REVIEWING the results of the 2016 Beef Spectacular Feedback Trial, feedlot industry specialist Jeff House, Jeff House Livestock, Forbes, noted the variation in team profits presented a challenge for the industry.
This year 72 teams representing 360 head were entered by 45 vendors.
“The difference between the best performing teams and the lower performing teams is huge, however, even when we look at individual animal performance within teams there is often a significant variation,” Mr House said.
Mr House said it was important for the beef industry to not only continue to improve the performance of the beef herd by selecting and using high performance sires and dams, but by strictly culling those stock not performing to established benchmarks.
“By removing those that are not performing, producers will reduce the variation both within individual herds and across the industry as a whole,” he said.
Teys Australia general manager feedlots, Grant Garey, confirmed Mr House’s comments when he said the Feedback Trial highlighted the relative performance and profitability across all the cattle in the trial.
“The results gives an insight to all involved on the variability in profitability in terms of performance and meeting specifications,” he said.
“Analyzing team and individual performance highlights the opportunities available for cattle which can perform consistently to high standards.”
Mr Garey noted Teys Australia was a strong supporter of carcase competitions and the trial at it’s Jindalee Feedlot was unique.
“It provides a great opportunity to work closely with producers and for them to better understand the performance of their cattle and to better meet specifications,” he said.
The variation in profitably between teams can be assessed by each producer, when they compare the relative positions of their teams against their peers.
In order for animals to reach maximum performance levels, they have to meet strict compliance on entering the feedlot.
It was noted 96 per cent of the steers met the weight specifications of 320 to 460 kilograms, while 92pc adhered to fat specifications of three to 10 mm P8 fat.
Mr House said 33pc of the entries were lighter than 380kg liveweight, and for an animal entering the feedlot at 320kg lightweight, it would need to gain 2.5kg/day to achieve the minimum carcase weight of 330kg (hot standard carcase weight).
“To reach the optimum caracse weight of 370kg, would require a gain of over 3kg/day,” he said.
“Unfortunately these weight gains are not being achieved by the majority of cattle and this has resulted in an increasing number of cattle not meeting the minimum carcase weight.”
Evaluation of the feedback indicated extra weight at feedlot entry greatly increases the chance of meeting optimum carcase specifications at slaughter.
The average daily weight gain for the trial was 2.25kgs, and these gains have been steadily increasing since the trial began in 2010, when the average was 1.77kg.
“This is both a reflection of the improving quality of the cattle, as well as the good job done by the feedlot and their staff,” Mr House noted.
“However, the challenge with feedlot performance category is still the large variation in performance.”
Average daily gain varied between 1.17kg and 3.18kg.
Mr House said during the 104-day feeding period, “this is a massive 210kg difference in live weight gain between the best and the worst performer”.
In assessing the feedback, he said 65pc of cattle gained between two kilograms a day and 2.6kg/day, while 15pc had a liveweight gain of more than 2.6kg/day.
“Unfortunately, 20pc gained less than 2kg/day,” Mr House noted.
The ulitmate consideration is the carcase performance, and it was noted 74pc of carcases met the broad carcase specifications of weight and P8 fat, and only 15pc achieved the optimum weight and carcase specifications.
The average carcase weight was 354kg and ranged from 263.5kg to $434kg.
The calculated yield of saleable meat has been consistent for the past three years and this year was 69.2pc, compared with 69.4pc in 2015.
Eating and marbling outcomes resulted in 40pc of carcases entering the prestigious Riverine Premium Beef Brand, while a further 16pc were eligible for Teys Certiifed Premium Black Angus brand and a further 42pc entered the Riverine Classic Beef brand.
“This is an excellent result,as only 2pc failed to meet the requirements of one of the Teys’ branded products,” Mr House said.
