A year after proposing and receiving comment on revisions to feeder grades, the USDA officially changed the grades on October 1. MEDIUM frame steers now are predicted to finish weighing 1100 lb to 1250 lb, with SMALL below that range and LARGE above. Heifers are predicted to weigh 100 lb less than steers of the frame size. Thickness scores, estimating muscling, are now No. 1 (for moderate or higher thickness), No. 2 (slightly thick), No. 3 (narrow), and No. 4 (narrower than narrow). USDA grades are used mainly for official market reports. But in commercial trading, order-buyer grades are more common, and they are not standardized. These numerical designations are not the same as the USDA thickness scores. Order-buyer numbers are overall preference scores which include a number of factors affecting price, not just muscling.
Are Aprogeny Of Similar Parents Less Variable?
Assume you have two bulls, one from a mating of a sire with weaning weight EPD of +50 to a dam with EPD of +10 and the other of a sire and dam both with EPD of +30. Would progeny of the first bull be more variable? Many breeders think so. A collaborative study involving Kentucky and Georgia researchers was conducted, using data from the Angus, Gelbvieh, and Limousin breed associations. They found essentially no relationship between variability of progeny and the magnitude of the difference in the EPD's of a sire's parents.
Management Factors Affecting Calf Price
A study of cattle sold through eastern Oklahoma auctions documents things you can do to increase calf price. For one, castrate; steers brought $3.56/cwt more than bulls. For another, dehorn or use polled breeding stock; calves without horns brought $2.48/cwt more. Fleshy calves were discounted $2.43/cwt and fat calves lost $8.69/cwt, while thin calves sold for $3.27/cwt less and very thin lost a whopping $13.24/cwt. Full calves brought $3.69/cwt less than those of average fill, and shrunk calves received $1.85/cwt less. Visibly healthy calves brought $7.83/cwt more than those that appeared to be stale. Compared to singles, premiums for multiple-head lots were: 2-5 head, $3.59; 6-10 head, $5.01; over 10 head, $5.92. So, to get the best price, market calves that are castrated, dehorned (by whatever method), in average flesh and fill, visibly fresh, and in multiple-head lots if possible.
Ultrasound Estimates Of Carcass Merit
Several breed associations now use ultrasound estimates of live animals, in addition to actual carcass measurements, to calculate EPD for carcass factors. These estimates, if made by qualified technicians, have been shown to be highly related to actual measurements. Ultrasound offers several advantages. It is less costly. It is not necessary to slaughter animals to obtain data. Data from bulls and heifers developed for breeding stock can be included, so the number of records is increased, resulting in greater accuracy in estimating EPD. Just remember, to benefit economically from real genetic improvement in carcass merit you must either document it for potential buyers or partners or retain ownership through the feedyard and sell on the rail.
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