Sara Snider
The Source
Carcass Challenge winners announced for second quarter.
Once again, the results of the AngusSource® Carcass Challenge are outstanding! It is amazing what known/documented Angus genetics can do when managed to target the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand. While the age-verification premiums are an added bonus, it is the outstanding carcass quality of the calves that paid big for these producers.
A couple of regulars once again took top honors for the Northeast and North Central regions. Osborn Farms, Savannah, Mo., owned and fed 38 steers that set a new ASCC record — 100% CAB and Prime! With 36.8% reaching Prime. How can you top that? John Osborn and Pete Mitts have now set a new goal of increasing the percentage of calves to reach Prime.
Beller Feedlot, Lindsay, Neb., had a group of 39 heifers go 76.9% CAB and Prime. Mike and Terry Beller have consistently fed winning pens in the North Central region and were the first feedyard to receive coverage through the AngusSource PVP feedyard umbrella.
These producers were joined at the top by newcomers from the University of Missouri who fed their calves at Irsik & Doll Feed Yard.
Congratulations to all of our producers and feedyards. Here's an overview of the winners provided by CAB's Supply Development team.
Research Byproduct: Quality Cattle
Experiments require consistency and attention to detail.
Those qualities — consistency and attention to detail — recently helped cattle from the University of Missouri (MU) earn recognition in the second quarter of the AngusSource® Carcass Challenge (ASCC). Steers from the school's Thompson Farms research herd were fed at Irsik & Doll Feedyard, Garden City, Kan., where they took first place for the Central Region.
MU senior research specialist Daniel Mallory works with his mentor David Patterson on fine-tuning AI protocols within the Thompson Farm Angus herd, Spickard, Mo. High-quality beef and predictable replacement heifers are two important results of their work.
"With research, you have to have everything as close to the same as possible," says Missouri herdsman Jon Schreffler. "Then you get a lot of the variables out of the way."
A side benefit they've discovered? It pays to be homogeneous when the sights are set on high quality. The 38-head winning group hit 86.8% Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand and Prime.
Missouri animal scientist David Patterson has used the university's commercial Angus herd for timed artificial insemination (AI) work since 2003, sticking with Angus for accuracy.
"The whole idea was if we could increase timed AI across the state, with an emphasis on high-accuracy bulls, we'd not only generate superior replacements, but also steers with more desirable carcass quality," he says.
So, they set out to prove it could be done, using the research herd as the example. They started out with a maternal focus, but now select for that in tandem with end-product goals.
"You can use genetics that are out of proven sires that you normally can't just go out and buy. That's the real advantage, and it's starting to show up," Schreffler says. "It's coming from both sides now because we've built the maternal and carcass traits into the cows and then we choose bulls for those benefits, too."
Of course those genetics are only part of the equation. Management at the feedyard makes a difference in final outcome, but they're confident in the harvest results because of their relationship with the staff at CAB-licensed Irsik & Doll.
"They definitely know how to manage these higher-quality cattle, and that really needs to be highlighted and complimented," Patterson says. "They're great to work with."
Schreffler echoes that: "It works better feeding where they're used to your kind of cattle, so you can get consistent data from one year to the next."
Other second-quarter regional winners include regulars from the Northeast and North Central regions. Osborn Farms, Savannah, Mo., owned and fed 38 steers that hit a new ASCC high, making 100% CAB and Prime, with 36.8% reaching the latter.
Beller Feedlot, Lindsay, Neb., had a group of 39 heifers go 76.9% CAB and Prime.
When the calendar-year contest ends, an overall winner will receive a $500 cash prize, according to Sara Snider, AngusSource director. Groups of 38 head or more, enrolled in AngusSource at the ranch of origin and fed at a CAB-licensed feedyard, are eligible for the contest. As long as they are harvested in one group, both mixed sex and lots with multiple owners are accepted.
For more information on the ASCC call 816-383-5100 or visit www.angus.org/angussource.
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