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U.S. CATTLE POPULATION - WHAT'S IN IT??
Ever wonder what's in the nation's beef cattle herd? Registration numbers might give us a rough idea. According to the latest numbers, 32% of beef cattle registered were Angus. The other British breeds made up another 22%. Continentals were 31% of registrations, and all Bos indicus types were 15%. So, that's about one-half British, one-third Continental, and one-sixth eared.
EARLY WEANING
Illinois researchers studied effects of weaning at 90, 152, or 215 days. All calves were placed in the feedlot at weaning and fed until 14-15 months old. Calves were spring-born, Simmental-sired, out of Angus X Hereford cows. Early weaned calves gained more on feed than calves left with their dams on pasture. But those weaned normally gained faster from 215 days to slaughter. So, slaughter weights did not significantly differ. Feed efficiency was highest for 90-day weaning and lowest for normal weaned, but more total feed was consumed by the early weaned calves, as they were in the feedlot longer. There was essentially no difference in USDA Quality or Yield Grade. Pregnancy rates were 12% points higher in dams of 90-day weaned calves. If feed is cheap enough, early weaning is a viable alternative, especially if pasture is short.
HOUSTON SHOW DATA
Carcass and body size data of top placing steers at the Houston Livestock Show from 1974 to 1999 can be seen at http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~shammack/ (click on Junior Programs).
NEW PRODUCTS
Bayer is marketing a new vaccine (4 ONCETM) combining protection for the BRD complex and pasteurella. It is the only combination containing Pasteurella multocida and MLV fractions of BRD. Two new brand names of ivermectin injectable and pour-on are being marketed, UNImectrinTM by Universal Cooperative and RXV UltramectrinTM by Walco.
BRED HEIFERS TOO HIGH?
Experts say we're trending into a period of lower cattle numbers, and higher prices. Are you able to build up cow numbers to get ready for better times? Good weaned 500 pound heifers right now are probably worth around $400. But what will it cost to get that heifer through first breeding? Economists in Colorado say about $300, including allowance for death losses and breeding failures. Maybe that $700 bred heifer you can buy is not so high after all.VALUE ADDED GENETICS
Looking for more money out of your breeding program? Maybe you're aiming at the wrong target. At the recent Houston Livestock Show Commercial Heifer Sale, the top selling heifers brought $2550 a head, guaranteed safe in calf to "proven bucking bulls".