By Juan Vassallo
In 1975, the average cattle carcass weight — the combined average for steers and heifers after slaughter — was 615 pounds. By 2024, it had risen to 890 pounds, an increase of about 45%, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
Advances in genetics, growth-promoting hormones, pharmaceuticals and high-energy diets have largely led to the increased weight.
Despite year-to-year fluctuations, the long-term trend shows an average gain of about 5 pounds per year over the past five decades. And while the most recent USDA figures are from 2024, industry data suggests weights rose much faster in 2025 — prompting questions about how much more weight the animals can bear.
The issue was a major focus at beef industry conferences last year, including the annual symposium hosted by the King Ranch Institute in November.
“[In 2025] steer carcass weights are up 40 pounds,” said Glen Dolezal, a retired Cargill meat scientist, citing internal company data. “We’re really putting a lot more pounds on them than the 5-pound average per year that we’ve seen previously.”
Dolezal urged the industry to take seriously a growing list of health concerns, including lameness, heat stress, congestive heart failure and late-term deaths in feedyards.
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