1. Characterizing Change in the Beef Industry Justin W. Waggoner, Ph.D. Beef Systems Specialist Kansas State University Garden City, KS

2. Change

3. Discussion  Changes in the cattle feeding industry from feed yard closeout data  Mature animal size  Animal Performance  Implications of these changes on nutrition and management of the nation’s cowherd

4. Data Collected from 1990-2009 (9,373,819 cattle)

5. K-State Focus on Feedlots  Previous K-State faculty  Chris Reinhardt, Ron Hale, Gerry Kuhl, Larry Corah, Jack Riley, Calvin Drake  Participating yards  Brookover Ranch Feed Yard  Decatur County Feed Yard  DM & M Feed Yard  Fairleigh Feed Yard  Hoxie Feed Yard  HyPlains Feed Yard  Kearney County Feeders  Poky Feeders  Pratt Feeders  Supreme Cattle Feeders

6. K-State Focus on Feedlots Market Weights (1990-2009) 19902009Change% Steers, lbs11871343+ 15613.18 Heifers, lbs10411218+ 17717.00

7. K-State Focus on Feedlots Average Daily Gain (1990-2009) 19902009Change% Steers, lbs/d3.093.54+ 0.4514.47 Heifers, lbs/d2.763.21+ 0.4516.35

8. K-State Focus on Feedlots Days on feed (1990-2009) 19902009Change% Steers,d143.3155.0+ 11.88.20 Heifers, d137.6152.6+ 15.010.9

9. K-State Focus on Feedlots Feed Conversion (1990-2009) 19902009Change% Steers, F:G6.516.07- 0.446.69 Heifers, F:G6.756.35- 0.405.93

10. Today’s Fed Cattle  1990 Vs. 2009  Fed Cattle (steers and heifers):  15% larger at slaughter  Spend 13.4 more days on feed  Gain weight 15% faster  6.31% more efficient  0.42 less lbs feed/lb gain

11. Driving forces: Economics (Cost of gain) 19902009Change Steers, $/cwt. gain49.9278.83+ 28.91 Heifers, $/cwt. gain52.0883.54+ 31.47

12. Driving Forces: the rest of the story  Technologies  Ionophores  Implants  Improved cattle management (nutrition, health etc.) and technology use  Genetics  Grid marketing practices  Branded beef programs

13. Commercial Beef Production, lbs beef/cow 19902009% Change Beef Prod. Lbs/cow69781917.5 NASS, 2009; K. C. Dhuyvetter, 2010

14. Weaning Weight Trends Weaber and Fennewald, 2009

15. Yearling Weight Trends Weaber and Fennewald, 2009

16. Mature Weights of Cows by Sire Breed Hereford1,419 Angus1,410 Red Angus1,409 Simmental1,404 Gelbvieh1,323 Limousin1,391 Charolais1,371 Breed5-year-old weight, lbs U.S. MARC, Germplasm Evaluation Program, 2009 50 lbs Difference in Average Bodyweight!

17. Mature Cow Weights  How has the selection for heavier weaning and yearling weights influenced the mature size of the nation’s cow herd?  Questions:  Magnitude of change?  Implications of change?

18. How big is Today’s Cowherd?  Common logic  “Mature cow weight = weight of finished offspring”  Meat Animal Research Center  Germplasm evaluation program  37,000+ cows  Mature Cow Weight correlated with hot carcass weight of progeny (0.81)  Progeny hot carcass weight = 0.599 * (mature cow weight) Nephawe et al., 2004

19. Mature Cow Weights (Focus on Feedlots) Market CarcassMature YearWt., Wt. (62% DP) 1 Cow Wt., 19901186.8735.81228 20091343.2832.81390 + 162 Estimated Mature Cow Weight Based on Steer Market Weight Difference K-State Focus on Feedlots; Nephawe et al., 2004 1 Carcass weight = market weight * 0.62 2 Mature cow weight = carcass weight/ 0.599

20. Mature Cow Weights (Federally Inspected Slaughter) FI Live CarcassMature YearWt., lbsWt. (62% DP) 1, lbs Cow Wt., lbs 19901140706.81179 20091296806.11346 + 167 Estimated Mature Cow Weight Based on live slaughter weights (Steers and Heifers) Difference NASS, 2009; Nephawe et al., 2004 1 Carcass weight = market weight * 0.62 2 Mature cow weight = carcass weight/ 0.599

21. Effect of Cow Body Weight on Maintenance Energy Requirements ~ 9 % increase Beef NRC, 2000

22. Effect of Cow Body Weight on Dry Matter Intake Beef NRC, 2000

23. Estimated Dry Matter Intake (Annual Basis) Cow Wt, lbs Annual dry matter intake, lbs 1 12009225 140010263 +1038 Difference 11% increase in annual dry matter intake! Beef NRC, 2000 1 based on 30 days per month

24. Beef Cow Calf System Efficiency  Goal:  Convert forage into lbs of weaned calf  Measure of efficiency  feed consumed (cow) per lb of weaned calf

25. Feed Consumed (cow) per lb calf Annual Basis Annual Cow Wt, lbsDM Intake, lbs 500550600650 1200922518.516.815.414.2 14001026320.518.717.115.8 Calf Weight, lbs 1400 lb cow has to wean at least 50 lbs more calf !

26. Is there optimum ?  Tough question period…..  Factors:  Environment Available forage resources  Reproduction  Marketing strategy Sell at weaning/ retain ownership

27. Bottom Line  1990-2009  Fed cattle  Harvested at larger weights  Gain weight 15% faster  Require 0.42 less lbs feed/lb gain  Increased commercial beef production per cow by 17.5%

28. Consequence  Mature weight of the nation’s cowherd has increased  1990 = 1203 lbs (1179-1228 lbs)  2009 = 1368 lbs (1346-1390 lbs)

29. Have we changed?