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Feeder Cattle

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VB RANCH

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However, the dry and open weather in the 5 area feeding region is producing outstanding gains with pens regularly gaining over 4 lbs/day and some with an empty and "green" starting point closing-out after gaining over 5 lbs/day. This outstanding performance coupled with hog-like dressing percentages (up to 70 percent) from beta agonist feed additives are helping cattle feeders reach breakevens that were once thought impossible at current input costs and finished price
 
VB RANCH said:
However, the dry and open weather in the 5 area feeding region is producing outstanding gains with pens regularly gaining over 4 lbs/day and some with an empty and "green" starting point closing-out after gaining over 5 lbs/day. This outstanding performance coupled with hog-like dressing percentages (up to 70 percent) from beta agonist feed additives are helping cattle feeders reach breakevens that were once thought impossible at current input costs and finished price
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a 70% dressing steer that averaged 5lbs./day gain would be a sight to behold, doubt those steers are coming from an order buyers collection.
 
An interesting scenario.

I, too, would wonder if it is a very common situation, but the bottom line is that an industry will always be driven to new efficiencies by tight margins.

It makes me wonder about the effect on the end product also.
 
VB Ranch you have caught my interest!! Could you tell us more about the cattle genetics and nutrition program??? Thanks in advance. Mel
 
What VB is talking about is not only possible, it is achieveable. Been doing it on a regular basis since 2007.

Doing it with "all natural" fed cattle as well.

Potload averages for yield was 64.4%-67.9% that is mixed steers and heifers. 96.4% Choice and Prime. ALL the 2011 calves accounted for within that matrix with the exception of the pulls that didnt qualify as "all natural"

Genetics? Straight angus. We raise our own bulls to go back to our commercial cowherd.

Once you figure out how much the crossbred cows are costing you or the use of small framed, low birthweight bulls is causing you. It isnt that hard to achieve.

Remember-- today only 20% of the cattle nationally are profitable thru the feedlot. It takes lbs, feed efficiency and carcass quality to get the job done consistently.

I am not getting the rate of gain that VB is talking about today-- but when I was still pouring the coals to the steers, that was a pretty good number as well. Today, least cost ration thru a TMR and we are averaging 800 lb carcass weights on steers and heifers at 13-14 months of age. With the dressing % as high as it is-- the cattle dont need to be huge, just have alot of real grow-- not just EPDs.

Probably wont do it consistently with sires that are greasy either.
 
Aladar said:
What VB is talking about is not only possible, it is achieveable. Been doing it on a regular basis since 2007.

Doing it with "all natural" fed cattle as well.

Potload averages for yield was 64.4%-67.9% that is mixed steers and heifers. 96.4% Choice and Prime. ALL the 2011 calves accounted for within that matrix with the exception of the pulls that didnt qualify as "all natural"

Genetics? Straight angus. We raise our own bulls to go back to our commercial cowherd.

Once you figure out how much the crossbred cows are costing you or the use of small framed, low birthweight bulls is causing you. It isnt that hard to achieve.

Remember-- today only 20% of the cattle nationally are profitable thru the feedlot. It takes lbs, feed efficiency and carcass quality to get the job done consistently.

I am not getting the rate of gain that VB is talking about today-- but when I was still pouring the coals to the steers, that was a pretty good number as well. Today, least cost ration thru a TMR and we are averaging 800 lb carcass weights on steers and heifers at 13-14 months of age. With the dressing % as high as it is-- the cattle dont need to be huge, just have alot of real grow-- not just EPDs.

Probably wont do it consistently with sires that are greasy either.
Click to expand...

What are your top three AI sire picks that are getting this job done consistently?
 
Waterway64 said:
VB Ranch you have caught my interest!! Could you tell us more about the cattle genetics and nutrition program??? Thanks in advance. Mel
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http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/feeder-cattle/Feeder-cattle-review-Dry-weather-yields-outstanding-gains-182587871.html


sorry guess i should of wrote quote on it
pretty amazing tho
best i know of our cattle doing was 64.5
 
http://fyi.uwex.edu/wbic/files/2010/11/Beta-Agonists-Factsheet.pdf

This explains it pretty well.

Visited with a packer buyer and some branded beef people a few weeks ago who absolutely don't want it in their cattle that they buy.
 
Don't use feed additives. Salt mineral distillers corn silage haylage ryelage hay cornstalks and corn. Whatever ration we can put together with the custom feed lot that is most cost efficient.

AI bulls? The Angus bulls I use, you probably never heard of. They are 5 ( primarily 3 full and maternal brothers) Their sons from the registered herd breed cows in the commercial herd. Bottom end of the registered heifers are kicked back as commercial replacements.

If it can be done here, it can be done anywhere. Just a matter of following what is important and not letting a lot of static from universities, bull studs, or anything else get in your way. End product is what you focus on, and that is not necessarily $B either.

We started out as cattle feeders, then went to commercial cow/calf thru the feed lot. Today, self contained with our own seed stock all the way to the rail. Today, because of the prime choice spread, considering going away from the all natural cattle and back to the regular grid. Doing the work to pickup % prime, but that may take a while. The nice part of what has been done is the cattle are proven the old fashion way. With a scale and kill data, not adjusted weights and ultrasound. When the packer pays me on adjusted weights, I may actually start to sort and cull based off them. Seen to many adjusted weight wonders that don't have it.

Have enjoyed reading this site for several years. Provided alot of decent ideas.

Thx
 
SMN Herf said:
http://fyi.uwex.edu/wbic/files/2010/11/Beta-Agonists-Factsheet.pdf

This explains it pretty well.

Visited with a packer buyer and some branded beef people a few weeks ago who absolutely don't want it in their cattle that they buy.
Click to expand...


the one is what the russians are bitching about
 
Aladar I am surprised that you don't like cross breeding. I mean intelligent crossbreeding for hybrid vigor. I would think it would be a useful tool to use. Mel
 
Waterway64 said:
Aladar I am surprised that you don't like cross breeding. I mean intelligent crossbreeding for hybrid vigor. I would think it would be a useful tool to use. Mel
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Crossbreeding continuously proves to be counterproductive to good carcass genetics. Aladar, Got any registration numbers on some of those bulls. Interested in your program.
 
BlackCattleRancher said:
Waterway64 said:
Aladar I am surprised that you don't like cross breeding. I mean intelligent crossbreeding for hybrid vigor. I would think it would be a useful tool to use. Mel
Click to expand...
Crossbreeding continuously proves to be counterproductive to good carcass genetics. Aladar, Got any registration numbers on some of those bulls. Interested in your program.
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Knowing the good banker/promoter Aladar usually is-- it would surprise me if the name of ONEILLS LUCKY BOY didn't pop up- and possibly in all the pedigrees.... :wink: :P :lol:

http://www.origenbeef.org/semen_detail.php?bull=70

http://www.angus.org/Animal/EpdPedSearch.aspx?aid=15863843
 
Since the resident 47%'er of the cattle chat rooms thought is was necessary to reply-- I will answer the questions.

actually 4 herds of cows running here-- spring and fall commercial cows and spring and fall registered cows. Registered cowherd provides additional feedlot steers, the replacement females, and the bulls to breed the commercial cows. Commercial cowherd has been 100% bred by home raised bulls since 2007.

Commercial cows started out as a set of primarily black crossbreds. When we started killing the steers out of the registered cows-- the calves from the crossbred cows wouldnt/couldnt stay with them. So, over time, the crossbred cows were shipped for ANY excuse. Replaced them with purebred angus females. Today, there are 6 cows that are not purebred angus remaining in the commercial cowherd. Why not crossbreds? NO DANG CARCASS and very inconsistent down the rail. Had enough grow, but were not profitable enough to continue on with.

Yes, I own Oneills Lucky Boy-- and he has done his job-- but he has been mated back and forth on his own daughters along with the daughters of his maternal brothers (Oneills Expedition and Oneills Adventure K325) along with 2 other younger maternal brothers. These are the primary sires in the registered cowherd. Used AI stud bulls-- they simply dont cut the mustard either when placed againist these bulls. They fail someplace that really matters and ends up costing me money.

There have to be other similar type angus bulls-- with enough grow and carcass to get the job done and still yeild-- but havent ran across them yet and certainly havent run across ones that I would stack up and line breed in the fashion that has been done here in both the registered and commercial cowherd.

That is the genetic base.
Packer pays a good premium on every head.

Just stay focused on the end product, and cull what ever gets in your way of achieving it. Heck, as OT pointed out, I am a banker, if I can get it done, it shouldnt be that hard for most (well at least 53%)
 
Aladar I am impressed! One can hardly call yours a one breed program. It is much more like what the poultry and pork people have done in establishing genetic lines. You have definitly set yourself apart from most cattle breeders this way. I can not help my self though, there must be other breeders whos' goals are similar to yours, and have developed lines of cattle which would make cross breeding profitable. I see cross breeding miss used by so many people but I still believe it a excellent tool in the right program.

Mel
 

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