“Feedlot Heifer Performance in 2019”
By: Justin Waggoner, Ph.D., Beef Systems Specialist
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 Feedlots data for heifers from 2019, 2018 and 2017 is summarized in the table below. The number of heifers marketed decreased in 2019 with more than 26,900 fewer heifers being marketed in 2019 than 2018. Heifer in weights were slightly lower, averaging 704 lbs in 2019. Final weights of heifers were on average 7 lbs lower in 2019 at 1265 lbs, compared to 1272 lbs in 2018. Heifer days on feed increased to 175 days, an increase of 9 days relative to the 166 days reported in 2018. Heifer average daily gain was similar across years, but feed conversion increased relative to 2018 and 2017. Death loss increased to 2.01% relative to 1.75% and1.64% death losses reported in 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Total cost of gain increased in 2019 to $89.48/cwt. Heifer cost of gain was $5.11/cwt greater on average than that of steers, $84.37/cwt versus $89.48/cwt.
For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu.
