Characteristics of Meat: Steer vs. Heifer

Most people don't think about whether their beef is coming from a steer or heifer they just think about it coming from cattle. However, different studies show that quality characteristics, tenderness and the value of beef can be different between the two which gives consumers something to think about especially if they butcher their own meat. According to Jeannine Schweihofer , a Michigan State University Extension Agent, the value of beef prices do not differentiate between steers and heifers. She also goes on to tell the results from a couple different studies where heifer carcasses had slightly more marbling than steer carcasses and beef from heifers was more tender than beef from steers for up to 28 days of aging.

Steer Calf

As a beef producer, my family always butchers their own meat and in the recent years it has always been a heifer. At first we thought it was a rumor that meat from a heifer is better than meat from a steer  so we decided to test that theory out for ourselves and after doing it we could personally test that our meat from the heifer we butchered was better than our meat from the steer. With that being said, I would agree with Jeannine that overall meat from a heifer is more tender and has more marbling than meat from a steer.

Heifer Calf 

Some of you may be thinking or even wanting to ask how their could be a difference between meat from a heifer and meat from a steer and here are a couple theories that are said to be true.  The first theory I want to present you with is steers gain weight faster than heifers and are typically fed out faster and harder than heifers which in return develops the steer too quickly and makes their meat tough as opposed to heifers who are fed out at a much slower rate giving them time to develop. Also the kind of feed the steer or heifer is fed is said to have an affect on their grade or marbling which is why we feed our butcher calf straight corn a few months before butchering. Overall, the value of beef prices doesn't change even though some of the quality traits seem to be different which makes me believe that this will become an option in our future.