Higher feed prices and tighter
margins are the reality that cattle feeders
are facing today.
And when margins are tight,
maximizing your profit and minimizing losses
and expenses is vital.
One key area that is important for
you to evaluate is the weight at which you
market your cattle.
Feeding them out to heavier weights
does not necessarily translate into more
profit.
As
cattle get heavier, their feed efficiency
declines. Dennis
Martin, Feedlot Specialist with the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, states that heavy
cattle on a finishing diet will generally
eat about two percent of body weight in dry
matter (this may vary depending on type of
cattle, environment, and ration fed). Once
cattle reach their ideal market weight and
finish, their dry matter intake (DMI) as a
percent to body weight will drop. As well,
they will convert feed less efficiently,
resulting in lower average daily gains. As
days on feed are extended, this drop in
performance will increase daily expenses and
potential discounts. Martin also notes that
performance drops as days on feed increase.
Feed efficiency declines and Average Daily
Gain (ADG) decreases, as days beyond ideal
market weight are extended.
(See Table 1.) Rumen
health also becomes an important
consideration the longer cattle are held
past optimum weight and finish. Declining
rumen health will cause even lower ADG's and
may also cause founder or laminitis.
