Increased volatility in climate, grain prices and grid-based carcass premiums have led beef producers to search for alternative weaning and finishing management options. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of an alternative weaning strategy and finishing diet on carcass marbling score (MS), quality grade (QG) and Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) retail brand acceptance. Angus (ANG) and Simmental (SIM) sired steers were randomly assigned to one of 2 weaning treatments (early weaned [EW; weaned at 111 ± 23 d of age; n = 14] or conventionally weaned [CW; weaned at 233 ± 21 d of age; n = 14]) and 1 of 2 finishing treatments (high corn [HC; 68.7% of DM from steam-flaked corn; n = 14] or low corn [LC; 50% of DM from steam-flaked corn isoenergetically replaced with dried corn gluten feed; n = 14]) in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Following weaning, EW steers were fed a concentrate-based ration ad libitum for 122 d before commingling and pasture backgrounding with CW steers for 190 d. Steers were then finished for 154 ± 64 d and harvested in groups upon reaching a common ultrasound-estimated 12th-rib fat thickness of 1 cm. Chilled carcasses were evaluated to determine MS, QG and CAB acceptance, and ANOVA was conducted to determine the fixed main and interaction effects of sire breed, weaning treatment and finishing treatment using the Fit Model procedure of JMP Pro. All interaction effects were removed from the final ANOVA model due to lack of significance (P ≥ 0.54). MS was greater for carcasses of EW than CW steers (741 ± 14 vs. 680 ± 15; P < 0.01), and HC than LC steers (775 ± 17 vs. 646 ± 15; P < 0.0001), however no main effects were evident for QG or CAB acceptance (Χ² ≤ 2.32; P ≥ 0.13). Although weaning and finishing treatments affected MS, the effects were not detectable in QG and CAB acceptance within this experiment, and further research is warranted to increase sample size and statistical power. Nonetheless, the management practices utilized in this experiment affected MS independently, indicating that both early and late nutritional management strategies affect marbling development.