Country Natural Beef Extended Feeding Periods
A shift to longer feeding periods since 2022 increased carcass weights and net returns for member ranches.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Agriculture
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Country Natural Beef cooperative improved financial returns by extending cattle feeding periods starting in 2022. By shifting to a 220-day average, member ranches saw significant gains in meat production and quality grades.
Why it matters
Longer feeding cycles allowed cattle to fully realize existing genetic potential while spreading fixed costs over higher total saleable meat volume. These changes led to a measurable increase in net revenue for the cooperative's member ranches.
Average days on feed rose from 170 to 220 days, resulting in 63 additional pounds of red meat per carcass. Each extra pound of weight generated $4.74 in net value, while the percentage of cattle grading Choice or better reached 98%.
The players
Country Natural Beef
This cooperative includes more than 80 ranches across 11 states and markets roughly 75,000 head of cattle annually.
Beef Improvement Federation
This organization hosts symposia to discuss advancements in genetic evaluation and production practices for the beef industry.
The details
The cooperative tracks cattle from ranch to harvest using retained ownership, allowing for precise data collection on genetic performance. While dry matter conversion worsened by 0.6 pounds, the financial gain of $395 per head outweighed the increased feed costs.
Timeline
The Country Natural Beef cooperative began its operations in the mid-1980s.
The cooperative transitioned to extended feeding periods beginning in 2022.
Findings were presented on June 3, 2026, at the Beef Improvement Federation Symposium.
Market Landscape
This strategic pivot aligns with a documented, long-term industry trend of increasing cattle carcass weights to improve total output. By leveraging internal data to optimize feeding, the cooperative strengthens its position against other beef producers.
Consumers can expect high-quality beef availability to remain steady or improve, as 98% of the cooperative's cattle now grade Choice or better. Ranchers and industry stakeholders may see these production metrics set new benchmarks for efficiency and profitability.
The takeaway
Optimizing feeding periods based on verified herd performance allows cooperatives to extract significantly higher value from existing genetics. This strategy demonstrates how data-driven production adjustments can directly enhance profitability without requiring new livestock inputs.
What happens next
The cooperative is currently evaluating potential grid adjustments, including raising the minimum carcass weight requirement from 700 to 800 pounds and implementing new rewards for carcasses exceeding 900 pounds.
Further reading
For more on industry production standards, visit the Agriculture section.
More information
Review the full technical data in the 2026 BIF Symposium presentation archive.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Western Livestock Journal.
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