Technology in Beef Production How we will feed a growing population in 2050! Paul Beck

Role of Technology in Beef Production Improved production efficiency has multiple benefits Dramatically reduces production costs Reduces that amount of land needed to produce equivalent amounts of food for consumers Limits production of “Greenhouse Gasses” required to produce equivalent amounts of retail product Decreases food costs to consumers

Growth Promoting Technologies Anabolic Steroids Widely used for over 50-years Safe effective growth promoting agents > 90% of all feedlot cattle receive one or more in lifetime Enhance lean tissue deposition and reduce fat Increase growth rate 10 – 30% Increase feed efficiency 5 – 20% Increase carcass weight 5 – 10%

Estrogen Content per Serving

Estrogen Content per Serving

Estrogen Content per Serving

Growth Promoting Technologies Anabolic Steroids Ionophores and metabolic alteration Β – agonists – similar to naturally occurring epinephrine (aka adrenaline)and norepinephrine or Clenbuterol (asthma treatment) Ractopamine (Paylean in pork or Optaflexx in beef)and Zilpaterol (Zilmax) are approved for use in livestock Fed only at end of finishing phase in feedlot (20 to 48-days) Dramatically increase muscle mass and reduce fat Increases slaughter weight by 24 lbs but carcass weight by 42 lbs

Implant Studies on Wheat Pasture

Implant Studies at LFRS

Additive Effects of Rumensin and Implants on Gains of Steers Grazing Wheat Pasture Rumensin = 0.2 lb/d Implant = + 0.4 lb/d Combo = + 0.6 lb/d

Additive Effects of Rumensin and Implants on Profit of Steers Grazing Wheat Pasture (Beck et al., 2014) Rumensin = $20/hd Implant = $24/hd Combo = $42/hd

Current Productivity Compared with the Past Compared to 1977 Beef carcass yield increased from 600 lbs to 770 lbs (28% increase). Days from birth to slaughter decreased from 602 to 482 (20% decrease) To produce the same amount of beef we required 70% of the animals 81% of the feed 88% of the water 67% of the land