STOCKTON, Mo. – “Adding value to a cow-calf operation is important to its sustainability,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist.

Understanding how your cattle perform in the feedlot and at slaughter and making management decisions to improve these aspects of your cow calf operation potentially add value to your operation. Through cooperative efforts of MU Extension, Show Me Youth Ag Academy, and Missouri State University, the Missouri Steer Feedout is enrolling spring born steers to begin feeding in November.

Davis further discusses this long-running program where cow calf operators have been able to:

• Evaluate their genetics and prior feeding management on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics.
• Gain experience in feeding cattle and retaining ownership without the investment and risk of feeding an entire pen of cattle.
• Use the results of the program to market their cattle in other sectors of the cattle industry.

“Entries for the feedout will be accepted through Oct. 10 with weigh-in projected for Nov. 18,” says Davis. An entry consists of five or more head of steers born after Jan. 1, 2024. At delivery they should be weaned at least 45 days, with 60 days preferred; weigh over 500 pounds; be dehorned, castrated and healed; have had two rounds of modified live vaccines; and test negative for BVD-PI.

“The steers will be collected at the Show Me Youth Ag Academy Feedlot near Milford, Mo., on Nov. 18 for weigh-in,” says Davis. Following weigh-in, steers will be evaluated by a Missouri Department of Agriculture grader and assigned a set-in price, which will help in feedout profitability calculations.

“After weigh-in, steers will be custom fed at the Show Me Youth Ag Academy feedlot,” says Davis. Performance data will be collected during feeding, and carcass data will be collected at slaughter. This data will be combined with the set-in price and other financial data collected during the feeding period to determine profitability during the finishing phase. “All this data will be provided to the consigner to utilize and help them in making future management decisions,” he says.

“Expenses and management of steers will be handled like a custom feeding operation,” Davis adds. Steer expenses will be billed monthly to the consignor by the Show Me Youth Ag Academy. Do not implant steers prior to program entry, as steers will be implanted and provided a treatment program based on the feedlot veterinarian guidance when they enter the program. Steers will be harvested based on performance, weight and visual appraisal of fat cover. Steers will be marketed to packers based on the best available price and premiums as well as ability to get steer carcass data. Once steers are harvested, all final costs will be deducted from the check and the sum will be provided to the steer consignor. Also, all financial performance and carcass data on the steers will be provided to the consignor at this time. However, consignors can visit their steers and get current data on them at any time during the feeding period.

“In addition to the steer consignor, the public will be educated with this program,” says Davis. Following the steer weigh-in process there will be an educational meeting with the help of the Missouri Department of Agriculture steer grader and other people in the cattle industry who market feeder cattle. This educational meeting will discuss the current steers in the program as well as what people look for in marketing feeder cattle and how those cattle project in performance as stockers and in the feedyard.

“The cooperative feeding efforts allow this program to educate youth in high school and college,” says Davis. Data and experiences from this program will be used in the classroom, and students will gain hands-on experience in cattle feeding, feedlot management, marketing fat cattle and analyzing data.

“A nonrefundable reservation fee of $20 per head along with entry form is due by Oct. 10,” says Davis. Mail fee and entry form to the MU Extension Center in Cedar County, 113 South St., Stockton, MO 65785. That fee will cover incidental expenses during the feedout and be credited to the producer’s account with Show Me Youth Ag Academy.

Cattle producers interested in enrolling steers in the program or wanting more information can contact Davis at 417-276-3313 or davismp@missouri.edu.