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Selecting Your Beef Project: Evaluating Traits and Estimating Purchase Weight

Learn about crucial traits like muscle, fat, volume, and structure when choosing beef cattle for your project. Understand the USDA grading system and factors to consider before purchasing your animal. Calculate an appropriate beginning weight based on your project timeline and market prices. Ensure a successful and safe investment in your livestock project.

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Selecting Your Beef Project: Evaluating Traits and Estimating Purchase Weight

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  1. Selecting Your Beef Project! Celina Johnson Youth Livestock Specialist

  2. What traits are important? • Muscle • Sell meat! • Fat • Want a lean product! • Volume/capacity • Feed Efficiency • Production Capabilities • Structural Design • Economic • Aesthetic “Looks Good”

  3. The First Step! Poll Hip Bone (Hooks) Tailhead Rump Loin Back Neck Pin Bone Round (Quarter) Shoulder Side (Ribs) Stifle Brisket Hock Flank Knee Forearm Cannon Bone Pastern

  4. LOIN (TOP) ROUND FOREARM STIFLE WIDTH OF BASE Evaluating Muscle!

  5. LOIN (TOP) TAILHEAD RIBS BRISKET COD (steers) UDDER (heifers) FLANK WIDTH OF BASE Evaluating Fat!

  6. RIB SHAPE DEPTH OF BODY LENGTH OF BODY WIDTH OF BASE Evaluating Volume!

  7. LEVEL DESIGN Evaluating Structure!

  8. Beef Cattle Evaluation

  9. USDA Grading Systems • Current systems: • Feeder Cattle • Fed Cattle • Yield Grade • Quality Grade Choice YG 2

  10. Feeder Cattle Grading • Based upon: • Frame size • Large, medium, small • Muscling • Scale of 1 to 4

  11. Feeder Cattle GradingFrame Size Growth Rate Mature Weight

  12. High Yielding (High cutability) Low Yielding (Low cutability)

  13. High Quality Grade (Choice +?) Low Quality Grade (Standard?)

  14. The optimal steer…

  15. Finding your animal...

  16. What you need to know prior to purchasing your animal… • When you need to purchase your animal, relative to your fair date • What the animal needs to weigh at the beginning of the project • What is a fair price for the animal

  17. Estimating purchase weight • Large framed calf • Finished weight ~1250 lbs • 200 days until fair • Steers gain about 2.5 lbs/day • Let’s calculate an appropriate beginning weight…

  18. Estimating purchase weight 200 days x 2.5 lbs/day = 500 lbs total gain 1250 lbs final weight – 500 lbs gain = 750 lb beginning weight

  19. Other factors to consider… • Purchase from a reputable producer • You are making an investment • Ask around!

  20. Other factors to consider… • Determine a fair market price • Prices vary! • Find a good calf at a reasonable price • Today’s market a 750 lb calf would cost ~ $1.12/lb or $840 dollars!

  21. Other factors to consider… • Calf’s disposition • Wild or nervous cattle don’t gain well • Lower eating quality of the carcass • IT’S TOUGH!!! • Safety

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