The Beef Lifecycle
The beef lifecycle is one of the most complex of any food, taking anywhere from one and a half to three years to bring beef from pasture to plate.
Cow-Calf
Dairy
Stockers and
Backgrounders
Calf Ranch
Livestock Auction Markets
Feedyard
Packing Plant
Facts at a Glance:
50
91%
40
40
4 - 6
130
states are home to cow-calf farms and ranches
Of Farms And Ranches Across The U.S. Are Family Owned And Operated
head is the average herd size
is typically the number of months cattle spend at a feedyard
Countries Import U.S. Beef Due to Global Demand
To learn more about California’s cattle ranchers and beef producers, please visit:
www.calbeef.org
Cow-Calf
Beef cows are bred and calves are born and raised every year on cow-calf farms and ranches, spending time grazing on grass pastures within sight of their mothers.
Dairy
Dairy calves are born nearly every day on modern dairy farms. Cows eat a scientifically-informed and balanced diet aimed at producing high-quality milk and other dairy products. Dairy heifer calves (females) are fed colostrum and typically stay on the dairy to produce milk, while bull calves (males) are fed colostrum and go to a calf ranch within the first couple days of life. Dairy cows transition to the beef supply chain at the end of their lifecycle, however bull calves are raised and fed as a beef animal to also produce wholesome beef products.
Stockers and Backgrounders
Between 6-12 months of age, some beef cattle will spend time at stocker and backgrounder farms and ranches where they graze on a variety of pastures. Here they gain weight and convert forage and grass into lean protein.
Calf Ranch
Bull calves that come from dairies spend the
majority of their lives at a very specialized segment of the industry called a calf ranch, before moving to
a feedyard. At the calf ranch, calves receive individualized care and are raised and fed as beef animals in group pens based on likeness, including size and age, to produce wholesome beef products, just like typical beef cattle.
Livestock Auction Markets
Livestock auctions are a critical link in how cattle exchange hands throughout the beef and dairy production process. Once calves from cow-calf ranches reach 6-12 months of age, they leave the farm or ranch and are sold at livestock auction markets. Meanwhile, dairy cows are often sold at livestock auction markets at the end of their lifecycle.
Feedyard
Conventionally-raised cattle spend 4-6 months
at a feedyard receiving daily care, and being fed a scientifically-informed and balanced diet that
is high in protein to convert feed into lean protein.
Packing Plant
Cattle are sent to modern processing facilities where skilled workers carve out popular beef cuts, which are then distributed to the retail and foodservice industries. Retailers and foodservice operators sell beef in supermarkets and restaurants.
Bull calves that come from dairies spend the majority of their lives at a very specialized segment of the industry called a calf ranch, before moving to a feedyard. At the calf ranch, calves receive individualized care and are raised and fed as beef animals in group pens based on likeness, including size and age, to produce wholesome beef products, just like typical beef cattle.
Conventionally-raised cattle spend 4-6 months at a feedyard receiving daily care, and being fed a scientifically-informed and balanced diet that is high in protein to convert feed into lean protein.