AG BUSINESS NOTES
Karisha Vaughn

LIVESTOCK NOTES
Al Kennett

Swine Farm Numbers
Swine Farm Numbers are down again! As has been the case each year since 1980, the number of hog
operations in the U.S. declined in 2003. However, at the same time the average hog inventory per farm
grew. That wasn’t any surprise was it??

According to USDA’s annual report there were 73,600 hog farms in 2003. That was down 2650 from
2002. The average inventory per hog operation was 820 head which was up 40 head from the year
before. In 1980 we had 666,500 hog farms with an average of 97 head per farm.

The top four states in hog farm numbers (not total hogs) were Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. Seven
states averaged more than 1000 hogs per farm. They include North Carolina, Iowa, Utah, Minnesota,
Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas.

USDA says there are 8470 hog operations that raised hogs in 2003 but did not own any hogs. These
contract growers accounted for 11.5% of U.S. hog operations. I would guess that this number will grow
rapidly in the next 5 years.

Unbelievable Heifer Sales
Two Show-Me-Select bred heifer sales have been held in the state this spring. These are heifers that will
calve in the fall and have met all the requirements of the Show-Me-Select program.

The sales were held in the SE and SW, Fruitland and Joplin. The Fruitland sale sold 245 head for an
average of $1392 and the Joplin sale sold 256 head for a $1414 average.

These heifers would have been worth around 90 cents a pound in the spring of 2003 when they were
weaned and probably around $1.00 a pound last fall at breeding time. Add to that the costs involved in
raising and breeding replacement heifers and you probably have a cost of $1000 to $1050 in these heifers.
So, you might say these were “Value Added” sales!!

Ractopamine for Beef Cattle
Earlier this year, FDA approved the use of a beta-agonist, ractopamine, as a growth promotant during the
last 28 to 42 days of the finishing period for feedlot steers and heifers. It is marketed by Elanco Animal
Health under the trade name of Optaflexx?. It is recommended to be fed at the rate of 200 mg/head/day
for 28 days. A five-trial summary of steers showed the following improvements over controls: Live wt.
gain, +17.3 lb; dressing percent, +0.3%; hot carcass wt., 14.1 lb, ribeye area, +0.4 sq. in.; yield grade
score, -0.1. Because there was no change in dry matter intake, a significant improvement in feed efficiency
was observed. There were no differences in marbling score or quality grade.

At the recent Southwest Nutrition and Management Conference, Dr. Aubrey Schroeder presented the
results of a study on shear force and sensory evaluation of strip loin steaks. When Optaflexx? was fed at
the recommended level of 200 mg/head/day, there were no changes from controls in Warner-Bratzler shear
force or sensory evaluation of tenderness, juiciness and flavor. However, when fed at 300 mg/head/day,
there was a significant change in shear force and sensory tenderness.

Effect of Early Weaning on Replacement Heifer Production
Univ. of Illinois investigators used 64 Simmental x Angus heifer calves to compare the effects of early
versus normal weaning age on subsequent productivity. Weaning occurred at 89 days and 232 days of
age for early-weaned (EW) and normal (NW) heifers, respectively. Early-weaned heifers were lighter from
puberty to breeding. However, by the time of palpation of pregnancy there was no difference in body
weight. In spite of lighter pubertal weights, significantly more EW heifers reached puberty by 8 mos. of age
than did NW heifers (81.3 vs. 59.4%). Pregnancy rate was also higher for EW than for NW heifers
(90.0% vs. 74.2%). Weaning age of the heifers did not influence their subsequent milk production nor the
performance of their calves. The authors concluded that early weaning reduced heifer size until breeding,
increased percentage of replacements cycling at an early age, and improved pregnancy rate without
influencing milk production (Sexton et al. 2004. Midwestern Section, ASAS, Abstract 283).

Pasture Rental Rates
One of the most common questions I get is about the going rate for renting pasture and/or hay land.
The University of Missouri conducts a survey every couple of years to see what rates are being charged
around the state. I use that information as well as what I hear locally to give an answer. The state
information is printed in MU guide 427. You can get one at your Extension Center.

Our current guide came out in 2003 and shows that the state wide average for improved pasture is
$26.00 per acre with a range of $10 to $50 per acre. Pasture land in north Missouri tends to rent a
little higher than in south Missouri. The most common figures I hear in our area are in the $28 to $32
per acre with some as high as $40.

Of course there are a lot of variables that affect the rate. Those include quality of fencing, water,
corrals available, type of grass and/or legumes, carrying capacity, fertilizer agreements, how convenient
to the cattle owner, and length of time of the rental agreement.

Some pastures are also rented on a per head basis. It seems like there is less of this than there used to
be. Our guide sheet shows the state average at $6.80 per cow-calf pair per month. The range was $4
to $16. The most common figure I hear in our area is $8.00 to $8.50.

Finally - The man and his wife are seated in a fancy French restaurant for dinner. The waiter arrives
and the man says “I will have your biggest, thickest T-bone steak.” The waiter replies, “but sire, what
about ze mad cow?” The man replies “bring her a salad!”