BIF symposium discusses pros and cons of straight-breeding, crossbreeding in a commercial setting.
by Kasey Brown, associate editor
Nearly 500 cattle industry stakeholders met in Oklahoma City, Okla., June 12-15 for the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) 45th Annual Research Symposium and Convention. Themed “Where Profit and Progress Intersect,” this year’s opening general session featured the current debate on whether commercial cattlemen should use crossbreeding or straightbreeding programs.
“I’m a friend to any producer who has a reasonable breeding plan and sticks to it, whether it is a crossbreeding plan or a straight-breeding plan,” said Tom Brink, president of JBS Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, as he explained breeding programs from the cattle feeder’s perspective.
Cattle bred without a plan for quality are a cattle feeder’s biggest problem. He said that 70%-80% of all packer profits come from value-added beef premiums. Commodity beef is essentially a breakeven exercise.
“It is working just to work,” Brink said.
Profits come from cattle that grade USDA Choice or better, Brink explained, adding that Five Rivers makes zero profits from cattle that grade Select. Unfortunately, he said, there are too many average or below-average cattle in the industry.
“We don’t need crossbreeding just for the sake of crossbreeding,” he said. Breeding plans that work well in the feedlot, he added, include:
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planned crossbreeding using complementary breeds;
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disciplined use of purebred or hybrid bulls on a planned crossbred program; or
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well-planned and well-executed straight-breeding using Angus (or even Red Angus) that targets very high-value calves that grow and grid well.
Citing feedlot data from JBS, the total economic advantage for top-performing cattle is an additional $219 dollars per head above average, Brink shared. “That, folks, is a game changer. We will pay producers more for those cattle.”
When the numbers are crunched, he noted, “The economics are a lot closer for crossbreeding and straight-breeding programs than we think.”
Simply put, he said, a crossbreeding program gives higher productivity (with hybrid vigor), potentially lower cost of production and more average value creation. A straight-breeding program gives lower production, potentially higher production costs, and well-above average value creation and higher revenue per cow.
Which is better for your operation? There is no simple answer, said Brink. It just depends on your situation.
Brink was one of a lineup of speakers addressing the straight-breeding vs. crossbreeding debate in Thursday’s general session. The event also featured Friday’s general session focused on environmental challenges and cow herd efficiency; committee breakout sessions; the naming of BIF’s 2013 award winners; and tours featuring Oklahoma agriculture.
The Angus Journal staff was onsite to provide coverage of the event, which is being posted to www.BIFconference.com. Visit the site’s Newsroom for summaries, proceedings, PowerPoints and audio of the presentations. Visit the Awards page to see who won the Ambassador, Continuing Service, Pioneer awards, the Roy A. Wallace and Frank Baker scholarships, as well as who was named Seedstock and Commercial producers of the year. Visit the Photos page for photo galleries of the tours and special events. The site is under construction, so remember to refresh your browser to see recently added coverage throughout the coming week.
Fonte: Angus Beef Bulletin (21 junho 2013)
