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What are the effects of calf health on feedlot profitability?
Taken from "Ask John A Nutrition
Question", Beef Questions and Answers Newsletter,
June 2005. Dr. John Paterson, MSU Extension Beef/Cattle
Specialist
"...post-weaning
sickness had a clear impact on feedlot gain, mortality
rate, carcass quality grade and net profit..." |
In April, the beef specialists at Michigan State University
published results of a study conducted by researchers
from Iowa State University and Certified Angus Beef
comparing the effects of calf health on feedlot profitability.
The observation that calf disposition (temperament)
was having a significant effect on profitability is
probably as interesting as the data on the effects of
post-weaning disease.
These researchers used data on 13,321 calves from 12
states fed in eight Iowa feedlots during the period
from 2002 to 2004. Vaccination, implant and nutritional
programs were constant across all feedlots. Calf health
status was classified as 0, 1 or 2 (none, one or two
or more treatments). Calf disposition was classified
as docile, restless, or aggressive. Table 1 summarizes
the effects of calf disease.
As shown in Table 1, post-weaning sickness had a clear
impact on feedlot gain, mortality rate, carcass quality
grade and net profit, especially for those cattle treated
two or more times.
The following is a brief summary of the effects of
calf disposition on profitability:
- Aggressive calves were lighter on arrival, gained
less and had a higher mortality rate than either docile
or restless calves.
- As calf disposition worsened, there was a significant
decline in carcass quality grade.
- Upon accounting for all the negative effects - feedlot
gain, mortality rate, treatment costs and carcass
characteristics - aggressive and restless calves returned
$62.19 and $13.13 less, respectively, than docile
calves.The results of this study confirm the results
of studies conducted elsewhere which have demonstrated
that post-weaning diseases and poor dispositions can
have a significant negative impact on profitability.
Table 1. Effect of post-weaning disease on performance,
carcass, and profitability
| |
Number
of sick treatments |
| Item |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Avg. daily gain, lb |
3.2 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
| Mortality rate, % |
0.1 |
.13 |
10.0% |
| Choice & up |
74.3 |
64.7 |
57.6% |
| Standard |
2.2 |
4.9 |
9.3 |
| Treatment cost, $ |
PAR |
-20.60 |
-48.43 |
| Avg. daily gain bonus, $a |
PAR |
-24.49 |
-35.71 |
| Death loss discount, $b |
PAR |
-31.07 |
-100.04 |
| Carcass wt. discount, $ |
PAR |
-1.56 |
-1.58 |
| Dark cutter discount, $ |
PAR |
0.18 |
-0.58 |
| Quality grade premium, $ |
PAR |
-10.39 |
-19.41 |
| Yield grade premium, $ |
PAR |
2.90 |
4.59 |
| Net Dollars Returned |
PAR |
-85.20 |
-201.16 |
a Based on lbs of additional
carcass wt. gained during feeding period.
Source: Beef Cattle Research
Update; Michigan State University.
Do you have a question for this column? Give John Paterson
a call: 406-994-5562 or email at johnp@montana.edu
Beef:
Questions & Answers is a joint project between
MSU Extension and the Montana Beef Council. This column
informs producers about current consumer education,
promotion and research projects funded through the
$1 per head checkoff. For more information, contact
the Montana Beef Council at (406) 442-5111 or at beefcncl@mt.net
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