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

2. 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

3. 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%

4. Estrogen Content per Serving

5. Estrogen Content per Serving

6. Estrogen Content per Serving

7. 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

8. Implant Studies on Wheat Pasture

9. Implant Studies at LFRS

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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