Beef Management Tips

Livestock Update, July 1998

Ike Eller, Extension Animal Scientist Emeritus, Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech

As I write this column, summer has not quite arrived on the calendar at least, but is just around the corner. As we move into summer, moisture conditions have been adequate in most areas of the state and the first cutting hay crop was heavy even though difficult to make because of rain showers. Crops look good. Summer is a busy time and cattle management is critical. Here are some thoughts:

1. The Bennetts of Knoll Crest Farm get BIF Seedstock Award: The James Bennett family, owners and operators of Knoll Crest Farm, which includes sons Paul, Jim and Brian at Red House, Virginia, were awarded the 1998 Beef Improvement Federation Seedstock Producer of the Year Award at the annual convention in Calgary, Alberta Canada. They operate performance oriented seedstock herds of Angus, Polled Hereford and Gelbvieh cattle. This year, for the second time, two seedstock producers of the year were recognized. The other was Dick Helms of Arapaho, Nebraska, a Gelbvieh breeder. Virginians are extremely proud of the Bennetts and the fact that they bring this prestigious award back to Virginia for this year.
2. John Mitchell honored at BIF Convention: : John Mitchell, owner of Falling Springs Farm at Hot Springs, Virginia, was honored at the 1998 Beef Improvement Federation Convention at Calgary, Alberta Canada, as a nominee for the Commercial Producer of the Year Award. Mitchell who is a Salers and commercial cow/calf producer and was recognized of Virginia's Commercial Producer of the Year at the Beef Industry Convention held at Hot Springs in February.
3. Top Beef Operations in the U.S.: : Based on Cattle-Fax data top beef operations were listed in the National Cattlemen's Beef Association publication, National Cattleman, in the June/July issue. These listings include the top 25 seedstock producers based on numbers of calves registered, the top 25 commercial cow/calf operations based on the number of cows, the top beef feeding operations based on one time feeding capacity, and the top beef packing operations based on daily kill capacity.

   The 25 largest seedstock operations are as follows:

   1. Leachman Cattle Company, Billings, Montana, 2,400 (Red Angus, Angus, Gelbvieh, Simmental, South Devon, and composites)
   2. Vermilion Ranches, Billings, Montana, 2,065 (Angus and Charolais)
   3. Stephenson/Basin Angus Ranch, Hobson, Montana, 1,950 (Red Angus and Angus)
   4. BB Cattle Company, Connell, Washington, 1,520 (Angus, Hereford, Brangus, Braford)
   5. DeBruycker Charolais, Dutton, Montana, 1,900 (Charolais)
   6. Neo-Sho Farms, Southwest City, Missouri, 1,365 (Red Angus)
   7. J.D. Hudgins, Inc., Hungerford, Texas, 1,286 (Brauman)
   8. Summitcrest, Inc., Summitville, Ohio, 1,200 (Angus)
   9. Express Ranches, Yukon, Oklahoma, 1,028 (Limousin and Angus)
   10. Beckton Stock Farms, Sheridan, Wyoming, 1,035 (Red Angus)
   11. Ankony Angus Corp., Minatare, Nebraska and Clarkesville, Georgia, 1,020 (Angus)
   12. Denny Cattle Company, Red Bluff, California, 1,014 (Beefmaster)
   13. Sitz Angus Ranch, Harrison, Montana, 1,000 (Angus)
   14. Deiter Brothers, Faulkton, South Dakota, 950 (Chaigus, Chianina, Angus)
   15. Camp Cooley Ranch, Franklin, Texas, 925 (Brangus)
   16. Schuler-Olsen Ranches, Inc., Bridgeport, Nebraska, 874 (Red Angus and composites)
   17. Arnold Brothers Ranch, McIntosh, South Dakota, 850 (Simmental and Gelbvieh)
   18. Lettunich and Sons, Payette, Idaho, 825 (Angus, Brangus, Gelbvieh)
   19. Buffalo Creek Red Angus, Litter, Wyoming, 780 (Red Angus and Black Angus)
   20. Cow Creek Ranch, Aliceville, Alabama, 757 (Brangus, Angus and Ultra Black TM)
   21. Running Creek Ranch, Elizabeth, Colorado, 748 (Limousin)
   22. Eagle Pass Ranch, Highmore, South Dakota, 735 (Angus and Gelbvieh)
   23. (tie) Wulf and Sons, Morris, Minnesota, 725 (Limousin)
       (tie) Nichols Farms, Bridgewater, Iowa, 725 (Angus, Simmental, Salers and composites)
   24. R.A. Brown Ranch, Throckmorton, Texas, 576 (Simmental, Angus, Senagus, Red Angus and Senepol)

   The 25 largest cow/calf operations based on total cows and bred heifers:

   1. Deseret Cattle and Citrus, St. Cloud, Florida, 35,000
   2. J.R. Simplot Co., Boise, Idaho, 28,500
   3. King Ranch, Inc., Kingsville, Texas, 24,000
   4. Parker Ranch, Inc., Kamuela, Hawaii, 22,000
   5. Lykes Brothers, Inc., Brighton, Florida, 20,128
   6. Briscoe Ranch, Inc., Uvalde, Texas, 16,500
   7. Singleton Group, Beverly Hills, California, 15,500
   8. Koch Beef Company, Wichita, Kansas, 15,000
   9. Rollins Ranches, Atlanta, Georgia, 14,400
   10. W.T. Waggoner Estate, Vernon, Texas
   11. Padlock Ranch Co., Ranchester, Wyoming, 13,500
   12. Cholla Livestock Company, Phoenix, Arizona, 10,760
   13. Seminole Tribe, Big Cypress, Florida, 10,500
   14. True Ranches, Casper, Wyoming
   15. Ellison Ranching Co., Tuscarora, Nevada, 9,600
   16. Adams Ranch Inc., Fort Pierce, Florida, 9,500
   17. Denny Cattle Company, Red Bluff, California, 9,300
   18. Burnett Ranches, Ltd., Fort Worth, Texas
   19. Spade Ranches, Lubbock, Texas, 7,500
   20. Broken O Ranch, Augusta, Montana, 6,800
   21. Broseco Ranches, Decatur, Texas, 6,500
   22. Martin Livestock, Acampo, California, 6,300
   23. High Mountain Ranches, Dell, Montana, 5,700
   24. (tie) Pitchfork Land and Cattle Co., Guthrie, Texas, 5,200
       (tie) Tejon Ranch, Lebec, California, 5,200

   The top 25 cattle feeders based on a one time feeding capacity:

   1. Continental Grain Co., Boulder, Colorado, 405,000
   2. Cactus Feeders Inc., Amarillo, Texas, 350,000
   3. ConAgra Cattle Feeding Company, Greeley, Colorado, 320,000
   4. Caprock Industries, Amarillo, Texas, 257,000
   5. AzTx Cattle Co., Hereford, Texas, 247,000
   6. Friona Industries LP, Amarillo, Texas, 230,000
   7. National Farms Inc., Kansas City, Missouri, 229,000
   8. J.R. Simplot Co., Boise, Idaho, 225,000
   9. Cattle Empire LLC, Sublette, Kansas, 109,000
   10. Cattleco/Liberal Feeders LP, Fort Morgan, Colorado, 190,000
   11. Irsik & Doll, Cimarron, Kansas, 170,000
   12. Koch Beef Company, Wichita, Kansas, 170,000
   13. Hitch Enterprises Inc., Guymon, Oklahoma, 160,000
   14. Agri Beef Company, Boise, Idaho, 150,000
   15. Gottsch Feeding Corporation, Elkhorn, Nebraska, 135,000
   16. Barrett-Crofoot, Inc., Hereford, Texas, 135,000
   17. Harris Feeding Company, Coalinga, California, 120,000
   18. Dinklage Feedyards Inc., Sidney, Nebraska, 120,000
   19. Four States Feedyards Inc., Lamar, Colorado, 119,000
   20. Brookover Companies, Garden City, Kansas, 110,000
   21. McElhaney Cattle Company, Wellton, Arizona, 104,300
   22. Timmerman & Sons Feeding Co., Inc., Springfield, Nebraska, 96,000
   23. Adams Land and Cattle Company, Broken Bow, Nebraska, 96,000
   24. Bartlett Cattle Company, LP, Kansas City, Missouri, 90,000
   25. (tie) Bar G Feedyard, Hereford, Texas, 85,000
       (tie) Pratt Feeders LLC, Pratt, Kansas, 85,000

   The top 12 beef packing operations based on daily kill capacity:

   1. IBP, Inc., Dakota City, Nebraska
   2. Excel Corp., Wichita, Kansas
   3. Monfort Inc., Greeley, Colorado, 20,000
   4. Farmland National Beef Packing Co., Kansas City, Missouri
   5. Packerland Packing Company, Inc., Green Bay, Wisconsin, 5,200
   6. Beef America Operating Company, Omaha, Nebraska, 2,500
   7. Moyer Packing Company, Souderton, Pennsylvania, 2,000
   8. Greater Omaha Packing Company, Omaha, Nebraska, 1,900
   9. American Foods Group, Green Bay, Wisconsin, 1,850
   10. Taylor Packing Company, Inc., Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, 1,800
   11. Peck Meat Packing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1,800
   12. Sam Kane Beef Processors, Inc., Corpus Christi, Texas, 1,400

4. July Implanting and Re-implanting: : Both nursing steer calves and grazing yearling cattle, other than replacement heifers, should be implanted or re-implanted in most programs in July. If yearling cattle were implanted with materials such as Ralgro, Synovex, Component EH or Component ES, they should be re-implanted if they are going to be grazed full season. If implanted with Revalor G or Compudose, a second implant will not be necessary. Steer calves that were implanted at an early age with a product such as Ralgro will generally profit from a second implant in July. For nursing heifer calves both Ralgro, Synovex C, and Component E-C are cleared for use even if heifers are going to be kept for replacement. Our recommendation on nursing heifer calves is to implant all of those that are not going to be used as replacements exactly the same way as steer calves are implanted. If heifers to be kept for replacement are to be implanted, they should be implanted one time between one month of age and weaning with either Ralgro, Component E-C or Synovex C. Of course, bull calves to be used for breeding should never be implanted with any product. In many instances re-implanting and deworming yearlings can be done at the same time. Re-implanting and deworming spring born calves can also be done with a single trip down the chute.
5. July Deworming and Pasture Rotation: Yearling cattle whether they are replacement heifers, stocker steers or heifers will generally become parasitized and their gain reduced in mid to late summer unless they are dewormed using a sequential early season treatment plan which is highly recommended. For cattle that were dewormed in such as manner at turnout time, three weeks later and six weeks later with most conventional deworming materials or those that were treated at turnout time and five weeks later with material such as Ivomec, Eprinex, or Dectomex, no additional deworming in July should be needed. If cattle were only dewormed with a single dose at turnout time regardless of the material used, they will generally benefit and the cost-effective way from a deworming in July. If cattle are re-implanted in July, they can be dewormed at the same time. Spring born nursing calves should be dewormed in July or 70 to 90 prior to weaning. Positive results in terms of added weaning weight can generally be expected from deworming suckling calves at this time. There is probably no great advantage to deworming mature cows in mid-summer so it is generally not recommended. If conditions permit cattle should be dewormed and moved to clean pasture, preferably a pasture that has had a cutting of hay taken from it earlier in the season.

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