  BeefTalk:
Herd Health is Paramount to Profits
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
Herd health is one of those silent profit makers -- or takers. On a per calf
basis, dead calves, sick calves and poor-performing calves take the profit out
of a set of calves, affecting cow/calf, backgrounding or feedlot enterprises.
At the North Dakota State University Dickinson Research Extension Center, we
are administering preweaning shots to the calves we will wean early. The
vaccination dates for the later-weaned calves also have been put on the fall
calendar. Treatment costs were illustrated in our last feedyard closeout sheet.
The treatment costs were significant for several steers and triggered some
vaccination questions.
To look at those questions, let’s look at some of the data. The bottom 25
steers (20 percent of the lot based on net return) were compared to the top 25
steers. The two groups were similar weight when received in the feedyard (721
pounds for the low-return steers and 710 pounds for the high-return steers). The
groups had 5.7 frame scores.
Although the low-return group of calves simply did not perform as well as the
high-return calves, the most noticeable numbers were total cost of gain. For the
low-return group, total cost of gain in the feedyard was $62.47 per
hundredweight of gain and $53.93 for the high-return group. On a per head basis,
the low-return calves had a total feed yard cost $270, and the high-return
calves had a total feed yard cost of $281. (I bet you thought, like I did, that
the low-return group would be the high-cost group.)
Income limitations, not feedyard cost, forced steers into the low-return
group. The low-return group averaged $835 per carcass on the rail, while the
high return group averaged $1,020 per carcass on the rail, a difference of $185.
The low-return group did not cost us more, but simply did not have the income
potential on the rail.
This is what the value-added message is all about: get rid of poor-doing,
poor-performing cattle. Beef producers (and the industry) cannot afford to have
poor performers. Compared to the high-return group, the low-return cattle gained
almost a half pound less per day while eating about a quarter of a pound more of
feed per pound of gain.
The low-return steers had almost 0.9 square inches less rib eye, with
slightly greater yield grades (3.27 versus 3.09; closer to 3 is better) and 62
pounds less carcass weight. Only four of the 25 low-return steers graded choice;
all but one of the 25 high-return cattle graded choice. The low return steers
flunked on all of the big carcass profit drivers -- efficiency and speed of
gain, carcass weight and carcass grade.
There can be many reasons for each individual steer not to perform. Those
reasons may be traced to management or genetics. Genetics will be addressed at a
later date, but calf health is a management issue.
One noticeable difference provided by the feed yard was treatment costs per
head. The low return group averaged $20.93 per steer in treatment cost while the
high profit steers averaged only $3.08 per steer. That difference had better get
our attention. What was going on? We need to know.
In the low return group, 20 of the 25 steers were pulled and treated for an
actual per head cost of $26.16. In the high-return group only five of the 25
steers were pulled and treated at an individual cost of $15.40. Not only did the
low returns get sick, but several had to be re-pulled for complete recovery.
I cannot tell you the reason for the low-return steers, but my mind is
thinking and appropriate vaccination protocols and individual calf responses
need to be evaluated. The value of healthy calves is not debatable.
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at
www.BeefTalk.com. For more information,
contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association, 1133 State Avenue,
Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to
www.CHAPS2000.com on the Internet. In
correspondence about this column, refer to BT0155.
###
Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Click here for a printable PDF version of this graphic.
(7 Kb b&w graph)
Click here for a printable EPS version of this graphic.
(116 Kb b&w graph)
Click here for a EPS file of the BeefTalk logo suitable for
printing.
(100KB b&w logo)
Graphic...
25 Low Net Return Steers vs 25 High Return Steers*
------------------------------------------------------------
Low Return High Return
Steers Steers
------------------------------------------------------------
Net return per steer - $ 27.39 $ 148.07
Receiving weight 721 lbs 710 lbs
Frame score 5.7 5.7
Total cost of gain per cwt. $ 62.47 $ 53.93
Total cost of gain per head $ 270 $ 281
Marketable value per head $ 835 $ 1,020
Average daily gain 2.98 lbs 3.44 lbs
Pounds of dry feed per pound of gain 5.85 lbs 5.60 lbs
Percentage choice 16 % 96 %
Yield grade 3.3 3.1
Ribeye area 11.5 12.4
Hot carcass weight 718 lbs 780 lbs
Treatment costs per head $ 20.93 $ 3.08
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
* Top and bottom 20 percent of the lot based on net
return. NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center
Lot 2483 included 123 steers.
|
