With cattle on feed for an average of nearly 130 days, Simmons says he, too, would like to shorten the finishing period. He also would like to see his cattle show more consistency on the rail. I believe it's a consumer-pleasing product. Terry Klopfenstein, University of Nebraska animal scientist, says Simmons could be right. He notes that while yearling-fed cattle might give up a bit of tenderness due to age, they may have the advantage for juiciness and flavor due to marbling.
Research shows that calf-feds produce beef that is slightly more tender.
It's measurably more tender, but that doesn't mean the older cattle are less desirable. Klopfenstein says that from a production standpoint, grass-grown yearlings make clear economic sense. Ninety to 100 days should be long enough to get them to marble. Both Klopfenstein and Johnson take issue with those who claim today's grass yearlings are late, poor-doing calves lacking the performance necessary to be fed as calves. Johnson says more producers are planning calving periods for April and May, or even May and June, trying to match nutritional requirements with optimum grazed forage production.