The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of nutritional management treatments during the rearing period on the performance and carcass traits of Hereford steers finished either on pasture or in feedlot. Two hundred and forty male Hereford calves, weaned at 8 months of age with an average weight of 17017 kg, were used. After weaning, four nutritional treatments were imposed on the calves so as to obtain different daily liveweight gains (LWGs, kg/day) during the first winter (winter-growth phase). The nutritional management groups were high LWG in feedlot (HF), low LWG in feedlot (LF), high LWG on pasture (HP) and low LWG on pasture (LP). Finishing phase began when each group reached a mean liveweight (LW) of 35028 kg. During this phase, one half of the HF, LF,HPand LP animals were finished on pasture and the other half in feedlot. The animals were slaughtered when each group attained a meanLWof 500 kg. The carcass traits ribeye area (cm2) and backfat thickness (mm) were measured by ultrasonography. Liveweight, LWG and ultrasonography records were analysed by repeated-measures analysis.DMintake as a percentage ofLWand feed conversion ratio (FCR; kg DM/kg LW) during feedlot were analysed by ANOVA. Least-square means for LWGs of pasture-finished animals were 0.807, 0.799, 0.819c and 0.782 kg/day for HF, LF, HP and LP respectively. Least-square means forLWGof feedlot-finished animals were 1.569, 1.554, 1.484 and 1.431 kg/day for HF, LF, HP and LP respectively. Least-square means for FCR in feedlot were 7.12, 7.20, 7.97 and 8.92 for HF, LF, HP and LP respectively. Hot carcass weight had a similar trend as did LWG. Feedlot-finished animals attained heavier hot carcass weights once they received a better nutritional management during the first winter. The growth-group management did not affect (P> 0.05) dressing percentage. The carcasses of feedlotfinished animals showed higher (P