Reply #65: No, yield grade is based on fat vs hot carcass weight.

[daylan b]

Once cattle reach their proper finish (fat) level getting them fatter decreases the ratio of lean muscle to fat. That tends to happen about that 1200-1300lb weight. Why did you even think about telling me about yield grades when you have no clue what they are?

The lower feed efficiency is because cattle stop growing at a certain point just like you and I do. About the time steers...sorry...boy cows with no nuts get to that 1200-1300 lb range, their growth rate slows dramatically whether they are on pasture or feedlot.

And just to pile on the packers are the ones that dictated the 900lb carcass weight long before they owned the feedlots. It's due to the size of the steaks that you get from the carcass and the ease of handling the carcasses.

Seriously, you display how little you know every time you press enter.