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Comparisons among Two-Breed Cross Cow Groups. III. Economic Evaluation of Calf Production^1,2,

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078

Abstract

A systems approach was used to evaluate economic efficiency of calf production of two-breed cross cow groups (Hereford x Angus reciprocal crosses, HAx; Simmental x Angus, SA; Simmental x Hereford, SH; Brown Swiss x Angus, BA; Brown Swiss x Hereford, BH; Jersey x Angus, JA; and Jersey x Hereford, JH) in a terminal crossbreeding system. Feedlot nutrients were purchased as needed to allow calves to obtain a carcass grade of low Choice. The number of cow-calf units per herd for the specified land area was greatest for J crosses and lowest for S crosses. Herds using SH and BH cows required the most replacement heifers to maintain constant herd size (herds using J crosses required the fewest), but gross returns from the sale of cull cows were also greater for SH and BH groups. Gross returns from the sale of slaughter calves were greatest for herds using BA, J cross and HAx cows and lowest for herds using BH and S cross cows. Total costs were greatest for herds using SH cows and lowest for herds using JA and SA cows. The relative advantages and disadvantages of the various crossbred cow groups were largely offsetting, resulting in small differences among groups in relative profitability of slaughter calf production. Gross margin per herd, used to evaluate relative profitability, was greatest for the BA and J cross groups. Herds using HAx, BH and SH cows produced slightly lower gross margins, followed closely by herds using SA cows. However, rankings for gross margin changed when the cost of replacement heifers was varied.

¹ Journal Article 4618 of the Oklahoma Agr. Exp. Sta., Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater. Research was conducted by the Anim. Sci. Dept. (OAES Project 1502) in cooperation with USDA, SEA, Southern Region and Contributes to the Regional Beef Cattle Breeding Project, NC-1.

² Authors gratefully acknowledge the dedicated assistance of herdsmen and many graduate students in collecting data for this study.

³ Present address: South Dakota State Univ., 801 San Francisco St., Rapid City, SD 57701.