My Mom and Dad raised a calf to be butchered for the meat. Nope Mom named it, they eventually sold it then bought meat. They couldn't eat their pet.For beef, or even pork, a good option to beat paying high meat prices is to raise your own, and then have it butchered and processed. If that is too much meat, go in partners with someone and split the cost and the meat.
This is only a good option if you have the place or know someone with the space for raising a cow or pig for butchering.