Barzona_Bulletin_Fall_2019

Mature CowWeights Continued from page 1

forage is generally the cheapest feed resource on a ranch, the conversion of forage (even high-quality forage) to cow weight gain is low. Consequently, the increased cull cow income will be at least somewhat offset by the economic cost (although nearly impossible to see or measure) of developing or growing the added cow weight. By feeding forage to grow large cows to their mature weight, stocking rates must be decreased relative to lighter-weight cows. Today, compared to 30 years ago, the industry hasmanymore tools available to manage and manipulate mature cow size in a beef herd. Consequently, a cattle breeder can target a mature cow size goal and gradually work toward that goal through sire selection decisions and culling. Industry-wide, the gradual increase in mature cow weight is likely a reflection of continued aggressive selection for growth and muscle. These traits have system efficiency benefits during the post-weaning phases and particularly during the finishing phase when the environment is essentially unlimited from a nutritional perspective. However, during the production year, cows spend considerable time in a nutritional environment that is at or below their maintenance requirements. In other words, the environment is substantially more limiting in the cow-calf stage of beef production compared to the finishing phase. Sorting out the value of benefits in one stage of production and weighing those against the potential drawbacks in another stage is a real challenge. Nevertheless, it is apparent that mature cow size is one trait that should not be ignored in this process. BB Editor’s note: David Lalman, Ph.D., is a professor of beef cattle production systems at Oklahoma State University (OSU). Eric DeVuyst, Ph.D., is a professor in the OSU Department of Agri- cultural Economics. Damona Doye, Ph.D., is a Regents profes- sor and Rainbolt chair in agricultural finance at OSU. This article was reprinted with permission from The Ledger , Summer, 2017.

REGISTERED, PUREBRED BARZONA Breeder since 1986 Certainly, larger mature cow size generates more cull cow income, and this is considered in previously mentioned economic evaluations. One factor often overlooked when crediting larger cows with increased cull income is that additional cow weight is not free to begin with. For example, when comparing 1,000-pound cows to 1,400-pound cows and a $70 per hundredweight cull cow price, the 1,400-pound cows generate an additional $280 at culling time. However, the additional 400 pounds of growth requires additional nutrients through the development stages and through about 6-7 years of age, when they finally reach their mature weight. While portion of this variation. Perhaps this is a good time to point out that in almost any cow herd there will be small cows that are individually efficient (relatively high weaning weight for their mature size) and there will be large cows that are individually efficient. Nevertheless, although the relationship was not strong, it was statistically significant and positive. We found that for each 100 pounds of additional cow weight, calf weaning weight increased by an average of 6.7 pounds. Arkansas data published in 2006 indicated that this relationship was 15 pounds of added weaning weight for each 100 pounds of additional cow weight. Climate may be important in this relationship. We suspect, without solid evidence, that in challenging environments larger cows will wean calves weighing about 6 pounds more per each 100 pounds of additional cow. In less restrictive environments, larger cows would be expected to wean calves weighing 15 or more pounds per each 100 pounds of additional cow weight. “Less restrictive” can be interpreted as higher-quality, more abundant forage, lower stocking rate (allowing the cattle to select a better quality diet), more harvested forage feeding, more supplementation, more winter annual grazing, less heat or cold stress, less parasite exposure and so on. Based on the evidence we have available, it appears that each additional 100 pounds of cow weight generates about $6 to $20 of added calf income, depending on the calf market.We estimate that the addition of 100 pounds of cowweight costs around $40 to $50 per year to maintain. To take this a step farther, in several published economic evaluations of varying cow size and a given land resource, smaller and moderate cows have a financial advantage for three primary reasons: 1) higher stocking rates for smaller cows result in more pounds weaned per acre; 2) lighter calves sell for a higher price per hundredweight; and 3) the increased revenues from added weaning weights do not offset the higher feed costs of larger cows. Obviously, items 2 and 3 in this list assume little to no market discount for smaller- framed calves that may have lower growth rate and are likely to have lighter carcass weights.

Weichman Feedyard, L.P.

We have more than 30 years experience finishing cattle and more than 10 years experience finishing Barzona cattle. We offer a value-based marketing systemwith a history of premiums on Barzona cattle. Give us a call (620) 874-5231

Raymond Boykin, Jr. (334) 430-0563 • etheldozierboykin@yahoo.com 8727 Lydia Lane • Montgomery, AL 36117

4030 Highway 83 North Scott City, KS 67671

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