Initial genome-wide association study of feed intake related traits in beef cattle

The ability to improve the utilization of nutrients has tremendous potential to improve profitability. It has been estimated that a 10% improvement in performance (gain) would increase profit by 18%, while a 10% improvement in efficiency could improve profit by upwards of 43%. It has also been estimated that a 10% improvement in feed efficiency (assumed to be a 2 lb/day reduction in RFI) across the entire feedlot sector would equate to $1.2 Billion in reduced feed costs

State of Iowa Feedlot Summary 15 Years of Benchmarking Feedlot Performance

Fifteen years of closeout performance data was summarized to monitor trends in average daily gain and feed efficiency. Daily gain improved approximately 1% per year over the time period 1988–2002. Feed conversion improved approximately _ of 1% per year over the same time period

Drought Year Feed Options for Coy Herds

Cattlemen in Iowa and much of the country are beginning the home stretch with drought reduced feed and forage supplies from the 2012 crop. For many, hay supplies were significantly reduced or used to stretch the parched pastures and grasslands from last summer

ELEMENTS OF CATTLE FEEDING PROFITABILITY IN MIDWEST FEEDLOTS

Conventional wisdom and earlier research have concluded that cattle feeding profitability is more determined by feeder and fed cattle prices than by animal performance. This study examined cross-sectional and time-series data from over 1600 pens of cattle in more than 220 feedlots in the upper Midwest where weather and lot conditions are thought to influence feedlot profitability. In addition to input and output prices and animal performance, other factors found to significantly impact cattle feeding profitability were sex, placement weight, facility design, and to a lesser extent placement season.cattle feedlots, probability, risk, Livestock Production/Industries,

Supplementation of Co-products for Cow-Calf Grazing Systems—Progress Report

The objective of this three year demonstration project is to evaluate the feeding of various corn co-products in cowcalf grazing operations in Iowa. Year one efforts included on-farm demonstrations at two southern Iowa farms. Both demonstration sites included a control group without coproduct and a group with supplementation, using existing management herds. A demonstration in Lucas County involved three herds: a control with no supplementation (60 pairs), a group feeding 12 lb every other day of wet distiller’s grains with solubles (64 pairs), and another group feeding 6 lbs every other day of a 50/50 pellet with DDGS and SB hulls (80 pairs). Cows were fed from July 6 to September 15. Cost per head per day on the group fed pellets was $.185, with the cost of feeding wet DGS at$.045 per head per day. Dry conditions led to grass heights below 3.7 inches on the treated pastures on August 2, while the more diverse control pasture remained above five inches. Cows in all groups maintained body condition scores through weaning. The demonstration in Union County involved two herds: a control group of 30 pairs and another group of 30 receiving 5 pounds of a DDGS based cube fed very other day. Cost of supplementation in the treated group was $.25 per head per day. Forage availability was higher throughout the grazing period at this location. From August 2 to August 25 there was a larger numerical increase in pasture heights in the supplemented pasture (1.5 inches), compared to the control pasture (.14 inches). Condition scores in both groups decreased slightly. Calf weight per day of age was higher on the control group (3.06 pounds/day) compared to the supplemented group (2.83 pounds per day), perhaps due to higher prevalence of fescue. Supplementation at these low levels may be beneficial to the cattle, but no trends for grass substitution or animal performance can be drawn from this set of data

Fed Cattle Performance in Open Lots and Bedded Confinements

Fed cattle closeouts from the years 2007-2009 were analyzed to measure the difference in performance of cattle fed in open lots compared to cattle fed in bedded confinement buildings. Cattle fed in bedded confinements had better feed conversions and heavier finish weights then cattle fed in open lots. Cattle fed in bedded confinements also tended to have better daily gains then cattle fed in open lots

Development and implementation of low-input delivery systems for ethanol co-products in forage-based beef systems

Increased corn production to fuel Iowa\u27s ethanol plants leads to diversion of cattle pasture land to cropland. This project looked at the value of using distillers\u27 grain (an ethanol by-product) as a supplement for beef cattle feeding in a forage system

Estimating Beef Cow Maintenance Efficiency with a Fasting Protocol

A fasting protocol seems to provide a simple means by which the maintenance efficiency of a cow in a given contemporary group could be assessed relative to her herd mates and provide a means by which the herdsman can screen, rank and select cows that are efficient in terms of maintaining themselves

Phemeranthus rugospermus (Holz.) Kiger

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