Cowboy 101: Finishing Grassfed Steers

Finishing is the last chapter, and it's where a lot of grassfed programs fall down. A steer needs 90 to 120 days on the very best forage of the year to lay down the intramuscular fat that carries the flavor.

"We save our best paddocks - deep, diverse, rested a full 90 days - for the finishers. They get first bite every morning."

Done right, a South Poll steer finishes at 20 to 24 months, 1,050 pounds, with a golden fat cap and a marble score that surprises people who've been told grassfed can't do it.