- Grains. In a feedlot, cattle begin their diets with high-quality forage, like alfalfa or wheat hay. ...
- Grass. The meat industry uses a process called confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to finish cows. ...
- Legumes. There is no single cause of bloat, but many factors can contribute to it. One reason for bloat is a feedlot’s use of legumes as feed.
- Cereals. Most feedlot cattle consume a variety of cereals as their staple diet. ...
- Ionophores. Ionophores are antibiotics that cattle are fed in the feedlot. They increase ADG and reduce DMI, resulting in increased profits.
- Vaccinations. There are several important feedlot-related diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. While blackleg is the most familiar clostridial disease, there are many others that are equally as deadly.
- Treatment of parasites. There are several options for the treatment of feedlot cattle for a variety of different parasites. ...
- Cleanliness of pens. Before, clean pens were considered a good thing. However, a recent study contradicted this belief. It found that cleaner pens actually led to less energy expenditure.
- Environmental impact. Feedlots produce a high concentration of manure. Manure from feedlots is a source of odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have harmful impacts on water quality, as well ...
Is it mean to put cattle in feedlots?
The futures price expectation for feeder cattle re-mains a bright spot as the market appears to be strong in the summer and fall months for moving cattle into the feedlot. Most feeder cattle contracts are holding near the contract highs. This does not mean they will stay there, nor does it mean the market price will increase or decrease.
What do beef feed lots feed the cattle?
Feedlot Operation. Beef production in a feedlot begins with a diet made up of forages and is changed slowly until it is comprised of about 90 per cent grain. Grain-finishing produces tender, marbled beef. The cattle have plenty of room to move around in the open air feedlot pens and have free access to feed and water.
How to start a feedlot?
- Basic information, such as your corporate name and the location of your principal office.
- A description of your business purpose.
- An explanation of how you are dedicating your nonprofit's assets. ...
- The number of directors, as well as their qualifications and duties.
What feeds can make beef cattle meat taste bad?
For calves that will be kept for an extra year after winter so they can grow to maturity, feed them:
- 2 to 4 pounds of grain
- 10 to 14 pounds of hay each day (½ must be legume hay)
- Plenty of mineral block
How often are cattle fed at the feedlot?
Once/day feeding of feedlot cattle might work for you. In most cattle feedlots, cattle are fed the finishing ration more than once/day. Feeding more often has the assumed benefit that providing fresh feed will stimulate intake and result in improved animal performance.
How much feed does a cow eat per day in a feedlot?
The 24 pounds is based on 100 percent dry matter. Grass hays will often be 7 percent to 10 percent moisture. If it's assumed that the hay is 92 percent dry matter or 8 percent moisture, then the cows will consume about 26 pounds per day on an “as-fed basis.”
What is the best thing to feed a cow for slaughter?
For finishing beef cattle prior to slaughter, most are fed a mixture of ground, shelled corn or millet. These grains are inexpensive, nutritious and add fat to the meat to make it tender.
How long do feedlots feed cattle?
Cattle normally remain in a feedlot for about three to four months or until they reach a weight at or above 1,200 pounds.
What is the best grain for cattle?
Corn, oats, and barley are the primary grains fed to cattle. Oats, which has a lower energy value due to its high fiber content, is considered the "safest" grain in regards to potential digestive disturbances.
How much does it cost to feed a cow in a feedlot?
Cattle producers who feed cattle in a number of custom lots report that the fees other than yardage are quite variable, ranging from zero to over $14 per head. The fee structure should be spelled out and included in the bud- get. Some feedlot rations are priced on an “as is” basis.
What is the cheapest way to feed cattle?
“Corn residue is one of the lowest cost forages on a cost per pound of energy. That's why mixing a high energy and protein feed like distillers' grains with a low quality forage like corn stalks is so cost effective. Distillers' is often a low-cost source of both energy and protein.
What food makes the best tasting beef?
The reality is, grass-fed beef can taste as good or even better than grain-fed beef — the difference comes down to three key variables: grass, grazing, and genetics.
What is the best grain to finish a steer?
per day of corn, oats or barley fed to grazing cattle is a good finishing ration. This fed to a 900-1000 pound steer for 3-4 months should will you a nicely finished animal. If you do not have access to pasture or if you are finishing during the winter, you might increase the amount of grain to 15-18 lbs. per day.
Do feedlots make money?
Average prices for fed steers was $112.28 per cwt. the week ended Jan. 29, which produced average feeding margins of $47 per head. That resulted in a $340 spread between packer and feedlot profits, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.
How much silage does a cow eat per day?
Cattle will commonly consume corn silage at a rate of 5 to 7 pounds per 100 pounds of body weight. A 500-pound feeder calf may consume 25 to 35 pounds of corn silage as-fed daily.
How much grain do you feed a cow for slaughter?
10-15 lbs. per day of corn, oats or barley fed to grazing cattle is a good finishing ration. This fed to a 900-1000 pound steer for 3-4 months should will you a nicely finished animal. If you do not have access to pasture or if you are finishing during the winter, you might increase the amount of grain to 15-18 lbs.
How do you calculate feed ration for beef cattle?
% feed 1 x pounds of ration = total pounds needed for ration.% feed 2 x pounds of ration = total pounds needed for ration.
How much grain should a 400 lb calf eat?
pound calf will need to consume in the neighborhood of 7 to 8 pounds of grain daily. Small amounts of hay will compliment the grain ration for these 8 to 12 week old animals.
What factors to consider before making a change to a ration mix?
Some factors to consider before making such a change, however, include bunk capacity, uniformity of the ration mix being delivered to multiple bunks, bunk management to prevent out-of-condition feed, and wintertime feeding conditions.
How often should cattle be fed in a feedlot?
Once/day feeding of feedlot cattle might work for you. In most cattle feedlots, cattle are fed the finishing ration more than once/day. Feeding more often has the assumed benefit that providing fresh feed will stimulate intake and result in improved animal performance. Additionally, many feedlots don't have adequate bunk capacity ...
Can you feed a steer twice a day?
Feed intake, daily gain, slaughter and carcass weight, and all other economically important production parameters were not different between steers fed once and those fed twice daily. Cattle feeders and farmer-feeders who routinely feed twice/day may consider cutting back their feeding schedule to once/day. This could reduce labor, machinery wear ...
Where were animals confined during transit?
Animals were confined during transit in one of six or eight uniquely identified compartments within the transport trailer. Areas within the trailer were identified as top or bottom deck, and front, middle and rear of each deck. In some instances, the middle section of each deck was divided into front and rear compartments.
What is Brazle P.K. 1993?
Brazle, P.K. 1993. The effect of the health and gain of calves mass medicated or not mass medicated in grass paddocks compared to feedlot pens. Proc., 25th Midwest ASAS Sectional Meeting. Abstract 27. p. 40.
What is the first limiting element for newly arrived feedlot cattle?
Energy is the first limiting element for newly arrived feedlot cattle. Supplementing fat can increase energy in the diet. Cole and Hutcheson 1987 found that 4 percent fat blend added to 13.4 percent CP diets increased feed intake of stressed newly arrived cattle for only the first 14 days.
Do probiotics help cattle?
Many feed additives have the potential to reduce stress in receiving cattle. Wagner et al. 1991 suggests that probiotics better helped cattle trucked over 290 miles than those hauled shorter distances. Cole et al. 1992 found that morbid calves responded well to yeast culture.
Why do farmers put cattle in feedlots?
Most farmers and ranchers choose to put their cattle in a feedlot to get the fastest growth and put more marbling into the meat. Grain fed beef is easy to get fat (marbled) and fat in the meat equals flavor. Many beef producers believe that grain feeding is the only way to get well marbled meat.
What is the difference between pastured cattle and feedlot cattle?
The main difference between feedlot cattle and pasture raised cattle is the feedlot cattle have their food brought to them, whereas, the pastured cattle get their food themselves. Grain fed vs grass fed and all other word combinations regarding how the beef cattle were raised can be confusing.
Why do cattle stink?
Cattle feedlots can stink. If you cram a bunch of cattle into a tight space, then it will stink. If the cattle are given plenty of space then they don’t need to stink. The “stink” is too much manure for the area. Trap the manure with more bedding or move the cattle.
What is pasture in cattle?
Pasture is any area where the cattle go out and eat the plants growing in that area. In addition to the normal big field of grass that comes to mind when you think of a pasture, a pasture could also could be part of a crop field, the edge of a woods or just a sectioned off part of someone’s yard.
Why do farmers feed cattle high grain?
High grain rations are fed to have the cattle get the most calories per day so they will grow the fastest.
Why do cattle feed in a feedlot?
Cattle are in a feedlot to bring them food. The purpose of putting cattle in a feedlot is to give the cattle all of their feed in an enclosed area. In a feedlot feeding situation, the farmer or rancher brings all of the feed the cattle are going to eat to them. There is no feed growing in the pen, even if the cattle are in a paddock or pasture, ...
What to do if you have more cattle than carrying capacity?
If your have more cattle than the carrying capacity of your land, you will need to sell some or set up some sort of feedlot. This goes for large ranches and people raising some animals in their backyard. Around here (Ohio) it is not unusual for a family with a yard to raise a few steers.
How much equity do you need to own a cattle feedlot?
Almost all feedlots will require you to retain 25 to 30 percent equity in the cattle. When the cattle are marketed, the feedlot will deduct charges for feed, financing, yardage and other items immediately. You then will be forwarded a check for the proceeds, provided the cattle made enough money to cover all the costs.
What is custom feeding?
Custom feeding refers to the practice of sending calves, stockers or yearlings to a commercial feed yard for feeding to slaughter weights. Custom feeding is not without risks. It should be viewed as a potential means to add value to your calf crop and/or evaluate the genetic merit of your cow herd.
What is commercial feed yard?
Commercial feed yards are specialists in feeding cattle high-concentrate finishing rations. Rations vary from region to region, but all feed a diet high in grains or grain byproducts. However, no matter what the ration, the manager should have experience feeding high-concentrate diets to slaughter cattle. Many feedlots will use the services of private or feed industry nutritionists to formulate rations and provide technical advice on feeding management.
How much is feed markup?
Feed is sold to the customer with a markup ($/ton) included. In yards that only charge feed markup, the markup typically runs $30 to $40 per ton of feed. Be sure you understand how a particular feed yard charges for these services before placing cattle on feed.
What is the most important service a commercial feed yard provides?
Marketing your finished cattle is one of the most important services a commercial feed yard provides. The feed yard manager should have experience in feeding and marketing the kind and type of cattle you are sending to the feed yard. Questions to ask include:
How does a commercial feed yard make money?
If a commercial feed yard owns the cattle it is feeding, it makes money by adding value to the cattle by feeding them to slaughter weight.
What is the key to feeding cattle?
One of the keys to successful feeding is to start with a pen of cattle that are uniform in weight, body type, age, breeding and previous nutritional management. When a pen of cattle is as similar as possible, the feedlot manager has an easier time feeding the cattle to an optimum endpoint.
What is the best feed for cattle in Iraq?
Beef cattle are ruminants; therefore they also need some fi-ber. Straw is a common feed fed in Iraq. It is high in fiber, but very low in energy and protein, and is not a feed. Straw should be used for bedding or left in the field and plowed down to build soil structure. Alfalfa-grass hay also has fiber but at much lower levels. So a well balanced ration of barley, and alfalfa-grass hay not only provided most of the protein and all energy needed but also all the fiber needed. Too much fiber limits Dry matter intake, and stunts growth.
What are the main ingredients in a steer ration?
Steers need three key ingredients from the ration – energy, protein, and fiber – in order to grow to market weights as economically as possible. In Iraq, the most economical sources of energy are grains like barley, wheat, or corn. These grains also provide some protein but are primarily fed for energy. Protein in the ration can come from soybean oil meal, or other oil seed meals, and alfalfa-grass hay. On a cost per kilogram of protein basis, early cut alfalfa-grass hay dried and baled properly is the lowest cost protein for steers presently in Iraq. In fact top quality alfalfa-grass hay and bar-ley grain fed in the proper balance will provide most of the energy, protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins needed for growing steers to market weight profitably. (See Table 2 for energy, protein and fiber levels of common feeds in Iraq)
Why is protein important for calves?
Crude Protein (CP) requirements vary accord-ing to the rations energy content and the steer’s age and live weight. Young lightweight calves require higher levels of pro-tein at any given energy intake due to their higher require-ment for muscle development.
What is the feedlot project?
The Feedlot Project will include both beef cattle and lambs in separate operations. Each lot will when at full capacity in-clude 400 head of steers, and 400 lambs. All animals will be fed balanced rations for maximum profitable weight gain per day. Besides the production of premium beef and lamb for the public, these lots will product a valuable by-produce, manure. The manure management plan for the feedlots will include: 1) daily collection of manure; 2) composting of the manure; and 3) distribution of the compost to local grain and alfalfa-grass hay growers. Cattle manure is a low cost or-ganic fertilizer that will provide plant nutrients, improve soil microbes, and improve organic soil structure, but can cause environmental problems if not properly stored or applied to the crop fields.
How to make profit in a beef feedlot?
To make a profit in a beef feedlot two management proce-dures are high on the list; 1) prepare calves properly to en-ter the feedlot, and 2) prepare them for sale.
What is the importance of ear tags in a feedlot?
All animals must ear tagged, branded, or painted with an individual identification number. This is essential for proper herd management. All animals need to be weighted on the feedlot scales regularly to track weight gain of each animal, and feed conversion rate. A herd record keeping book is available. The feedlot design needs to have walkway along the side of the lot where animals must walk
How much space do you need for a feed bunk?
Allow a minimum of 25-30 cm of trough space per steer, and place it at the opposite end of the feedlot from the shade shed. Inma recommends that the feed bunk extent the entire width of the lot or 20 m long for 50 steers. If more then 50 head are housed together, add 25 cm per head. It needs to be long enough so all animals housed in the lot can eat grain at the same time.
Starting A Beef Feeding Enterprise
- Thorough planning and preparation are essential for you to have a successful beef-feeding operation. Operators should determine where they will obtain feeder calves, which feeds will be required to finish the cattle to desired market weights and grades, and what type of shelter will b…
Facilities
- Various materials can be used for feedlot fences, including boards, wire panels, high-tensile wire, and steel cables. Barbed wire is not recommended. A seven- or nine-wire high-tensile fence is one of the most economical barriers. Another effective fence is a combination of high-tensile wire (which can be electrified) with three or four 2-by- 6-inch planks spaced between the wires. Housi…
Grazing and Backgrounding
- Some cattle feeders purchase lightweight feeder calves (350 to 550 pounds), graze them during the spring and summer, and then finish them in the feedlot starting in late summer or fall. Backgrounding is a special type of program that usually combines pasture systems and lightweight cattle. These cattle require extremely good nutrition, management, and health progra…
Purchasing Feeder Cattle
- Anyone purchasing feeder cattle must keep up-to-date on market conditions. Graded feeder-calf sales are held in both fall and spring; some feedlot operators use cattle brokers and tele-auctions to obtain their feeder cattle. Feeder-cattle prices can fluctuate considerably in almost every season of the year. Higher-grade feeder cattle sell for a higher price per pound than lower grade…
Health Maintenance Program
- Because preconditioned and heavier feeder cattle tend to have fewer health problems, purchasing preconditioned calves can be a good investment for the cattle feeder. Preconditioning includes weaning 21 to 45 days before shipping, vaccinating for diseases prevalent in the area, dehorning, castrating, implanting, treating for external and internal parasites, and starting the cattle on grai…
Environmental Impacts
- In the normal course of operations, farmers handle pesticides and other chemicals, may have manure to collect and spread, and use equipment to prepare fields and harvest crops. Any of these routine on-farm activities can be a potential source of surface water or groundwater pollution. Because of this possibility, you must understand the regulations to follow concerning t…
Risk Management
- You should carefully consider how to manage risk on your farm. First, you should insure your facilities and equipment. This may be accomplished by consulting your insurance agent or broker. It is especially important to have adequate levels of property, vehicle, and liability insurance. You will also need workers' compensation insurance if you have any employees. You may also want t…
Sample Budgets
- Included in this publication are three sample budgets summarizing costs and returns for feeding beef cattle. The first is for feeding steers; the second is for feeding heifers; and the third is for feeding yearlings. These budgets should help ensure that you include all costs and receipts in your calculations. Costs and returns are often difficult to estimate in budget preparation becaus…
For More Information
- Becker, J. C., L. F. Kime, J. K. Harper, and R. Pifer. Understanding Agricultural Liability. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2011.
- Comerford, J. W., L. F. Kime, and J. K. Harper. Beef Backgrounding Production. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2013.
- Comerford, J. W., L. F. Kime, K. E. Knoll, and J. K. Harper. Dairy-Beef Production. University Pa…
- Becker, J. C., L. F. Kime, J. K. Harper, and R. Pifer. Understanding Agricultural Liability. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2011.
- Comerford, J. W., L. F. Kime, and J. K. Harper. Beef Backgrounding Production. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2013.
- Comerford, J. W., L. F. Kime, K. E. Knoll, and J. K. Harper. Dairy-Beef Production. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2008.
- Greaser, G. L., and J. K. Harper. Enterprise Budget Analysis. University Park: Penn State Extension, 1994.
