Final answer:
To produce a desirable carcass in finishing cattle, practices such as feeding a steady diet of corn and silage, maintaining a grass-fed diet, and implementing effective ranch management strategies are typically discussed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The practices discussed in class to produce a desirable carcass in finishing cattle include:
- Providing a steady diet of inexpensive corn and silage to cattle once they are placed in a feedlot, with the aim of efficiently reaching market size.
- Maintaining a grass-fed diet for cattle, which some ranchers choose due to the higher market price and perception of better health benefits and taste associated with grass-fed beef.
- Implementing effective ranch management strategies to ensure environmental sustainability and the economic viability of the beef production, which could be linked to improved practices such as careful breeding or the rotation of grazing areas to maintain soil fertility.