Commercial beef producers have several cattle grading practices at their disposal. By learning how to apply feeder cattle grades correctly, you can reduce the bias in your judgment of calf value.
Feeder cattle grading is an invaluable management tool that can assist you in making informed culling decisions for your herd. Furthermore, it enhances feed efficiency and increases health outcomes.
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Frame Size
Frame size refers to the height and body length of feeder cattle as determined by their skeletal size in relation to age. It also affects their weight gain composition as they are fed into fed cattle, as well as their yield grade when carcasses are graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
At a given breed, age, and frame size at maturity age, larger-framed feeder cattle will gain more muscle and bone than their smaller framed counterparts with the same characteristics at that same age.
Recently, the mature height of beef cattle has remained consistent. As a result, many producers are raising larger-framed calves for finishing. These cattle can be immediately put onto a finishing program after weaning with minimal backgrounding needed.
Weight
Weight plays a significant role in feeder cattle’s health and market value. Heavier cattle often experience lower feed conversion rates and greater nutrient losses when fed in the feedlot compared to lighter-weight animals.
Good feeder-cattle management can help minimize this effect. Feeders must have access to enough quality grasses and legumes during the spring and summer months to sustain their growth and development.
They must also be able to fatten at an appropriate rate and finish at a high carcass weight through feeding programs that include grass grazing and backgrounding.
Additionally, weight uniformity is essential to guarantee all feeders receive proper grading. In some areas, beef cattle producers purchase lightweight feeder calves (350-550 pounds) and graze them during the spring and summer before finishing them off in the feedlot.
Feed Efficiency
Feed efficiency in feeder cattle can have a major effect on their health and performance. This is an especially crucial aspect of cattle production since feed costs can make up to 70% of total feeding expenses.
Beef producers are well-aware of the concept of feed conversion ratio (FCR), but it’s important to remember it’s more than a number and can be affected by various factors like management, diet formulation and feeding practices. Furthermore, feed efficiency is heritable just like weaning weight or yearling weight or carcass quality.
Over the last decade, the beef industry has made great progress in increasing upper two-thirds Choice and Prime carcasses. Unfortunately, in their quest for grid premiums they have often neglected another profitable driver–feed efficiency.
Health
The health of feeder cattle has a direct influence on their quality, weight and grade. A well-managed health and management program can reduce sickness, enhance treatment efficiency, lower feed costs and produce quality carcasses at market value.
Poor-performing cattle cannot meet consumer demands for lean, high-quality meat. A successful health program will improve the performance of the herd and enable profitable operation.
Establishing and maintaining a healthy, well-managed herd necessitates knowledge of cattle diseases and how to control them, the creation of an effective health maintenance and disease prevention plan with veterinarian assistance, as well as intelligent participation in that program. Furthermore, facilities should be established that reduce stress on livestock while they receive vaccinations, implants or treatments for disease.
