Discovering Value in North Dakota Calves; The Dakota
Feeder
Calf Show Feedout Project V
Progress Report Year 2005-2006
Cow calf producers in North
Dakota are questioning the value of
calves they produce by measuring feedlot performance and carcass
characteristics. The Dakota Feeder Calf
Show Feedout project was developed to
discover the finished value of spring-born beef steer calves, provide
comparisons between herds and benchmark feeding performance. Cattle
consigned to the feedout project averaged 607.6 lbs. upon delivery to the
Carrington Research Extension Center Livestock Unit on October 15, 2005. After an average 202-day feeding period with
no death loss, cattle averaged 1249.4 lbs. (at plant, shrunk weight). Average daily feed intake per head, as fed,
was 28.3 lbs. while pounds of feed required per pound of gain were 8.9. Diet dry matter was 72.8%. The pen-of-three calves averaged 388 days of
age at harvest. Overall pen average
daily gain was 3.20 lbs. Feed cost was
$0.280 per pound and total cost of gain without interest was $0.462. The cattle were marketed over a 21-day period
and marbling scores averaged 435.1 (low choice). Profit before interest expense ranged from
$54.77 per head for pen-of-three cattle with superior growth and carcass traits
to a $-186.42 per head for poorer performance.
Calf value is enhanced with superior carcasses. Exceptional average daily gains, weight per
day of age, and marbling score were present in calves produced from North Dakota beef herds. Feedout projects provide a
source of information for cattle producers to learn about genetics and discover
cattle value.
Correlation
between profit and various production measures.
Correlation
coefficient
Profit and Average Birth Date 0.1076
Profit and Average Harvest Weight 0.4395
Profit and Average Daily Gain, 0.5548
Profit and Weight per Day of Age 0.3224
Profit and Marbling Score 0.5398
Profit and Percent Retail
Product Value divided by day of age 0.5268
Turtle
Lake feedout steers,
December 2005.