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The majority are killed at 18 months for meat (equivalent of about 6 in human age) once they’ve put on enough weight. “Veal” is if they’re killed under 12 months, which is rarer, but adulthood is a couple of years later, and yes, not just many of the calves, almost all of the male ones.

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commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
18 months is full weight

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- davidagain@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  Under 12 months is veal, so you were correct that most don’t end up as veal.
  
  But they count as calves until adulthood, which is nearer age 4. They’re normally killed for meat at about 18 months or six in human years. They do continue to put on weight into adulthood, but less rapidly than in the first 18 months, so you get a better return on investment by killing them while they’re still calves, because you’ve saved half your costs but got 3/4 of the weight in meat, and the meat is more tender and marketable.
  
  So not quite full weight, and definitely still killed as a calf, not as an adult.
  
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  - Cypher@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    
    “Calf” is the term used from birth to weaning, when it becomes known as a weaner or weaner calf, though in some areas the term “calf” may be used until the animal is a yearling.
    
    A 3 year old cow is not a calf.
    
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    davidagain@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    If you like, but my point is that it’s certainly not an adult. Male calves are almost all killed before adulthood.
    
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  - commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    almost all beef is slaughtered around 18 months, make it female. that’s full weight.
    
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    davidagain@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    It’s slaughter weight, not full weight. Lots of female cows are kept alive for another few years for milk and calving.
    
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