"Our goal is to produce lean, tender, high quality beef to meet consumer demand," said Dr. Larry Berger, University of Illinois animal science professor at the Cattleman's Boot Camp.

"Our data clearly says that early weaning or creep feeding can be used to improve quality," said Berger.

Both are things that producers can do to ensure tenderness. There is a dramatic difference in the tenderness of the meat when cattle are older.

"The bottom line is that age may be a real determinant in the tenderness and high quality," stated Berger.

Although creep feeding is an effective method to improve the quality of beef, it also has a negative effect on milk production in heifers. Research has shown that creep feeding heifers can decrease milk production in cows up to 25 percent.

"If heifers gain excessively at any time prior to puberty we're going to suppress milk production," said Berger.

Source: livestockroundup.net