Mature cattle, ready to be placed on a feedlot, are referred to as feeder cattle. They generally weigh less than live cattle (animals ready for slaughter) - anywhere from 650 to 850 pounds. The feedlots are often larger commercial operations which bring in feeder cattle to replace the animals sent to slaughter. These feedlots may buy the cattle from individuals or the animals will ultimately belong to an individual who will pay the feedlot for the feed bill.
Feeder cattle are classified according to age, sex, and weight, among other things. Grades range from choice or good down to utility or inferior. Prime cattle are a smaller percentage of animals which appear superior in quality. They are normally from a long line of beef cattle ancestry and have the details which suggest top quality meat.
Heifers are usually female cattle less than three years of age. Steers are likely males castrated before maturity, and a cow is a female which has given birth to one or more calves. There are other fine tuned labels such as stag, heiferette, or bull. Cattle less than a year old are calves. Yearlings are between one and two years of age. Over eighteen months old, and they are short-yearlings.
Key global cattle data may be found in the following charts:
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