Beef Improvement Federation
Factors Affecting Feed Yard Profitability
By Troy Smith
“You won’t find another dataset like this
anywhere in the country,” stated Gary
Fike, “and the information gleaned from
it is used by the entire beef industry.”
Fike, was talking about data collected
since 1982 through the Iowa-based
Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity
(TCSCF). In a presentation delivered to
the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF)
Research Symposium and Convention
hosted May 31-June 3 in Athens, Ga.,
Fike stood in for retired Iowa State
University (ISU) Extension Specialist
and longtime TCSCF Manager Darrell
Busby to explain what the program’s
data reveal about factors contributing
to cattle feeding profitability.
to hone their operations. Common
traits of TCSCF consignors are:
1. They are early adopters of
genetic evaluation tools.
2. They utilize a team of
advisors to adopt available
technologies to improve calf
health and performance.
3. They had become tired of
someone else benefiting
from their efforts in genetics,
health and management.
4. They believe in working together
and sharing information
with other producers.
“Cattle feeders say the trick is to buy
calves cheap and sell
them high,” grinned
Fike, admitting how that
The data suggests that producers
formula can work pretty
implementing calf management programs,
consistently. He noted,
including well-planned vaccination and
however, that management
implemented long before
weaning well ahead of feedlot placement,
calves enter the finishing
reap consistent benefits. Weaned calves
phase has huge impacts on
have shown a distinct advantage over non-
profit or the lack thereof.
weaned calves.
Fike said the data clearly
shows that management of
calf health is a big factor.
According to Fike, TCSCF was founded
as a way for participating cow-calf
producers to retain ownership on
some portion of their calves, receive
feedlot performance and carcass
data and use what they have learned
20 | AUGUST 2017
Fike said TCSCF producers’ retained
ownership experience confirmed what
every feedyard manager also knows
— that dealing with sick cattle in the
feedyard represents a major cost, not
only from the expense associated with
treatment and mortalities, but from
the detrimental effects on feeding
performance and carcass merit. TCSCF
data consistently shows that the most
profitable calf groups are those that
do not have to be treated. They gain
faster, convert feed to gain more
efficiently, spend fewer days on feed
and grade better for carcass quality.
The data suggests that producers
implementing calf management
programs, including well-planned
vaccination and weaning well ahead
of feedlot placement, reap consistent
benefits. Weaned calves have shown a
distinct advantage over non-weaned
calves. The latter were 3.4 times more
likely to experience bovine respiratory
disease (BRD) than weaned calves,
independent of differences in age,
test center or vaccination status.
Vaccine type matters, too, with calves
vaccinated with killed vaccines being
2.2 times more likely to experience
BRD than calves vaccinated with
modified-live virus (MLV) vaccines,
independent of other factors.
Compared to calves that became
sick and were treated two or more
times during the feeding period,
untreated calves gained better [3.21
pounds (lb.) vs. 2.93 lb. per day],
produced more Choice carcasses (52%
vs. 42%), and were more profitable
($52.45 vs. -$137.30 per head).
The take-home message, according to
Fike, is that healthy, fast-gaining cattle
grade better and are more profitable. I
Note: This article is reprinted with
permission from www.BIFConference.
com, the online coverage site of the 2017
Beef Improvement Federation Research
Symposium and Annual Meeting.