The Science of Grain Finishing Beef

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Buck N' Bull

Buck N' Bull

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Oct 10, 2021
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Location
Bowie, TX
For anyone around the Bowie TX area, we have Jimmy Horner coming in Friday night 6pm to educate us over a couple of hours on the science of grain finishing beef. Jimmy is a doctor of nutrition and owns Protocol Naturals feed mill in Bridgeport TX. He also runs a Wagyu feedlot. The guy is a genius and is genuinely interested in educating folk to be able to get the job done efficiently and cost effectively. If you wish to attend please let me know asap in case too many people are showing up and I have to arrange another venue.
 
Buck N' Bull said:
For anyone around the Bowie TX area, we have Jimmy Horner coming in Friday night 6pm to educate us over a couple of hours on the science of grain finishing beef. Jimmy is a doctor of nutrition and owns Protocol Naturals feed mill in Bridgeport TX. He also runs a Wagyu feedlot. The guy is a genius and is genuinely interested in educating folk to be able to get the job done efficiently and cost effectively. If you wish to attend please let me know asap in case too many people are showing up and I have to arrange another venue.
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The thread title says "grass" and the body says "grain" finishing. His he speaking to both? Or?
 
Buck N' Bull said:
For anyone around the Bowie TX area, we have Jimmy Horner coming in Friday night 6pm to educate us over a couple of hours on the science of grain finishing beef. Jimmy is a doctor of nutrition and owns Protocol Naturals feed mill in Bridgeport TX. He also runs a Wagyu feedlot. The guy is a genius and is genuinely interested in educating folk to be able to get the job done efficiently and cost effectively. If you wish to attend please let me know asap in case too many people are showing up and I have to arrange another venue.
Click to expand...
To far for me to come, but I applaud you for trying to help educate your customers. Well done!
 
SBMF 2015 said:
To far for me to come, but I applaud you for trying to help educate your customers. Well done!
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Thank you sir. We got a speaker in last Saturday to begin educating on regenerative ranching and have 50 people attend. It was well received and we are working to have a meeting every month. Just trying to help the ranching community lower their input costs and produce a better product.
 
Buck N' Bull said:
Thank you sir. We got a speaker in last Saturday to begin educating on regenerative ranching and have 50 people attend. It was well received and we are working to have a meeting every month. Just trying to help the ranching community lower their input costs and produce a better product.
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I'd like to be there... but too far.

I'd love to ask him about why animals aren't being bred to finish earlier and at lighter weights.
 
Travlr said:
I'd like to be there... but too far.

I'd love to ask him about why animals aren't being bred to finish earlier and at lighter weights.
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Found this podcast with him. I've only listened to the first 30 min or so -- but if you take a listen I think you will get some of what you are asking answered.
 
Travlr said:
I'd like to be there... but too far.

I'd love to ask him about why animals aren't being bred to finish earlier and at lighter weights.
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They were sixty years ago. I have no desire to go back to belt buckle cattle.
1,400lb cows that raise 1,450 lb strs. That will grade high choice/ prime at 18 mos work just fine.
 
SBMF 2015 said:
They were sixty years ago. I have no desire to go back to belt buckle cattle.
1,400lb cows that raise 1,450 lb strs. That will grade high choice/ prime at 18 mos work just fine.
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Yeah, but we can breed them to finish at a thousand pounds and 12/14 months, and on less feed per pound.

And I know it's not traditional. That's probably the reason anyone would give, basically... that it's not how it's done. That it's not what feedlots want. That consumers are used to buying ten pound steaks. (okay, that's a little exaggerated) But the whole extra feed thing bothers me. We've made great strides in feed efficiency, but not in speed of finishing... and yet the genetics are out there.
 
Travlr said:
Yeah, but we can breed them to finish at a thousand pounds and 12/14 months, and on less feed per pound.

And I know it's not traditional. That's probably the reason anyone would give, basically... that it's not how it's done. That it's not what feedlots want. That consumers are used to buying ten pound steaks. (okay, that's a little exaggerated) But the whole extra feed thing bothers me. We've made great strides in feed efficiency, but not in speed of finishing... and yet the genetics are out there.
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The big feed lots feed on days not quality.
The mid west tends to feed to quality instead of days because we have almost unlimited feed available.

If you turn them on at five hundred pounds you can get some hfrs to be over finished at 1,000lbs. But unless she's going in the freezer you'll get your a$$ handed to you if you sell them that small finished or not.
 
SBMF 2015 said:
The big feed lots feed on days not quality.
The mid west tends to feed to quality instead of days because we have almost unlimited feed available.

If you turn them on at five hundred pounds you can get some hfrs to be over finished at 1,000lbs. But unless she's going in the freezer you'll get your a$$ handed to you if you sell them that small finished or not.
Click to expand...
Most people have no idea how complex a finishing ration is .Ingredients can change almost daily depending on weather, size, ingredient cost, gain needed and many other things.
 
mwj said:
Most people have no idea how complex a finishing ration is .Ingredients can change almost daily depending on weather, size, ingredient cost, gain needed and many other things.
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There's got to be a cost to making changes too. Especially many changes. Making the wrong decision in a single change could become expensive, and making many changes increases the chance of a bad decision.

Do cattle have the same kinds of sensitivity to changes in diet that other animals have?

Is making constant changes worth the effort? Are small changes over time more financially advantageous, or sudden changes? Or is a consistent ration over the long term better?
 
A mate of mine has a theory that some of the problem is feedlots are selling corn, so the longer it takes to get them to finish weight the more corn they sell.
 
I just got a small sample size but maybe changed my thoughts on my future. I had 3 steers that were smaller and didn't match the group. Kept them a while thinking I would see how they sell and hauled them at 850 lbs. was disappointed with the sales and talked to the salebarn about best weight to bring them in . His opinion is if you're not bringing a truck load in you're likely better off selling them between 5-6 weight. Any thoughts?
 
Buck N' Bull said:
Thank you sir. We got a speaker in last Saturday to begin educating on regenerative ranching and have 50 people attend. It was well received and we are working to have a meeting every month. Just trying to help the ranching community lower their input costs and produce a better product.
Click to expand...
Is there a mailing list for these meetings?
 

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