Steer Carcass Contest data collection begins

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

So, we begin another year of our county (and beyond) carcass "contest". A new batch of steers were brought out for weigh in today, where the weather was great! This year, we have 8 steers that will be evaluated. Today involved weighing the calves, and collecting data like birthdate, breed, and pedigree information if it is known. We have a wide range of steers that were brought in, so it will neat to see them hanging on the rail in June.
Each month the kids meet up at the court house, and study a different topic. Next month it will be identifying feeds and balancing rations (2 different groups depending on the base knowledge of the child). This year they have asked each kid to download a program called jr beef excellence (by noble foundation) on the cell phones, it is an ap where the kids can keep important records, then print them off in the end (weight, gain, feed conversion). Anyway, today the kids had to grade and score each steer based on age, muscle and how much condition the calf was carrying. They learned a ton, since the calves were so different in breed, body style and age. Here goes, I will update pictures of each one individually later:
From the right to left: Red Steer - red angus, April born, twin. Weighed in the 500 range (will gets weights from the leader later)
Yellow steer - Feb born, mix of charolais and limo, not sure of weight
Black steer - April born, PB Simmental steer, 915 pounds

Red Steer - 3/4 red angus, 1/4 Simmental. March born, can not remember weight
Black brockle face Steer - 1/2 angus, 1/2 simmental. March born.
Back steer - 7/8 angus, 1/8 South Devon, Feb born, 945 pounds
Black steer - 1/2 blood angus simmental, can not remember birth month.
end black steer - purebred angus (no ears), January born

This is the end purebred angus. I will get pedigree info later, but Predestined rings a bell.

And a picture of the group. Included is a USDA inspector, our extension agent, parents, and kids. We all learn each year about feeding and genetics, it is a super project. Weights ranged from the 500's to the high of 945, so a big difference.

 

[Son of Butch]

Sounds like a Great Program! Looking forward to follow up with their hides off.
Hope you'll be able to get lots of before and after pictures to post.

 

[hillsdown]

That one on the far left sure looks like a long booger.

Looking forward as well to read all the data when the kids are all done with their carcass projects FSR! :tiphat:

 

[DaveM]

Hats off to all of the people that make it happen! It is so important to keep our youth headed down the right path!

 

[mwj]

I think this is a very good program for ANYONE in the cattle business ! If all producers did this a couple of times it would open some eyes as to what people are really producing! I hope that you folks are appreciated for what you are doing for these young cattle producers. :clap:

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

OK, I received the original data from our fearless leader (John Kleiboeker). So here are the side shots and all the data we collected on our first live animal meeting. Remember, these kids all sat through the instruction, and then helped the USDA inspector to frame and grade these steers, along with the guidance of our extension agent, Eldon Cole. All steers were weighed and hip measured. So here goes:
This first steer is a 7/8 Angus (Grid Iron), 1/8 South Devon. He was born 2/25/14, weighed 945 pounds, he framed a 4.8, BCS 6, Grade Med, 1. His owner is Paige

This steer is PB Simmental (Dream On, Fat Butt/Cut Above), born 4/5/14, weighed 915 pounds, framed 5.8, BCS 5.5, grade Large, 1. That is my son, Seth :heart: . This calf is out of his show heifer, he was her first calf. She is getting ready to have her second calf next month.

This steer is a Char x Limo cross, born 2/10/2014, weighed 620 pounds, framed 5, BCS 4.5, grade large, 2-. His owner is David.

This steer is a Red Angus (Epic 397K), born 3/10/2014, wieghed 765, framed 4.5, BCS 4.5, grade med, 2. His owner is Dallas.

This steer is a Simm Angus (Ollie, Predestined), born 3/10/2014, weighed 745, framed 4.8, BCS 5, grade Large, 1. His owner is Donell

This steer is a Simm Angus (HSR Express Beef), born twin 4/20/14, weighed 580, framed 3.7, BCS 4.5, grade Med, 1. His owner is Jordan.

This steer is a Simm Angus (Frog/Dream On), born 1/20/2014, weighed 805, framed 4.2, BCS 4.5, grade Med, 2+. His owner is Aiden.

This last steer is an Angus (Right Direction), born 2/25/2014, weighed 825, framed 4.8, BCS 5, grade Med 1. His owner is Atley.

 

[mwj]

Thanks for the update and the pictures. It will be fun to watch the calves and kids grow thru out the summer.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

OK, I received the original data from our fearless leader (John Kleiboeker). So here are the side shots and all the data we collected on our first live animal meeting. Remember, these kids all sat through the instruction, and then helped the USDA inspector to frame and grade these steers, along with the guidance of our extension agent, Eldon Cole. All steers were weighed and hip measured. So here goes:
This first steer is a 7/8 Angus (Grid Iron), 1/8 South Devon. He was born 2/25/14, weighed 945 pounds, he framed a 4.8, BCS 6, Grade Med, 1. His owner is Paige

Picture from weigh in today. This steer was 1400 pounds. Kids guessed he would grace Choice plus, 3.5 YG. He was 51 3/4 hip height...

This steer is PB Simmental (Dream On, Fat Butt/Cut Above), born 4/5/14, weighed 915 pounds, framed 5.8, BCS 5.5, grade Large, 1. That is my son, Seth :heart: . This calf is out of his show heifer, he was her first calf. She is getting ready to have her second calf next month.

Picture from weigh in today. This steer was 1290 pounds, and 53 1/2 high height. Kids guessed him select plus (I think low choice myself), YG 2.0

This steer is a Char x Limo cross, born 2/10/2014, weighed 620 pounds, framed 5, BCS 4.5, grade large, 2-. His owner is David.

Picture from weigh in today, steer was 1085 and 52 1/2 hip height. Kids guessed him to grade Select, YG 2.05

This steer is a Red Angus (Epic 397K), born 3/10/2014, wieghed 765, framed 4.5, BCS 4.5, grade med, 2. His owner is Dallas.

Picture today from weigh in. Steer was 1360, 50 3/4 inches at the hip. Kids guessed him to grade high choice, maybe prime, and 4.5

This steer is a Simm Angus (Ollie, Predestined), born 3/10/2014, weighed 745, framed 4.8, BCS 5, grade Large, 1. His owner is Donell

This steep pictured today was 1285 pounds, 50 3/4 inches. Kids guessed him to grade choice, YG 4.5. He also lost his tail switch and is a suspect for fescue toxicity.

This steer is a Simm Angus (HSR Express Beef), born twin 4/20/14, weighed 580, framed 3.7, BCS 4.5, grade Med, 1. His owner is Jordan.

This steer pictured today was 1160 pounds, 49 3/4 hip height. He had very sore feet and looked to be lame on all 4. He had sores on several hairlines near his hooves, leading us to believe he had fescue toxicity. Kids guessed him to grade choice plus, 4.75 YG.

This steer is a Simm Angus (Frog/Dream On), born 1/20/2014, weighed 805, framed 4.2, BCS 4.5, grade Med, 2+. His owner is Aiden.

This steer pictured today weighted 1145 pounds, 51 1/2 hip height. Kids guessed him to grade select minus, 2.05 YG

This last steer is an Angus (Right Direction), born 2/25/2014, weighed 825, framed 4.8, BCS 5, grade Med 1. His owner is Atley.

This steer pictured today weighed 1125 pounds, and 51 hip height. Kids guessed again select to select minus, and YG of 2.0

Some other shots that we took... rear view.

From left to right, Donnell, Jordan, David, Dallas, Seth and Paige...

Front shots (for brisket fill)

Paige, Seth, Dallas, David, Jordan, Donnell

An interesting note; the two red steers and the white faced steer are all raised in the same pen by 3 brothers. These steers were kept in a small pen, and fed just corn and Amino Gain, with a little orchard hay. Everyone in our area baled the first week of June, and there was a bunch of fescue hay the baler missed so the boys fed the steers the fescue hay for about 3 weeks. ALL THREE STEERS showed signs of toxicity! The red simm steer could hardly stand, and had sores at the hairline, the balck white faced steer has lost his tail switch, and the red angus steer also lost his tail switch.Also noted was two of the three steers stopped gaining soon after the introduction of the fescue hay....
Steers are being processed tomorrow, and Thursday we go to the locker to view them on the rail. Again, an official USDA grader will grade them, and teach the group about carcass values and retail cuts. The kids involved in the project learn so much!
I will update pictures after Thursday...

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

So, here are the results for those following this thread...

1st Place

carcass on the right
Graded Choice, YG 2.3, Rib eye 17.4 inches!, .6 backfat, 2.5% KPH, and dressed at 62% (881 hot carcass weight), 16 months old

2nd Place

Carcass on the left (notice yellow fat? pasture raised!)
Graded Choice-, YG2.3, Rib eye 16.5 inches!, backfat .6, 2.5%KPH, and dressed 62% (hot carcass weight 802), 14 months old

3rd place

carcass on the right
Graded Choice-, YG 3.7, Rib eye 11.8 inches, backfat .4 inches, 2.5%KPH, and dressed 63% (hot carcass weight 722), 17 months old

4th Place

carcass in the middle
Graded Choice-, YG 3.9, 11.2 inch Rib eye, .6 backfat, 2.5%KPH, and dressed 60% (hot carcass weight 775), 15 months old

5th place

carcass on left
Graded Choice-, YG 2.2, 10.8 inch Ribe eye, .45 backfat, 2.5KPH, and dressed 62% (hot carcass weight 696), 16 months old

6th place

carcass on the right
Graded Select +, YG 3.3, 11.3 inch rib eye, .5 backfat, 2.5%KPH, and dressed 60% (hot carcass weight 698), 14 months old

7th place

carcass on the left
Graded Select +, YG 3.3, 13.1 inch rib eye, .65 backfat, 2.5 %KPH, and dressed 63% (hot carcass weight 852), 15 months old

8th place

carcass on the left
Graded Standard+, YG 3.0, 11.6 rib eye, ,2 backfat, 2.0% KPH, and dressed 61% (hot carcass weight 665), 16 months old.

Again, much was learned by the young ones, and we had lots of new people come and look at the carcasses that raised steers in the state steer feed out program! We will meet one more time, for the finale, and discuss the values of the carcasses and what we can change for next year. Oh, and as a parting shot, the meat locker that allows us to do this was speaking to the group about marketing their product, and showed us how he puts labels on the meat that he buys from local growers. It is a current trend that buyers want to know where their meat is coming from, how it is raised, and who raised it. We all thought that was a neat idea!

We already have our bull calf picked out for next year; he is an April purebred that we will cut at weaning... out of one of our bulls we raised! Looking forward to it!

 

[HDRider]

Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous. Thank you.

 

[cow pollinater]

I Had #1 picked out and the stuff in the middle could have gone one way or the other. What I want to know is how they wound up with a yield grade 3.3 by crossing char and lim> :? Must have been some pretty sorry genetics on that one.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Send the kid with the limi cross to me. I will gladly help the kid do one heck of a lot better. Calf does not look to be a straight up lim char cross.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Send the kid with the limi cross to me. I will gladly help the kid do one heck of a lot better. Calf does not look to be a straight up lim char cross.

looks like a sheep..

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I Had #1 picked out and the stuff in the middle could have gone one way or the other. What I want to know is how they wound up with a yield grade 3.3 by crossing char and lim> :? Must have been some pretty sorry genetics on that one.

You were looking at the YG on the 7th place steer. The last steer was YG 3.0. Yes, he was just a mut.... but the kid learned a lot about feeding a steer and next year he wants to feed a Char x Angus steer... so he is learning. He was told from day one that the Limo would prevent him from getting in the top (not enough marbling with the two), and the steer proved that. His sire was a Charolais, and his dam was a limo cross, from what we were told. That steer needed another 30 days on feed, and I think he would have done a lot better. He was just too lean, and not quiet ready for processing. But the boy learned he needed to poor the feed to the calf, and in the end that char cross has an average daily gain of 3.3 pounds, which was not bad!
Lots was learned, that was for sure!

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Give the kid my Phone number. (870 448-5664 or give me the kids contact information. I will help the kid find a better calf.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Well, we are just competing another year. I thought I updated this thread, but I guess not. So here goes. Steers were weighed into the contest in early Feb. All steers were mid march to the first of May born. I will not bore you with the beginning data, so I will update from the fair, live evaluation and the the carcass data given tonight....
So, the first Saturday in June, the steers were exhibited at the Lawrence County Fair. Our steer, a purebred simmental, won champion carcass steer



Sunday was the final weigh in. Here is the breakdown"
This steer was the leanest viewing on the hoof. He is 7/8 angus, 1/8 shorthorn. His sire was Brown Total, a Total Recal son I think. He had a final weight of 975.

This steer is our steer. He is a purebred simmental steer, out of a bull we raised and sold (and collected), and 4 generations deep in our herd. He finished at 1220 pounds. He was guessed as the steer that would be the third fattest.

This steer was 3/4 Angus, 1/4 shorthorn (he was a blue roan). He was 1110 pound at final weigh in.

This steer was the heaviest steer at 1320. He is half Angus, 1/4 Simmental, 1/4 Red Angus. His sire was POSS Total Impact. The kids guessed him to likley be the second fattest steer on the rail.

This steer is a purebred angus. He was 1320 pounds. The kids guessed him to be the steer having the most fat in the group.

This steer was 1/2 Angus, 1/4 Red Angus and 1/4 Gelbvieh. His sire was Brown Total. He finished out at 1160 pounds.

And a final rear shot....

And the results.....

Steer number 1 Rib eye:

He had a hot carcass weight of 590, graded Choice average, Yield grade 2.4 (surprise), rib eye of 11 inches, .35 inch backfat, and KPH% of 1.5.

Steer number 2 Rib eye (ours):

He had a hot carcass weight of 775, graded Choice average, Yield grade 2.1, rib eye of 12.7 inches, .55 inch backfat, and KPH% of 3.5 (this was a surprise for all).

Steer number 3 Rib eye:

He had a hot carcass weight of 682, graded Choice minus, Yield grade 1.62, rib eye of 13 inches, .35 inch backfat, and KPH% of 2.

Steer number 4 Rib eye:

He had a hot carcass weight of 787, graded Choice minus, Yield grade 2.25, rib eye of 12.2 inches, .7 inch backfat (WOW), and KPH% of 2.0.

Steer number 5 Rib eye:

He had a hot carcass weight of 774, graded Choice average, Yield grade 1.92, rib eye of 12.3 inches, .5 inch backfat, and KPH% of 2.5.

Steer number 6 Rib eye:

He had a hot carcass weight of 680, graded Choice plus, Yield grade 2.16, rib eye of 10.7 inches, .3 inch backfat, and KPH% of 2.

Again, the kids learned a lot through this process, with each month having a meeting on topics like nutrition, genetics, health and such. The instructor came down from the University of Missouri, and is running the meat lab facility there. He did a great job with the kids explaining the carcass and why it graded the way it did.

The kids also learned about the aging of the carcass, and how it changes the taste. They explained that if a person wants their steaks aged 14 days or longer, they will cut the primal cuts out and age just them. The reason is the bacteria that grows on the carcass and that the rest of the carcass does not need to be aged. Here is a picture of a rack of primal cuts that are aging...(look at that rib eye! YUMMY).

As always, a great experience. I am so glad we have this opportunity in our county, because I can follow my genetics all the way to the rail.

 

[skyhightree1]

Thanks for sharing .. I enjoyed this.

 

[City Guy]

OK I give up. What is KPH%?

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

OK I give up. What is KPH%?

Kidney Pelvic Heart fat, the percent fat of the entire carcass weight. It goes into how they figure Yield Grade. Normal is 2-4%

Here is a shot of our steer... it is sideways, but you see the bottom of the pic is the ribs, and "above" them is a big glob of fat.... that is covering the kidneys.

Versus this one...

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Also, note that again, the fat on our steer is yellow. That is because we raise them on pasture, with grain. No hay, only grass. Every year they bring the kids in, and try to get them to identify their carcass without looking at the name tags. Ours is always easy to find because of the yellow fat.