Lecture Notes on Feeder Livestock Selection

This set of flashcards covers the key concepts related to the selection of feeder livestock, focusing on the principles, characteristics, classifications, and factors affecting success in the feeder cattle market.

Feeder Animal Requirements

A feeder animal must grow rapidly, grow efficiently, and produce an acceptable carcass.

Characteristics of Feeder Livestock

Adequate frame, adequate body capacity, acceptable structural correctness, potential to maintain a high lean-to-fat ratio, and potential to deposit sufficient marbling.

Key Factors for Feedlot Success

Age, weight, sex, frame size, and body condition.

Cattle Age Classifications

Calves, yearlings, cull cows.

Benefits of Yearlings

Higher average daily gain (ADG), fewer days on feed, quicker turnover, and rapid return on investment.

Light vs. Heavy Cattle Prices

Light cattle have higher prices per cwt but usually lower total value, while heavy cattle have lower prices per cwt but higher total value.

USDA Feeder Grade

Implemented in 1979 to categorize cattle based on thriftiness, frame size, and thickness.

Thriftiness Definition

Health and wellbeing of the animal, indicating its potential for normal growth and fattening.

Importance of Frame Size

Determines potential weight gain and efficiency; larger framed cattle require longer feeding periods.

Animal Maturity Indicators

Larger, longer head, smaller ears, wider muzzle, coarser switch, and larger feet indicate maturity.

Thickness in Cattle

Degree of muscling in relation to skeleton; thicker cattle have a higher ratio of muscle-to-bone.

Body Condition Influence on Gain

At constant weight, thin cattle generally gain faster and more efficiently than fat cattle.

Cull Cattle

• Under certain economic conditions, may be profitable

• Can out gain calves

• Add value

• Require a lot of feed/lb. of gain…putting on fat

• Usually fed for short period

Heiferetts

heifers that have calved for the first time and then fed for slaughter

Bullocks

Intact males under 2 years of age

Bulls

intact males over 2 years of age

Frame size

Determine what weight an animal will reach USDA Choice (0.5 in. BF)

• Large framed cattle will gain more efficiently, but will need to be fed longer

• Important: Feed to a degree of finish, not same weight

 This is why it is important to sort cattle in the feedyard

Producer

genetic improvement based on premiums; discovery of value

Feeder

ability to sort and market like-cattle

Packer

demand type of cattle

Priorities in market steer

Muscle (REA), Finish/Composition (backfat), and practicaity (rib and structure)

fat refered to as

finish, not condition

Areas of finish evaluation

Brisket, Rib cage, topline, tailhead/pones, flank, and cod/udder

Yield grade

The estimation of boneless, closely trimmed (½ inch fat or less) retail cuts that are expected to come from the major wholesale cuts

USDA quality grade

Quality Grades are assigned based on subjective evaluations of

two traits:

– Maturity (physiological vs. chronological age)

– Marbling (intramuscular fat)

Maturity

A-E

Ossification

As an animal gets older, the cartilage in an animal’s body starts to

ossify (turn to bone)

Live pricing

Producer/seller takes on little risk

buyer takes on higher risk

In the beef

Carcass weight matters

dressing percentage matters

producer/seller and buyer takes on some risk

Grid

carcass weight matters

carcass traits/performance matters

Purebred/seedstock

 Maintains seed stock to provide bulls and, occasionally,

females for the commercial producer

 Typically more utilization of EPD’s

Commercial operation

Provides feeder calves and yearlings to the stocker operator

Stocker

Develops cattle cheaply to grow for feedyards

Cattle Feeder

Provides the packer with finished cattle ready for slaughter

Packer

Slaughters the cattle and provides the retailer with either dressed carcasses or wholesale cuts from these carcasses

Retailer

cuts, trims and packages the beef for the consumer

1969

Most influential year in cattle breeding

 Population increases and beef demand on the rise

 Cattle needed to get bigger to stay profitable

 Begin to stress the importance of Yield Grad

British Breeds

Imported from british isles in late 1700s

higher quality grades, lower yield grades, easier fleshing, reach mature size at earlier age, less growth potential

Angus

• Scotland

• Fantastic quality grade and carcass quality

• More than 80% of Angus cattle make CAB

• maternal breed (#1 in regstry and crossbreeding

Hereford

• England

• Average to below average marbling and yielding

• maternal breed (low maintenance and gentle)

Red angus

• England

• similar to angus cattle

• above average marbling

• average yielding

• smaller mature frame size

• calving ease

Continental breeds

• imported in late 60s and 70s

• produce carcasses with less fat and higher percentage of saleable product; lower quality grades

• more growth and muscle and larger size

Charolais

• French

• high growth, late maturing

• heavily muscled

• high yielding cattle

• average to below average marbling

Simmental

• Swiss

One of the mostly widely distributed breeds of cattle worldwide

 High growth, heavy muscled

 High milk

 High yielding

 Marbling is improving with the use of Angus genetics to make SimAngus cattle

Bos Indicus

High yielding cattle, typically don’t grade

• Lack of marbling

Why such heavy use?

• Heat tolerant

• Insect tolerant

• Longevity

• Performance and size

• Later maturing

• Have a hump, longer ear, typically a bigger sheath

most prominant Bos Indicus breed in the US

Brahman