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Over the past few years some feeding trials have been done with Shorthorn
and Shorthorn cross cattle. Some trials are turning heads in the feeding industry.
Last
fall Jim Scafe of Misty Hills Shorthorns sent 50 straight bred Shorthorn steers to be fed
out at Western Feedlots. The steers were weighed on arrival and Western offered the Scafes the opportunity to gather carcass data on the steers. The feedlot would buy
the steers and if they agreed to take a 1% discount on the agreed price they would split
any premiums 50/50 an supply all carcass information. The Scafes agreed to the deal.
This turned out to be a good decision as the steers received the highest premium Western
Feedlots ever received. The steers were all slaughtered in one group at Cargill.
When the grading results were received there were a lot of people in feeding and
packing industries who were looking at these results and were impressed.
The steers received premiums that averaged $136.85 per head, along with $5.00 hide
bonus, resulting in the Scafes getting $73.47 per head. The 1% discount they agreed
to amounted to less than $6.00 per head.
| Carcass Grade Results on 50 Steers |
|
# of head |
% |
| A1 |
36 |
72 |
| A2 |
12 |
24 |
| A3 |
2 |
4 |
| Marbling Grades on 50 Steers |
|
# of head |
% |
| Prime |
1 |
2 |
| AA |
39 |
78 |
| A |
10 |
20 |
Source:
The Shorthorn Report |
