The experiment lasted 3 years with a total of 60 Hereford x Dairy Shorthorn and Hereford x Aberdeen Angus x Shorthorn heifers. The dairy cross were reared conventionally to 6 months of age while the beef cross were single-suckled. During winter both types of heifer were fed on concentrates, hay and straw. Between 15 and 18 months of age each type was divided into 4 groups. The groups calved but did not suckle, were not served and were finished early, calved and suckled for 10 weeks, or were not served and were finished late. Effects of pregnancy and suckling on carcase quality were estimated visually, by linear carcase measurements and from retail jointing and trimming. The cattle were killed when it was estimated that the killing-out percentage was about 54. Later, empty heifers were killed as soon as fit and were not kept until the heifers which had calved were ready. Pregnancy and suckling had little effect on quality of the carcase from dairy crosses. There seemed to be some advantage in not allowing the heifers to suckle but finishing as quickly as possible after calving. Empty heifers which had been single suckled were expensive and tended to be overfat when killed.-J. N. A.