“Feedlot Steer Performance in 2017”
By Justin Waggoner, Ph.D., Beef Systems Specialist
Each year I retrospectively 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 2017, 2016 and 2015 is summarized in the table below. In 2017, participating feedlots marketed 358,092 steers, approximately 39,000 more steers than were marketed in 2016. In weights were slightly lower in 2017, averaging 796 lbs. Final weights of steers were notably lower (34 lbs) averaging 1387 lbs compared to 1416 lbs and 1421 lbs in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Steers were on feed approximately 164 days, an increase of five days from 2016. Average daily gain and feed conversion were similar across years. However, death loss did increase slightly to 1.52% relative to the 1.36% previously reported in 2016. Reported total cost of gain averaged $74.34/ Cwt. in 2016, which was $2.98./Cwt. lower than 2016 and $10.82/Cwt. lower than 2015.
For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu.
