What is the value of efficiency?     90% of the cost of beef production in feed and pasture.

 

90% that’s huge and genetically we have done very little to reduce the expenses meanwhile in the last 25 years poultry has improved their efficiency 250% and pork 80%.  Historically as an industry we have used an average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion as efficiency indicators but both have added growth and appetite to our cowherd.  

 

$EN has also been used but the $EN rewards low producing cows with 70% of feed and pasture being used for just maintenance, selecting for high $EN means lower production with even higher percentage of maintenance costs.

Frame size has also been used as an efficiency indicator and while it’s very important to run cows that fit your environment and management frame size alone does not guarantee true efficiency in cost of production. In fact, we found just as many inefficient cattle in small frame size cattle as bigger frame size cattle -  “it’s pretty simple you can’t manage what you don’t measure” and as of today we’ve measured close to 20,000 animals individually.

That’s why we like RFI… it tells you whether an animal ate more or less than they need for maintenance and production.  Negative RFI being better when you use the frame size and production traits

That’s what we’ve been doing the last 12 years and we along with many of our customers have seen a tremendous improvement in our cost of production while not having any impact on weaning weight.  Many, including us, are feeding less hay and running more cows.   Every herd bull we’ve selected the last 12 years has to be negative RFI, balanced with good performance and great maternal background - no exceptions.  We believe that RFI is all about getting back to the fundamental maternal efficiencies that make our outfit and our customers more profitable… we call it The Genetic Edge to ranking profitability.

Every bull is measured individually for efficiency.   Whether it’s bulls we use, bulls we sell or bulls we use for A.I. they have proven themselves through rigorous progeny testing. They must also be balanced with great maternal genetics and positive performance traits which includes ultra sounding, semen testing, along with detailed maternal stats.

We Focus on the Future there is something unique about agriculture - high prices don’t last very long and with producers share of the retail price at a historical low the opportunity to improve your cost of production and capitalize on the efficiency genetics has never been more important.
 

 

   

There is a world of research feed and grass test showing in 20 to 25% difference in intake of the same bodyweight cattle with the same production whether it be average daily game marveling ribeye weaning weight, yearling weight 20 to 25% difference bodyweight cattle with the same production whether it be ADG (average daily gain) marbling, ribeye, weaning weight, yearling weight 20 to 25% difference

If your herd is average for weaning weight (breed average is +54) and you select a bull that has a weaning weight EPD +70, with a heritability of under 40% you’re only going to add 6 pounds of weaning weight or $9.00 per calf.

But if you select a bull that may only improve your efficiency 10% and get 4 calf crops keeping 20 for replacements and selling or backgrounding or finishing other 80 calves.  

• If you keep those 20 replacements for seven years that’s $7,000 savings.  

• If you background and go to grass on those 80 head that’s $3,200 savings.

• If you finish those 80 head that’s a $4,500 savings.

And that’s just the first generation!  Now expand it out when you get 20% efficiency and can run another 15% Cows!   That’s the Power of Efficiency Genetics.

 

It’s huge and more important it didn’t cost you a penny more to purchase a negative RFI bull and you didn’t have to give up other than genetic traits that are important to you and your herd.