Iowa Beef Center and Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity
Iowa Quality Cull Cow Project Summary  

Darrell Busby, Daryl Strohbehn & Bud Beedle
ISU Extension

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So What are We Doing by Feeding Cull Cows?

Typically by feeding cows:

•Gain significant weight
•Increase dressing percent
•Increase in total body fat
•Replenish muscle tissue
•But, drop in lean content trimmings
 

What type of cow fits feeding out?

nFirst and foremost sound, healthy and in thin to moderate condition.
nHowever, keep in mind some thin cows are thin for a reason
  • •Unsound feet and legs
  • •Internal health problems
  • •Unsound mouths
nAvoid retaining lumpy jaws, cancer eyes, etc.
nDo not keep sucked up body types and flat muscled cows.
 

Questions to be answered

nHow many days on feed to hit premium white fat cow market?
nAverage daily gain?
nFeed to gain?
nWhat type of cow to feed?
nHealth program
nImplant strategy
 

TCSCF Cull Beef Cows

nNovember 5
•48 beef cows delivery wt 1254 lb
•Market price $36.19/cwt
•$453.78/head
nVaccinated with Pyramid, C&D toxid
nImplanted with Revalor H
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November 12
•Ultrasounded for fat cover, ribeye area and % intramuscular fat

Ultrasound on Cows 1 Week after Arrival

BCS Wall 12th Fat Wall REA
2 0.05 8.04
3 0.09 7.76
4 0.10 9.34
5 0.18 10.41
6 0.18 12.09
7 0.36 11,71
8 0.53 11.40
 

TCSCF and M&W Cull Cows Plant Quality Grades

AFG House Grade TCSCF Cows M&W Cows
#1 Premium White 70% 89%
#2 Premium White 12%  
Standard Beef Heifer 2%  
Choice Holstein Heifer 2%  
Boning Utility / Dark Cutter 2% 7%
nGold = Hard bone heifer w/marbling    
Low Choice 2% 4%
Select 2%  
Standard 2%  
nUnknown/Not reported 8%  
 

TCSCF and M&W Cull Cows Plant Yield Grades

Grade TCSCF M&W
Yield Grade 3 and less 57% 67%
Yield Grade 4 25% 22%
Yield Grade 5 18% 11%
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TCSCF Cull Beef Cows Performance

Shrink from Full Feedlot to AFG, Green Bay: 6.95%

Trait Using Feedlot Wt Using Shrunk Wt
Final Wt 1,616 1,548
Gain 362 294
ADG 4.76 3.87
F/G 8.45 10.57
Dress % 54.3% 56.8%
Carcass Price $/cwt $84.57 $84.57
Live Price $/cwt $46.41 $48.39
TCSCF Cull Beef Cows Performance
Trait Using Feedlot Wt Using Shrunk Wt
Feed Cost/cwt of gain $45.23 $56.62
Total Cost/cwt of gain $56.62 $84.96
Profit $/Hd $52.71 $52.71
 

Marckmann-Wallace Cull Beef Cows Performance

Shrink from Full Feedlot to AFG, Green Bay: 6.01%

Trait Using Feedlot Wt Using Shrunk Wt
Final Wt 1,669 1,609
Gain 380 328
ADG 4.37 3.78
F/G 8.62 9.98
Dress % 54.9% 57.0
Carcass Price $/cwt $85.59 $85.59
Live Price $/cwt $47.03 $48.77
Marckmann-Wallace Cull Beef Cows Performance
Trait Using Feedlot Wt Using Shrunk Wt
Feed Cost/cwt of gain $41.30 $47.84
Total Cost/cwt of gain $63.20 $73.20
Profit $/Hd $89.72 $89.72
 

TCSCF & Marckmann-Wallace Cull Beef Cow Project

n70 to 90 days on feed resulted in beef cows having white fat
nHealthy structurally cows work best
nHeifers should be marketed separately
nObserve drug withdrawals
nKnow your market
nAdded profit this year
Key Best Management Practices for Premium White Fat Cow Market
nMake them gain fast and as efficient as possible
nUse Ionophores (Rumensin or Bovatec)
nUse MGA, recommend .5 mg/hd/day
nAggressively implant
nStart on feed slowly, use step up programs
nUse high energy rations, 61 to 63 mcals
nBunk space critical, 20 to 24” per cow
nVaccinate? One big yard feeding for AFG used modified-live for IBR, BVD (type 1&2), PI3, BSRV and Clostridial types C&D.
nTreat for external parasites, internal may not be necessary, except in very young cull cows
nFeed a minimum of 70 days
nBudget in higher transportation costs, 29 to 31 hd/load
 

What’s Important

nWhite fat
nAdequate marbling
nCarcasses that exhibit moderate to heavy muscling