Drought, feed prices likely to further reduce cow

[George]

Drought, feed prices likely to further reduce cow inventory......


www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-resources/cow-calf/Drought-feed-prices-likely-to-further-reduce-cow-inventory--121360884.html

[Deleted]

Interesting statement from the article from the link you provided:
“High feed prices are most harmful to the species that uses the most grain/meal per pound of gain. High feed prices result in smaller supplies of all meat products, but the largest negative impact would be expected on beef, then pork and broilers the least. It has been argued that the beef industry may have some advantage in their ability to utilize forages. But land is in such short supply now that forage prices are nearly as high (relatively speaking) as corn/soybeans/wheat/cotton/rice prices. If so, then beef loses that advantage.”

Over the last 50 years, how much of our beef industry's research, epd's, selection pressures, etc have been geared toward our industry's "ability to utilize forages"? I'd say we've hurt ourselves. It makes me recall one of Jim Lents' comments about how the "modern" cattle industry has tried to turn intself into the hog industry with an ever increasing reliance on grain feeding.

[mrvictordomino]

May 11, 2011 11:26:58 GMT -6 @alexfarms said:

Interesting statement from the article from the link you provided:
“High feed prices are most harmful to the species that uses the most grain/meal per pound of gain. High feed prices result in smaller supplies of all meat products, but the largest negative impact would be expected on beef, then pork and broilers the least. It has been argued that the beef industry may have some advantage in their ability to utilize forages. But land is in such short supply now that forage prices are nearly as high (relatively speaking) as corn/soybeans/wheat/cotton/rice prices. If so, then beef loses that advantage.”

Over the last 50 years, how much of our beef industry's research, epd's, selection pressures, etc have been geared toward our industry's "ability to utilize forages"? I'd say we've hurt ourselves. It makes me recall one of Jim Lents' comments about how the "modern" cattle industry has tried to turn intself into the hog industry with an ever increasing reliance on grain feeding.

If the cattle industry were to trend to using less grain, would
an animal with higher fat epd's be more desirable??
True, on a full feed situation, there would be more waste, however in a grass finishing or limited grain finishing program I feel there would be a great advantage in cattle
that have the ability fatten more easily. My cattle do have
higher fat epd's and at this time and place I am not going
to change a thing.......Might be a positive thing in the future.
Somehow I can't see how well cattle that has minimal fat
on full feed would fair in a forage based finishing program.
Any thoughts?

[jayh]

Would look like the Omish lived around here. No grass and draft horses in the yard.