Missouri Steer Feedout Can Help Cattle Earn A Good Reputation; Entry Deadline Oct. 10

Missouri Extension Service

MT. VERNON -- "Reputation cattle" is an often-used term in the cattle business. But how do a producer's cattle get a good reputation?

"It is not easy, especially if you have a small cow herd, and you're fairly new to the area," said Eldon Cole, livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension. "A reputation herd usually is one with over 150 to 200 breeding females. They sell in large lot sizes and may be a farm or ranch that's been in the business for two or three generations, and are probably branded."

Cole says smaller operations are hard pressed to come up with the reputation marketing clout -- especially if they are just entering the business. However, any quality producer can do a few things that help their cattle develop the right kind of reputation.

"The first item is to use outstanding bulls, either naturally or artificially. The traits feedlot buyers would look for are growth and carcass. Some breeds combine these into an index that helps simplify selection," Cole said.

Once a genetic breeding program is established a producer will need to test their feeder calves in a commercial feedlot and see how they grow and how the carcasses turn out.

"There's a world of average cattle out there, and you should strive to consistently have cattle that are above average in those traits desired by feeder buyers. This means the Expected Progeny Differences should be above average," Cole said.

"Obtaining the needed data will require selling to a lot that will share gain and carcass data. That sounds so simple but don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen," Cole said.

Missouri Feedout

The surest way to get that data is to enter a representative sample of calves in a program such as the Missouri Steer Feedout. This program is arranged through the University of Missouri Extension regional livestock specialists. Several other states have similar programs under different names.

The Missouri program sends steers to feedlots in southwest Iowa where the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity, managed by Darrell Busby, collects and analyzes the data. The results may not always be what a producer would think, but the information can be used to make corrections.

The next Missouri Steer Feedout is designed for steers born after Jan. 1, 2015, and weighing at least 550 pounds in early November. An entry consists of five head or more, ideally out of a known sire. They should have been weaned 45 days upon delivery. There is no maximum number of steers and the more entries a producer has the more reliable the data.

Missouri has teamed up with the Iowa program since 2001. Producers receive complete individual data on daily gains, temperament scores, feed to gain (calculated), carcass weight, fat cover, ribeye area, marbling score, quality grade, yield grade and retail value per day of age.

Steers picked up at Joplin Regional Stockyards in southwest Missouri will be part of an evening program where steers will be paraded through the ring. A market value will be assigned. Two or three buyers or market representatives will critique them individually and as a group.

Entry deadline for the next Missouri Steer Feedout is Oct. 10.

For more information, contact any of the MU Extension livestock specialists in southwest Missouri: Eldon Cole in Lawrence County, (417) 466-3102; Andy McCorkill in Dallas County at (417) 345-7551; Randy Wiedmeier, in Howell County at (417) 256-2391; or Dr. Patrick Davis in Cedar County at (417) 276-3313.

Community on 08/27/2015