processed beef

How Do You Calculate Meat Cost? Cost of the live animal = $1.35 per pound. $1.35 divided by 58% = $2.33. $2.33 plus $0.65 (per pound processing fee) = $2.98. $2.98 divided by 65% = $4.58. This is the final cost of your animal becoming single cuts of meat. $4.58 divided by 75% = $6.11.