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The B eef Lifecycle

F E E D YA R D Cattle spend 4-6 months at a feedyard

being fed a scientifically-balanced diet and receiving daily care. Some

spend the rest of their lives on a pasture being grass finished.

Retailers and foodservice operators sell beef in S U P E R M A R K E T S A N D R E S TAU R A N T S .

Due to strong demand for U.S. beef, beef is E X P O RT E D T O M O R E

T H A N 1 3 0 O T H E R C O U N T R I E S .

Beef helps nourish the bodies of M I L L I O N S O F A M E R I C A N S

by providing 10 essential nutrients.

S T O C K E R S A N D B A C K G R O U N D E R S Between 6-12 months of age cattle 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.

L I V E S T O C K AU C T I O N M A R K E T S Many calves leave the farm or ranch

where they were born and are sold at livestock auction markets to stockers and

backgrounders between 6-12 months of age.

W E A N I N G Beef calves are weaned away from their

mothers between 6-8 months of age.

CALVES FOR SALE

C O W- C A L F 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.

PA C K I N G P L A N T Cattle are sent to a packer/processing facility to be slaughtered and processed then distributed

to supermarket retailers and restaurants.

W H E AT

S O Y B E A N M E A L

M O L A S S E S

G R A S S E S / H AY

C O R N

B E E F

B E E F