Cowboy Meat Company

Cowboy Meat Company operates at 1109 Front St in Forsyth, Montana, in Rosebud County. The plant holds federal establishment number M47648 and is listed with USDA FSIS for both meat slaughter and meat processing, with a grant of inspection dated December 20, 2023. FSIS classifies the establishment as very small, and its reported slaughter volume falls in the under 1,000 head per year category. Species reported slaughtered under inspection are cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and goats.

The establishment's website describes it as a full-service meat processing operation in Forsyth, handling work from the kill floor to the cutting table to the smokehouse, and states that it serves both producers seeking custom processing and customers seeking retail cuts. The site names beef, pork, and lamb, lists three species processed, and refers to a crew of 11 or more members. The federal record additionally lists goats among the species slaughtered under inspection, which is broader than the three species named on the website.

In addition to federally inspected work, the plant reports custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, meaning it processes animals owned by the customer with packages marked Not for Sale, and it also reports retail-exempt sales. Pricing, scheduling, booking lead times, and cut and wrap specifics are not stated in the sources on file.

The plant is listed with FSIS for both slaughter and processing of cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and goats, and reports custom-exempt slaughter in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packaged Not for Sale. Its website states that producers can bring animals for custom processing and describes work spanning the kill floor, cutting table, and smokehouse. Reported slaughter volume is under 1,000 head per year, and FSIS lists the establishment as very small, so capacity is limited. Booking procedures, scheduling windows, minimums, fees, and cut and wrap options are not stated in the sources on file.

Cowboy Meat Company reports custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, which means it can process an animal a customer already owns (a whole, half, or share bought before slaughter) and return it in packages marked Not for Sale. Most small farms have one or two plants they book with, and the plant's calendar decides the delivery date.

The website describes Cowboy Meat Company as a retail butcher serving customers seeking retail cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, and the establishment reports retail-exempt sales to FSIS. A secondary listing describes the business as a retail outlet and refers to steaks and burgers available in the shop. Halves and quarters, bundles, online ordering, delivery, and shipping are not mentioned in the sources on file.

If you are buying a half or quarter animal, the plant is where the animal is processed; the farm sells you the animal. Read how to buy a half cow for the sequence and the math.