Find a local farmer that sells beef directly to customers. And do it several months in advance of when you want the meat as it takes time to grow out an animal and butcher appointments are usually booked a few months out.

For legality reasons, you are technically purchasing the live animal and the rancher is transporting it to the processor on your behalf.

After the animal is slaughtered, skinned, and organs are removed, the carcass is hung in the cooler and weighed. This is hanging weight and is the value the price is calculated from. 

In my area processing runs about $0.90 per pound. The rancher will charge a price per pound for the meat. Cattle prices are subject to fluctuation, but lately I've been pricing at $3.25 a pound. So, the customer is responsible for the meat price plus the processing fee (which usually includes a $50-$80 slaughter fee).

Good butchers will let the carcass hang for 10-14 days. During this time the customer will be asked how they want the meat cut (type of steaks, how many per package, roasts, which cuts to keep and which to grind into burger, etc.). Then the meat will be cut, frozen and ready for pick up. 

 Thank you very much for that detailed response. I will figure out how it's done here in Germany.  

 You can keep the liver, heart, tongue. Entrails and hide are disposed of by processor