Lalman_Hungary Cattle Conference, 2017

Dr David Lalman, Professor and Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Oklahoma State University 1953 Champion Angus Female Chicago International Exposition 16 14 Residual = +2 Feed Intake, KG 12 10 Residual = -3.75 0 0,5 1,5 ADG, KG 2,5 GrowSafe SmartFeed Insentec How about the cow? y = 0.0607x + 459 Weaning Weight (lb) 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 700 1200 1700 Cow BW (lb) 2200 Annual cost / 45 kg of additional cow BW = $42 (Doye and Lalman, 2011) What happens to cow maintenance costs with aggressive selection for growth, gradual increases in cow size (primarily from increased visceral organ mass), and genetic potential for milk? 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 DMI EPD 0,4 0,2 -0,2 -0,4 -0,6 -0,8  Genetics tools will finally be available to make meaningful improvement in fertility ▪ Genomic discoveries developing now ▪ Hereford, Red Angus, Angus and Charolais working hard to roll out new fertility EPD’s this fall Photo Courtesy of Oklahoma State University The Sustained Cow Fertility (SCF) results, reported in percentage units, are oriented such that larger breeding values reflect sires whose daughters calve annually for more years Both bulls have 200 plus daughters in production One bull SCF = 170 One bull SCF = 57  In the U.S., we have excellent/enough ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪  Growth Milk Mature cow size Carcass weight Marbling The new frontiers are ▪ Reducing cow/calf phase cost ▪ Cow annual feed energy consumption…true cow efficiency ▪ Progress in fertility of the U.S cow herd begins this fall  You can’t manage (or select for) what you not measure ▪ Cow costs ▪ Feed consumption/efficiency (cow phase and post- weaning)    Organize to initiate feed efficiency selection Organize / explore fertility EBV’s Importance of all of these will be magnified in “post” or “reduced” subsidy era Photo Courtesy of Oklahoma State University ... 600 Finished cattle weights increasing at rate of 4.3 kg per year Carcass weights increasing at rate of 2.6 kg per year 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Cattle have... they will create change Sometimes we go too far! Photo Courtesy of Oklahoma State University Today cattle have tremendous capacity for post-weaning growth and carcass weight Photo Courtesy of Oklahoma... 80 70 62,7 60 50 48 51,7 40 30 20 10 1995 2006 Livestock Marketing Information Center, 2016 2009 2017 Percent 80% BEEF GRADED CHOICE AND SELECT As A Percent of Beef Graded, Monthly 70% 60% 50%