Residual feed intake (RFI) calculations were compared using either conventional chute weighing (CW) or partial body weights (PBW) collected with specialized data acquisition systems (DAS). Per-second PBW, CW and feed intake (FI) data of beef cattle (n = 3743) from 49 contemporary groups located throughout Canada, Australia and USA was compiled. Data for PBW and FI was collected using automated DAS which non-invasively collected per-second information on individual animals while eating or drinking (GrowSafe Systems Ltd., Airdrie, AB, Canada). Chute weights were taken at varying time points while cattle were on feed. Total BW was converted from PBW using a constant conversion factor. Correlations of RFI calculation, between FI and metabolic weight (W^0.75) and between FI and ADG using CW, PBW or a combination of CW and PBW (COMB) were examined. Paired T-Tests were performed to compare calculated R² values. Linear regression on CW and PBW demonstrated a high degree of correlation (R² = 0.962), which remained similar when data were sorted by sex (Bull n = 5077 R² = 0.962; Heifer n = 4942 R² = 0.953; Steer n = 4331 R² = 0.972). The R² values of the calculated RFI were greater (0.614 vs 0.590; P = 0.0016) for CW compared with PBW. The correlation between FI and ADG also had greater R² values for CW vs COMB (P = 0.0224). The correlation between FI and W^0.75 tended to have lower R² values for PBW compared with CW (P = 0.0551) and COMB (P = 0.0551). Comparison of individual animal RFI calculations using PBW or CW identified differences in RFI values of greater than one standard deviation (SD) in 2.7% of animals and greater than 2 SD in 0.2% of animals. These differences were associated with chute weight errors and nonlinear growth. RFI rankings within contemporary groups changed < 23% in 90% of animals evaluated when weighing techniques were compared. The use of DAS for collecting PBW and FI measurements was determined to be a viable method for RFI ranking of animals within contemporary groups. High-frequency PBW information also provided the ability to calculate RFI with better rejection of errors caused by incorrect chute weights and issues caused by nonlinearity in growth.