“Focus on Feedlots: Steer Performance in 2020”
By: Justin Waggoner, Ph.D., Beef Systems Specialist
The K‐State Focus on Feedlots is a monthly publication that summarizes feedlot performance and closeout data from cooperating commercial cattle feeding operations in Kansas. Each year I summarize the data from the monthly reports, in an effort to document annual trends in fed cattle performance and cost of gain. The table below summarizes the annual performance of steers in 2018, 2019, and 2020. In 2020, participating feedlots marketed 278,743 steers, 12,384 fewer steers than were marketed previously in 2019. In weights remained steady averaging 774 lbs in 2020, 771 lbs in 2019, and 779 lbs in 2018. However, final weight was approximately 50 lbs greater in 2020 averaging 1446 lbs in 2020, compared to 1397 lbs and 1398 lbs in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Steers were on feed an average of 180 days in 2020, which is similar to the 178 days reported in 2019. However, the upper range in days on feed reported exceeded 200 days which is greater than the upper range observed in 2019 and 2018 by 12 and 21 days, respectively. Average daily gain was similar among years, but feed conversion was slightly lower in 2020 relative to 2019, despite the observed increase in exit weights. Death loss was also reportedly lower in 2020 (1.57%) than 2019 (1.72%). Reported total cost of gain averaged $80.51/cwt. in 2020.
Annual Closeout Summary: Steers
For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu.
