Eastern North Dakota Cattle Feedout - Year 2: 2005-06

Karl Hoppe

Feeding spring-born steer calves to finish and measuring feeding and carcass performance discovers the phenotypic merits of calves consigned through the Eastern Dakota Cattle Feedout Project. Producers consigned groups of six spring-born steer calves to the feedout project. The calves averaged 656.0 pounds upon delivery to the Carrington Research Extension Center Livestock Unit on November 2, 2005. After an average 183-day feeding period with no death loss, cattle averaged 1276.9 pounds (shrunk harvest weight). Average daily feed intake per head, as fed, was 29.5 pounds while pounds of feed required per pound of gain were 8.7. Diet dry matter was 72.8%. The calves averaged 404 days of age at harvest. Overall pen average daily gain was 3.39 lbs. Feed cost was $0.263 per pound and total cost of gain without interest was $0.440. Yardage, veterinary and trucking costs per head was $45.75, $18.01, and $34.34, respectively. Marbling scores averaged 456.5 (low choice) and Yield grade averaged 2.92. Hot carcass weight averaged 796.1 pounds. Profit before interest expense ranged from $45.22 per head with superior growth and carcass traits to a $-192.99 per head for poorer performance.

Eastern Dakota feedout steers, December, 2005.