Imagine the animal is split down the middle from head to tail. Each side would be considered a half (1/2) share of beef.

If you order a 1/2 share, you would get all of the steaks, roasts, ribs, and hamburger meat from one half of the animal.

Half of a 1/2 share is a quarter (1/4), and half of a quarter share is an eighth (1/8)!