1	Raising Natural Beef - Opportunities and Risks Dan Loy Iowa State University
2	What is Natural Beef?
3	USDA Definition of Natural - A Product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed - Can add label claims to further define natural, if you can document the verification process.
4	Examples of Natural Beef “negative” labeling claims - No implants - lifetime or last 100 days - No subtheraputic antibiotics - Grass fed - No animal byproducts - Family farm raised - No pesticides, herbicides or anthelmentics - Tested for residues
5	Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (EU) - USDA certification program - requires traceability - documentation and records - control and segregation - affidavits
6	Organic Beef - USDA rules currently being written - Private certifying agents - Example of one organic beef company requirements - organic feeds, no animal byproducts, GMOs - no antibiotics, implants or pesticides - no inhumane animal treatment, no irradiation - no genetically modified cattle, embryo transfer
7	Response to Implants (Yearling Steers) - Comparison of Estrogen (E), Estrogen Reimplant (E/E), Combination (ET) and Combination reimplant(ET/ET) vs controls - Treatments increased returns $23.21, $34.95, $45.02 and $55.84 per head - Equally treated comparisons as part of a 7-trial ISU summary
8	Response to Implants (Younger Steers) - Comparison of Estrogen reimplant (E/E), Combination reimplant (ET/ET) and delayed implant (C/ET) vs Controls - Treatments increased returns $20.64, $61.11 and $61.51 per head - Equally treated comparisons as part of a 7-trial ISU summary
9	Typical response to Ionophores (% of controls)
10	Expected average response to implants and ionophores in a finishing ration - Implants - ADG increased 15% - F/G improved 8% - Ionophores - no change ADG - F/G improved 5% - Implants + Ionophores - ADG increased 15% - F/G improved 13%
11	Economic cost of not implanting and feeding ionophores - Feed cost at $100 per ton - Non-feed cost at $.40/day - ADG decreased for 3.0 to 2.6 - Feed/gain increased form 7.0 to 7.91 - Feed cost increases from $.35 to $.40 - Non-feed cost increases from $.13 to $.15
12	Total cost difference for 600 lb. of gain - implanted and fed ionophore: $.48600 = $288 - no implant or ionophore: $.55600 = $330 - Premium need to offset performance: $42
13	Minnesota Reduced Management Study - 160 yearling steers (857 lb) - with and without the following treatments - Rumensin - Synovex-S - Warbex (grubs)
14	Effect of Implant and Ionophore on performance
15	Total cost difference calculated for Minnesota study - $219.08 vs $244.16 - Difference of $25.10 - No reference to feed and non-feed cost assumptions
16	What about feeding bulls rather than implanting?
17	ISU Fast Food Bull Beef Studies/Demos - 1,023 Beef bulls and 263 Holstein bulls were fed in commercial feedlots - Objectives were to evaluate practical management problems and retail cutout of young bulls for grinding beef
18	ISU Fast Food Bull Beef Studies/Demos - Few management problems in the beef bulls (riding) - High death loss in the Holsteins (4.6% from 110 to 200 lb.) - Low summer intakes in Holsteins (all bulls in one pen) - Beef bulls produced 80% lean carcasses - Holsteins had less fat and 5% more bone
19	Production Risk/Market Risk - Figuring Increased costs of production is much easier than developing a market - Reducing marketing risks - Market into an existing, established brand - Join an existing marketing co-op - Do lots of market research (look before you leap)