Beef animals that have reached their target market weight and finish after spending a specific period in a feedlot. They are transitioned from a forage-based diet to a concentrated ration of corn, grain, and supplements to maximize intramuscular fat and meat quality. These animals typically weigh between 1,200 and 1,400 pounds when they are shipped to the packing plant.
Heard on the job
The buyer is coming by on Tuesday to look at those fed cattle in pen four, so make sure they have clean bunks.
Also heard as
- fat cattle
- finished cattle
Do not mix it up with
- Feeder cattle: Feeder cattle are younger animals entering the feedlot, whereas fed cattle are the finished animals leaving it.