MT. VERNON, MO.
   The 2015-16 Missouri Steer Feedout began the first week of November when 158, early 2015-born steers were processed in Paris and Carthage and sent to the Gary Nilan feedlot near Carson, Iowa. That lot is a cooperator with the Iowa Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity based in southwest Iowa.
   The steers were owned by 16 different owners from across the state according to Eldon Cole, livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
   At the pickup points, the steers were tagged, weighed, graded and priced by Missouri Department of Agriculture Market News Reporters, Steve Disselhorst and Rick Huffman. The set-in price is used to calculate profitability during their five to a six-month stay in the feedlot.
   The 76 steers processed at the Paris Veterinary Clinic weighed 727 lbs. with a price of $188.63 per cwt. The 72 southwest Missouri steers processed at Joplin Regional Stockyards weighed 741 pounds and were valued at $179.72 per cwt. Steers, one year earlier weighed 597 and 684 lbs. and were valued at $253.33 and $236.25 at Paris and Joplin respectively.
   The Joplin Yards weighin coincided with the monthly meeting of the Southwest Missouri Cattlemen's Association. In addition to weighing and pricing, each owner’s steers went through the sale ring and were critiqued by Skyler Moore of Joplin Regional, Tonto Kissee of Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Bailey Moore of Joplin Regional and Gary Nilan, owner of the lot in Iowa where the steers will be finished.
   “The panel made numerous comments about the steers’ appearance, strengths and weaknesses,” said Cole. Favorable comments heard on lots were things like “very uniform,” “shows lots of muscle,” “nice hair for northern feedlots,” and "bred to perform in the feedlot and on the rail."
   On the negative side the panel also said “too much fill,” “a buyer would discount these due to their temperament,” “research shows that a few nervous cattle upsets the whole bunch and reduces performance,” “these light calves would be better off going to grass for a while before going to the feedlot.”
   The Missouri Steer Feedout is coordinated by University of Missouri Extension livestock specialists Daniel Mallory of New London, Zac Erwin of Kirksville, Gene Schmitz of Warsaw, Shawn Deering of Albany, Andy McCorkill of Buffalo, Patrick Davis of Stockton and Eldon Cole of Mt. Vernon.
   The Feedout program is helpful to smaller cow herds who want to obtain post-weaning and carcass information with minimal risk. At least five head of steers are required. The usual dates for delivery to the TCSCF lots in Iowa are the first Tuesday in June and November. ∆





 Scoring on a group of cattle.
 Photo credit: MU Extension