2. Agriculture
Nebraska’s Largest Industry
• Employs 1 in every 3 Nebraskans
• Livestock 48% of $15 Billion Ag Industry
• Livestock Consumes 38% of Annual
Grain Harvest
3. Beef Production
Where Nebraska Stacks up Nationally
• 1st.... Red meat production
Commercial cattle slaughter
• 2nd.... All cattle on feed
• 3rd…. All cattle and calves
• 4th.... Cash receipts from all livestock
products
Beef cows
4. UNL – Beef Research and Extension
BBR
GSL NEREC
PHREC
ARDC
KCWL
WCREC
Lincoln
NCTA
Dalbey
5.
6. Beef Cows That Have Calved
227
January 1, 2010
1465 869 (1000 Head) VT 10 11
380
NH 4
546 260 90 MA 8
440 1618 RI 1.3
694 96 CT 5.5
885 160 NJ 10
1781 221 288
237 389 DE 4
338 190 665 MD 41
714 1434 1968 1070
610
367
2073 997
208 502 937 183
503 524 890 to 5,140 (11)
Alaska 5.4 499 669 440 to 890 (13)
5140 160 to 440 (13)
Hawaii 81.2 0 to 160 (13)
US Total 31376 958
Livestock Marketing Information Center
C-N-15
Data Source: USDA/NASS 01/29/10
7. Change In Beef Cow Numbers
January 1, 2001 To January 1, 2010
(1000 Head)
-42 0
-66 -135 -30 -2
-44 0 MA 3
35 10
-46 -189 RI -0
-151 11
CT -3
-100 10 NJ 2
-13 -164 13
-63 -8 DE 0
-17 -3 MD 4
-126 -6
-90 -102 10
-170 -69
-48
13 -37 160 14 -35
-76 -68 -90 3 to 160 (12)
Alaska 2 -8 to 3 (12)
-325 26
Hawaii 0 -68 to -8 (13)
-325 to -68 (13)
US Total -2022 -17
Livestock Marketing Information Center
Data Source: USDA/NASS
Iowa is declining faster than national averageC-N-29
01/29/10
8. U.S. Beef Cow Operations
Beef Cow Operations, 2009 Beef Cow
1-49 50-99 100-499 500+ Inventory
Total
Head Head Head Head 2010
598,000 82,000 67,200 5,800 753,000 31,375,900
79.1% 11.2% 8.9% 0.8% 100% % of Ops.
28.7% 17.2% 38.0 % 16.1% 100% % of Cows
• Average 42 Cows Per Operation
• Large Number Of Small Operations
Source: USDA-NASS
9.
10.
11.
12. "Produce low-cost/high-profit cattle that yield
competitively priced, highly palatable, lean products."
"Manage the available resources (optimum, low-
cost combination) for maximum continuing net profit,
while conserving and improving the resources."
Taylor and Field, 1995
“Strategic inputs when cost effective”
Adams and Funston, 2011
13. CONCEPTS FOR UNL BEEF SYSTEMS
1) Environmentally and economically sustainable
2) Cattle harvest the forage
e.g. Limited use of harvested forage and fossil fuel
3) Adapt the animal to the forage supply, rather than
the forage supply to the animal
4) Produce a high quality product for the consumer
14. Challenge:
Utilize a limited window (100 to 120 days) of
high quality forage for efficient and sustainable
beef production.
17. Crude protein in cattle diets on Sandhills
range
APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
Month
18.
19. Feed Inputs for March and
June Calving Cows
March June
Hay fed, lb 3947 227
Supp. fed, lb 96 154
20. More hay for March
calving cows
More grazing for
June calving cows
233 days vs. 357 days
grazing grazing
21. We have developed systems where:
The cow grazes year long with a calf at
side until the calf is 7 to 9 months of age.
After weaning the calf grazes forage to
about 1 year of age with as little as 2
weeks of harvested forage.
24. Feedlot Performance
Weaning Protein Supp.
Early Late Supp. No Supp.
In wt, lb 432 518 487 463
Days on feed 244 194
Interactions ES ENS LS LNS
Out wt, lb 1274 1259 1314 1213
Daily gain, lb 3.4 3.4 4.0 3.7
HCW, lb 796 780 816 754
25.
26. Corn crop residue provides a reasonably
priced alternative to grazing dormant
winter range
30. Heifer Pregnancy Diagnosis and Weights
Treatment BW Pregnancy (%)
Range S 810 91
Range NS 783 77
Stalks S 808 88
Stalks NS 826 83
45 day breeding season
31.
32. Reproduction is
the single most
important factor
for profitable
beef production.
35. Extensive heifer development
systems
Lower Development Costs $70 +
Selling open heifers was profitable
Determine adaptability early?
o Short breeding season
o Lighter breeding weights
o Lighter mature weights
Must continue to grow through
calving
