HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Notter, D. R. Articles by Cartwright, T. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Notter, D. R. Articles by Cartwright, T. C.

Simulated Efficiency of Beef Production for a Midwestern Cow-Calf-Feedlot Management System. II. Mature Body Size¹

University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, College Station 77843 and U. S. Department of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE 68933

Abstract

A deterministic computer simulation model was used to study the effects of mature body size on the biological and economic efficiency of beef production for a Midwestern cow-calf-feedlot management system. If feed quality was not limiting, if slaughter cattle were fed at an intake level of twice maintenance and if the degree of maturity at weaning and at slaughter was the same for each size class, there was no indication from the simulation that mature body size affected the rate of conversion of total digestible nutrients (TDN) to weaning weight or empty body weight (EBW). However, if feed quality varied with season and class of cattle and if voluntary intake was allowed to vary in accord with the model assumptions, some advantages accrued to large types, although this result must be considered tentative and environment-dependent. If the price ratio of feedlot to cow herd TDN was 3.0, feed costs per 100 kg of EBW increased slightly as mature body size increased, whereas nonfeed costs per 100 kg of EBW declined. Total costs per 100 kg of EBW were generally less for large types, but this result was dependent upon the price ratio of feedlot to cow herd TDN. A wide range of size classes was potentially optimal, depending upon the prevailing economic conditions.

¹ Published as Paper No. 5616 Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, Lincoln.

² Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, US Meat Animal Research Center.

³ Present address: Department of Animal Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061.

⁴ Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University.

⁵ US Meat Animal Research Center, Science and Education Administration.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. R. Shafer, R. M. Bourdon, and R. M. Enns Simulation of cow-calf production with and without realistic levels of variability J Anim Sci, February 1, 2007; 85(2): 332 - 340. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]