Table 5.

Grass and grain-fed system production costs and breakevens from weaning to harvest

Treatment1	Per head cost, without processing and marketing, $hd1	Per head cost, with processing and marketing costs, $hd−1	Breakeven without processing and marketing costs, $kg−1 of HCW	Breakeven with processing and marketing costs, $kg−1 of hot HCW
CON	1,543	2,320	4.00	6.01
GF20	1,405	2,066	6.11	8.98
GR45	1,601	2,431	5.29	8.02
GF25	1,635	2,432	5.60	8.33

CON, steers stocked on pasture then finished in a feedyard; GF20, steers grass-fed for 20 mo; GR45, steers grass-fed for 20 mo with a 45-d grain finish; GF25, steers grass-fed for 25 mo.