beef cattle final

fed cattle

cattle that have been fed concentrates (grains) for several months prior to slaughter in confinement

feedlot

confined areas, located where most grain is produced

where lots of feedlots

colorado, nebraska, texas, kansas, iowa

commercial feedlot

>1000 head, may own the cattle, custom cattle feeding (someone else owns), combine both retained and custom feedlot

farmer feeder

< 1,000 head

feeding dairy calves

optional, mainly holstiens, uniform carcasses: marble well and prime and high cutability/yield grade, feed for long periods of time (365 days), make up for lost gain, not built to grow fast

facilities

open lot with dirt pens that hold hold 100-500 head, pens, fences, fences line feed bunk with concerete aprons inside pens, feed mill to process grains, feed trucks, bunker trench silos or upright silos

pens

mounded in the center for dry resting area

fences

made of pole, cable, or pipe

feed trucks

mix feed while traveling to feed bunks

control dust, odor, flies

remove manure on regular basis (not daily), sprinkler system- settles dust, maintained runoff holding pools, compost manure, parasitic wasp biological control (flies)

control water quality

largest environmental management factor, EPA regulation— confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) part of clean water act

breakeven prices

calculated on price of feeder cattle, cost of gain, sale price on fed cattle, calculated on an individual lot of cattle as a unit, costs are estimated on current and future market prices and previous gain costs

breakeven price formula

(cost of feeder + feed cost + non-feed cost) / fed cattle weight

feedlot cost formula

(wight fed cattle - weight feeder cattle) * (feed cost + non - feed cost)

breakeven price per pound of gain formulas

((weight fed x cost fed) - (weight feeder x cost feeder)) / weight gained

(value fed - cost feeder) / weight gained

breakeven cost per pound of carcass formula

(cost weaned calf + yearling stock cost + feedlot cost) / carcass weight

what influences breakeven cost per pound of carcass

yield and quality grade

factors that change profitability of pen of cattle

poor health management (high morbiditity and mortality), poor rate of gain, carcass discounts

what are the three carcass discounts

dark cutters, poor yield grade, low quality grade

cost of feeder cattle

feeders calculate what they can pay for based on projected feeding costs, price spread between feeders and fed cattle, preconditioned calves are important to consider for purchase

projected feeding costs

feed and yards

price spread between feeders and fed cattle

project price of fed cattle 4-6 months from time feeder is purchased, prices can vary during this time, projected fed steer price and price of corn are used to estimate breakeven purchase of feeder cattle

increase price of corn leads to

decrease in price of cattle

morbidity

illness, most sickness occurs within 14 days of arrival, more sickness means more pulls, decrease ADG, decrease profits, increase USDA % select and standard

two parts of cost of gain

feed cost / pound of gain and non-feed / pound of gain

factors affecting feed costs per pound of gain

ration costs, purchase cost of feeder animal, daily gains

ration costs

grain prices have tremendous effect, price of feed compromises total gain cost

how much percent does price of feed compromise total gain cost

70-80 %

daily gains

feed efficiency, higher gains means more feed for gain than maintenance

ways to improve feed efficency

energy density of feed, processing grains, feeding additives and growth stimulants, feed cattle to proper composition of gain

energy density of feed

increase energy density by feeding less roughage

processing grains

steamflaking and reconstituted to get nutrients faster

feeding additives and growth stimulants

ionophores or implants

feed cattle to proper composition of gain

don’t want too fat to quick, more feed to deposit a pound of fat than a pound of lean, ideal yield grade 2 at 1,100-1,250 pound

climate (stressors)

temperature, give shade, pen conditions, minimum transport and processing time

other stressors

insects, feed consistently, cattle handling, bullers

bullers

calves that are castrated but think are intact

heifers are less efficient than ___ or ___

steers, bulls

factors affecting non feed costs

gaining ability, healthy, yardage, interest rates

gaining ability

better gains less overhead costs because fewer days on feed

health

require less labor for treatment and cost of medication, respiratory is biggest issue

yardage

per head daily fee charged by feedlot outside of medical and feed markup

interest rates

affected by several cents when rates vary, how much money is borrowed

what has the most significant impact on revenue

sale price of market steers and heifers

sales

mostly sold live basis, some by carcass weight and grade

implants and additives

improve rate of gain and efficiency, can be given 1-3 times depending on animal

aggressive implants can decrease what

marbling with trade off is increase in pounds but best on choice-select spread small because lost less money

vaccination protocol

prevention not treatment, good herd-health program, schedule, internal and external parasite program, emergency procedures incase of disease outbreak, anaplasmosis, grass tetany, calf scours

recommendations for usage of health products

• read label: dosage, timing, route, warnings, withdrawal, storage, disposal, expiration date

• keep vaccines cool and away from direct sun while working: decrease efficacy

• if using MLV: dont mix too much at once, no disinfectants to clean between animals

• change needles for every animal or group or clean between each animal

• change single use syringe every 7-10 animals

• inject in the neck: if issue in meat its in a low quality cut

• no more than 10 milliliters per injection site for cows

• no more than 7 milliliters per injection site for calves

• different needle types

sub Q needle

16-18 gauge, ¾ to 1 inch

IM needle

16-18 gauge, 1 to 1.5 inch

how to know what gauge to use for needles

look at the viscousity

young calves vaccination (3-4 months)

respiratory diseases: IBR, PI3, BRSV, pasturella, haemophilus somnus; others: lepto (5 way), clostridial (7 way); booster 3-4 weeks prior: respiratory, BVD, lepto, clostridial, vibriosis, brucellosis; treat for parasites

weaning vaccines

nothing if orginial and booster are done

PI’s

persistent infected— culled

when do mature cows and bulls get vaccines

30 days before breeding

mature cows and bulls vaccines

IBR (last trimester), BVD, clostridial (last trimester), lepto, vibrio

annual tests for mature cows and bulls

brucellosis, johne’s, BVD pi

johne’s disease

small intestine does not absorb nutrients

external and internal parasites

decrease gains and increase feed costs, live off flesh and blood, cause disease and transmit disease (pinkeye and anaplasmosis)

internal parasites

roundworms, tapeworms, liver flukes

controlling internal parasites

chemical treatment (before calving, weaning): anthelmintics, avermectins, drench, pour on, injection, make sure bugs are covered by deworming (more than 1 deworm)

destroy host environment: drain marshes, scatter manure

manage cattle to prevent ingestion: pasture rotation

external parasites

flies, lice, ticks, mosquitoes

controlling external parasites

insecticides (break cycle), tags, spray, pour-on, back rubbers