We propose that within pasture-based production systems for beef cattle, the plasticity of the carcass tissues,particularly of muscle, allows animals that are growthretarded early in life to attain normal carcass composition at equivalent weights in the long term, albeit at older ages. This may well relate to regulation of nutrient intake to a level appropriate for the size and lean tissue growth capacity of the animal, coupled with the capacity of the myosatellite cell population to generate myonuclei in support of muscle growth over a prolonged recovery period,as discussed previously (Greenwood et al., 1998, 1999 and2000a). However, the availability of feed and quality of nutrition during recovery from severe growth retardation early in life may be important in determining the subsequent composition of young, light-weight cattle relative to their heavier counterparts.