanging wt (typ. 58–63%)
%
HW → take-home (typ. 65–70%)
%
Per lb take-home weight
$/lb TH
Variable Costs — Per Head
USDA slaughter charge
$
Per lb hanging weight
$/lb HW
Boxes, bags per head
$
Avg per head (local pickup = $0)
$
Fixed Monthly Overhead
Ads, email, social
$/mo
Product liability, farm
$/mo
Freezer, sealer amort.
$/mo
Software, admin, etc.
$/mo
Total Fixed Overhead
Monthly baseline cost to run your DTC operation
$500/mo
Coming Soon
Results are being finalized
We're validating the methodology on this calculator to make sure the numbers are accurate for your operation. Check back soon — or get the Free Roadmap for the full DTC breakeven framework.
* This calculator estimates breakeven volume using standard cattle industry yield assumptions. Live-to-hanging dress percentage typically ranges 57–63% for beef cattle; hanging-to-take-home cut yield typically ranges 65–70%.
Show full methodology ▾
Revenue per head = Live Weight × Dress% × Cut-out Yield% × Price/lb Take-Home. Variable cost per head = Kill Fee + (Hanging Weight × Cut & Wrap Rate) + Packaging + Delivery. Contribution margin per head = Revenue − Variable Costs. Breakeven head count = Fixed Monthly Overhead ÷ Contribution Margin per Head (rounded up to nearest whole animal).
Fixed overhead inputs represent typical small DTC operations; adjust to your actual numbers. This calculator does not include land, feed, or production costs — it models the cost of the DTC selling and fulfillment layer on top of your existing operation.