SUMMARY. The association between residual feed intake (RFI) and growth, carcass and meat quality traits were investigated using 233 Hereford steers. Individual feed intake, body liveweight, average daily gain and ultrasound measurements were recorded during 70-d post-weaning period to calculate RFI. Steers were categorized into high efficient (0.5 SD above the RFI mean; 76). After the feed intake test, steers grazed on sorghum pasture and oat with corn supplementation during summer and autumn and winter, respectively, until achieving the slaughter weight (with back fat thickness 6.35 mm). During the finishing phase, the efficient steers had some lighter weights (P