The Ultimate Feed Lot Steer

This is a very opinion based post but what does everyone think. I know that an Angus steer is hard to beat. But doing some searching and looking at the results from a few studies, it has me thinking about crossing my commercial herd (Angus) on herford bulls. I have been nothing but pleased on how my Angus steers have fed out in the feed lot but then again I haven't tried anything else. What have some of you other feedlot operators found to be the most efficient steer to fill your feedlot with. I am just looking to make my operation as efficient and profitable as possible. Thanks Silent Hollow Farm

By only efficiency i would say an Angus Herf cross hands down

Justin69.o said:

By only efficiency i would say an Angus Herf cross hands down

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sorry,  but you're only half right.. won't get many YG1 and YG2's with that cross, or a straight Angus for that matter..

Take those females-- and breed them to Char bulls--- and REAP benefits from all aspects of cattle feeding. 

going to be alot of people comment on the commercial red shorthorns being a good thing-- I'd say you could switch out the herf for them in most cases if you got the right red shorthorns to begin with.

but above and beyond all other crosses and composites:  Herf/ Angus baldy cows under Char bulls is the way to go for quality, carcass, efficiency, and consistency. 

Sadly Feed Grass seems to be right for once.  The angus x herf cross works but will give you less heterosis than the angus x char.  If you are feeding all the calves out and not keeping heifers the Char seems to be the best way to grow.  More pounds, better feed conversion, they will still grade well but lets be honest what it cost to produce a prime animal you really don't get paid enough back for, and the I would say you could buy better Char bulls than angus bulls for less money, at least it seems that way in sale reports.

The hereford angus mother cow has been a staple for years on this place.  I keep about half in the cows by going back and forth between the bulls.  Then come in with Char, simi, limi, maine, or any other exotic as the terminal.  It flat works and has ever since they quit docking for cross bred steers. 

I should clarify, that I think the angus x herf cow is a great maternal cow to use.

Charolais X hands down

I believe that the best feedlot steer is one who is a cross between a British and an Exotic. We have been using shorthorn Simmental cross steers (1/2, 3/4, 7/8) for many years.

We have had awesome luck with the Angus/ Limousin/ Char cross. My brother runs our commercial division and he uses a  Limi bull on a grade Angus heard. The resulting steers are marketed and the replacements are then bred to a Char or Char composite bull. All calves from this group are terminal market animals. This cross seems to work awesome for our situation and once you find a bull that works, you can keep using him. My brother is on the fifth year using the same Limi bull and the hardest part seems to be finding the right Char bull in our area!

A Charolais crossed with any 2 breed british cow.  Genetics say that third cross is your best and experience tells us all that a Charolais over british always makes an amazing terminal calf.  I would bet that a Galloway/shorty bred to a Charolais bull would be the most efficient animal that ever walked, JMO

flacowman said:

A Charolais crossed with any 2 breed british cow.  Genetics say that third cross is your best and experience tells us all that a Charolais over british always makes an amazing terminal calf.  I would bet that a Galloway/shorty bred to a Charolais bull would be the most efficient animal that ever walked, JMO

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(clapping)  I like your way of thinking. 

The Galloway X (Insert  other British breed here) cow bred Char / Limo / Orig Sim/ Gel  will make you money.  Galloways will give you better YG if you wanted to just go witha 2 way british cross.

I would take a holstein over any others stated.

Maybe a little more carcass waste, but I bet if you had a angus on plate A and a holstein on plate B you would pick plate B, hands down.

RankeCattleCo said:

I would take a holstein over any others stated.

Maybe a little more carcass waste, but I bet if you had a angus on plate A and a holstein on plate B you would pick plate B, hands down.

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(lol)

holstein steers are some of the most consistent for sure. that comes with the breeding though and the fact that just about all of them are related...

it may be easier to guarantee profit feeding out dairy beef because they are so consistent but i don't know if the profit margin is as great as others at times.

Old line red/yellow purebred Simmentals would certainly work well on your Angus cows for calves that would grow and cut real well.

We had twin No Doubt (Char) x PB Holstein bull calves that came 75 and 80 lbs at birth, and at 9 weeks the tape says they're 310 and 285.  i know that can't be all that accurate, but I'd say an easy 280 and 260, respectivly.  That's with 6 months of waste milk and now 5 weeks on grain.  Tough to beat that.

Here's there sire:
http://genex.crinet.com/beef/index.php?action=DETAIL&code=1CH00945&lang=EN

Buddy of mines family have a big feedlot and they swear by Charolais x Hereford

The holstein steer may perform in a feedlot although I don't think that they can rival  any of these 3-way beef crosses as far as efficincy goes. To make this equation of the perfect feedlot steer more difficult. I want a calf that can spend its first 7 months on pasture and mommas milk and gain just as good or as better as my angus calves. I would think that most of these British cross cattle will still perform good if not better?                      Thanks Silent Hollow Farm

No doubt in my mind that a HOL steer will grade out better 9 times out of 10 than ANY BEEF Steer--- but if you don't mind pooring, and I mean POORING the feed to them for TWO years, as opposed to 12 or 13 months.  I think it will take a pretty good, OLD holstein to rival a low percentage British/ high percentage Cont. steer in REA.  6 or 7 dollar corn pretty much puts a limit to that.

I've been eating damned ole Holstein for 25 years-- and can't say that I prefer it over ANY beef product.  It ranks very near the bottom-- maybe slightly above most cuts of deer. 

If anyone wants some old Red and Yellow Sim semen-- I've got a ton of it I'll donate towards your cause.  I think a Braunvieh would work neat in a case such as this as well-- and I'll donate a bunch of semen from that to anyone as well...  Seriously- the offer's out.

Kind of fun to think about........if an ideal feedlot steer was identified.........would it ever be economical to clone 20,000 head a year to feed? Or.......if he was seedstock potential clone him to make a bull. I have a neighbor who scans and pelvic measures 500 hfs a year....he makes cows out of the top 50 and feeds the rest. Really pretyy interesting way to make genetic progress.