by University of Missouri Extension

“The Missouri Steer Feedout Finale showed that producers were very profitable in feeding steers over the last year,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Davis discussed results of the steers fed at the Show Me Youth Ag Academy Feedlot near Newport in conjunction with the Barton County Cattlemen’s Association meeting Sept. 9 in Lamar. This meeting was a cooperative effort of the cattlemen’s organization, MU Extension, Missouri State University and the Show Me Youth Ag Academy.

“Three of the six participants in the feedout had average group profits of over a $1,000 per steer,” says Davis. In addition, these groups were all black-hided steers. Ronnie Veith, of Purdy, Mo., who has fed with the program for many years, had the highest average profit on his group of seven Angus-crossbred steers. Steve Fury, Golden City, Mo., who has fed steers with the program in the past, but not in recent years, had the second-highest average profit on his group of five purebred Angus steers. Scott Daniel, Arcola, Mo., with Daniel Farm LLC, was a first-time participant. His 10 Angus-crossbred steers had the third-highest average group profit.

The combination of high base prices and premiums received due to high quality grades helped lead to high profits for the producers.

“The two primarily red-hided groups of steers averaged $831 of profit,” says Davis. These groups were 11 head of Red Angus steers from Kunkel Farms Red Angus, Neosho, Mo., and four head of Red Angus/Gelbvieh/Beefmaster-crossbred steers from Harold Brunner, Lockwood, Mo.