Table of Grass Fed Beef Performance and Carcass Quality

Below is a summary off grass-fed beef performance based on peer review literature. It is important to note the the majority of these studies were performed on the East Coast and are not necessarily directly comparable to production systems on the West Coast. Harvest weights are highly depended on nutritional resources and marketing system.

Table 1: Peer Reviewed Summary of Grass-Fed Beef Performance
Study	Study Location	Breed/ Sex	Diet	Age of Harvest (Months)	ADG for Finishing Period (lb)	Live Weight (lb)	Carcass Weight (lbs)	DP (%)	Quality Grade	Ribeye Area (in²)
Berthiaume et al., 2006	Kapuskasing, Canada	Angus/ Steers	Grass Silage	14-15	1.63	993	584	59	Standard	11.0
Berthiaume et al., 2006	Kapuskasing, Canada	Angus /Steers	Grass Silage + Growth Promoters	14-15	2.38	1078	629	58	Standard	11.1
Mandell et al., 1997	Guelph, Canada	Limousine Cross	Alfalfa Silage +Implant	14-15	2.46	__	686	__	__	10.9
Cruz et al., 2013	Central California	Angus/ Steers	Clover Ryegrass Pasture +Alfalfa Hay	21-27	1.61	1353	790	58	Select	12.6
Scaglia et al., 2012	Virginia	Angus, Angus Cross /Steers	Tall Fescue Pasture	20	2.16	1096	584	53	Standard	8.9
Scaglia et al., 2012	Virginia	Angus, Angus Cross /Steers	Alfalfa Pasture	20	2.05	1056	549	52	Standard	10.3
Neel et al., 2007	West Virginia	Angus	Mixed pasture (Bluegrass, Orchard grass, Tall Fescue, Alfalfa)	18	1.87	1045	543	54	Select	10.3
Schmidt et al., 2013	South Carolina	Angus-Cross/ Steers	Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) Pasture	>20	2.82	1184	708	61	Select-	12.1
Schmidt et al., 2013	South Carolina	Angus-Cross/ Steers	Bermuda Pasture	>20	1.67	1274		58	Select-	12.3
Schmidt et al., 2013	South Carolina	Angus-Cross/ Steers	Cowpea (Cichorium intybus) Pasture	>20	2.49	1137	717	60	Select-	11.4
Schmidt et al., 2013	South Carolina	Angus-Cross/ Steers	Pearl Millet (Pennisetum Glaucum) Pasture	>20	1.94	1221	675	62	Select+	12.5
Kerth et al., 2007	Georgia	Angus	Ryegrass	15-16	__	>1218	750	___	Select-	10.5
Roberts et al., 2014	Georgia	Angus Crossbred/ Steers	Ryegrass	__	2.29	1093	499	56	__	11.6
Stanley et al., 2018	Michigan	Red Angus	Irrigated Pasture/ Alfalfa Hay	14-15	2.00	1166	616	53	__	__
Klopatek et al., 2020	Central California	Angus, Angus Cross/ Steers	Rangeland	20	__	1050	616	50	Standard/ Select	10.0
Klopatek et al., 2020	Central California	Angus, Angus Cross/ Steers	Irrigated Pasture	25	__	1250	526	53	Select	10.0
Scaglia et al., 2014	Louisiana	Gelvieh, Red Angus, ¼ Brahman/ Steers	Bermuda and Rye Pasture and Hay	>20	1.47	_	667	54	Select	10.0
Duckett et al., 2013	Virginia	Angus Cross/ Steers	Pasture (Legume last 40 days)	14-16	2.77 (Last 40 days)	1100	596	54	Select	10.1
Kim et al., 2012	Hawaii	Angus Cross/ Steers	Kikuyu Pasture	19	1.94	1065	594	53	Low Choice	12.0
Steinburg et al., 2009	Pennsylvania	Angus Simmental Cross/ Steers and heifers	Grass and Legume Pasture	17-18	1.52	1201	502	50	Select	10.7
Realini et al., 2005	Georgia	Herford/ Steers	Tall Fescue+ Novel Type Endophyte	>14	1.43	904	513	53	Standard/ Select	9.0
USDA Quality Audit, 2016	USA	Typically British and Continental Breeds	Feedlot Ration typically comprising corn	Grade A	__	613	380	62	Choice	_