By Justin Waggoner, Ph.D., Beef Systems Specialist, Garden City
Each year I summarize the data from the K-State Focus on Feedlots in an effort to document annual trends in fed cattle performance. The Focus on Feedlot data for steers from 2019, 2018 and 2017 is summarized in the table below. In 2019, participating feedlots marketed 291,127 steers, approximately 58,000 fewer steers than were marketed in 2018. Both in weights and final weights were similar, averaging 771 lbs and final weights averaged 1,397 lbs in 2019, 1,398 lbs in 2018, and 1,387 lbs in 2017. Steers were on feed approximately 178 days; an increase of five days from 2018. Average daily gain and feed conversion were similar across years. However, death loss did increase to 1.72% relative to the 1.58% previously reported in 2018 and 1.52% reported in 2017. Reported total cost of gain averaged $84.37/ Cwt. in 2019, an increase of $6.27 above the $78.10 previously reported in 2018.
For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu.
