I presume it is something about food, possibly bio cattle or something; I tried everything and couldn’t find a clear definition…so what’s the straight dope?
Not sure if I understand, but I’ll take a whack at it.
Cattle on feed (as in feed lots, which there are a lot of around here) are fed “cattle food”, some of it is pellets like dog food, and there is (or at least used to be) liquid cattle feed as well. Usually cattle are fed on grass or winter wheat for a year or so and then brought to the feed lot to finish out. Being confined so they don’t run keeps them from getting tough, and the highly nutritious feed puts weight on quickly.
On the other hang you have what we call “grass fed” beef. This is from cattle that have not been sent to the feed lot for finishing. They just eat grass until the are butchered. Grass fed is like free range chicken or whatever. More of a novelty or status symbol. I find it to be generally tougher and with a more gamey taste than feeder beef. I have never seen it in a store, the only grass fed I have had was when a rancher had butchered his own beef.
I am not a cattle expert, just passing on what I have absorbed from being raised in the Texas Panhandle, where cattle outnumber people by a wide margin.
Uh, context? Did you see a “Cattle on Feed” sign on an SUV? 
Seriously, it’s most likely referring to cattle on feed lots; cattle are weaned as calves, and are usually shipped to feed lots, where they are kept until slaughter, and the actual owners pay the feed lot to feed and care for the cattle. Cattle on feed is therefore a major component of the total market potential of the industry.
ok cool!
that makes a lot more sense now…
thanks!
Remember when Mom said eat a balanced meal?
Well grass fed cattle didn’t listen to Mom.