Official Publication, North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association
July 2000 -- Volume 5, Number 2    

North Dakota calves fit the beef industry needs.

• By JAMES ODERMANN Editor

Is there money to be made? If so, how much? Did I learn something? These are the often asked questions that beef cattle producers use as the litmus test to determine if they need to be involved in a new program.

The same questions popped up many times over the past 16 months when the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association talked about DATALINE^TM, an electronic data collection program developed for its membership.

DATALINE^TM works in concert with CHAPS (Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software) to give producers a complete information overview about performance and the impact of that performance on the management of an operation.

In the fall of 1996, the Dickinson Research Extension Center put 234 calves through the DATALINE^TM program. Two pens of steer calves netted an additional $30.91 and $79.03 respectively. Their 66 heifer mates showed a net of $83.32 per head.

Data on the test was presented at the 46th Annual Dickinson Research Extension Center Research Roundup, held October 3, 1997, in Dickinson. In an article entitled "Source Verification of Beef Cattle, The DATALINE^TM Program", authors Kris Ringwall, Keith Helmuth and Charlie Stoltenow, concluded DATALINE^TM offers more than economic opportunity. One major advantage is source verification. As part of the food chain, producers have also come to realize the need to insure quality by identifying critical control points through a process called Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). Another benefit of the DATALINE^TM includes performance and carcass information, according to the authors.

The test was initiated to see if these kind of North Dakota cattle are acceptable to the industry. The preliminary answer is yes--and producers can receive added value.

Although this data is very preliminary, the DREC calves, compared to the 1995 beef cattle quality audit, were slightly smaller and less muscled, but produced a higher quality carcass. As an example, the results would indicate these North Dakota cattle would fare better in a price grid with an increased advantage on quality than on lean.

The 234 calves, handled according to DATALINE^TM health and preconditioning recommendations, were of mixed breeding and sired by Angus, Red Angus and Charolais bulls. The DREC calves were smaller framed (4.7 vs. 5.7) and had less pre-weaning gain (than the average of North Dakota CHAPS calves) however, they were considered acceptable.

The DREC tabulated data from the various Angus sires. In general, pre-wean performance of the different Angus sires was similar except for the cleanup sire (336C), who was inadequate in pre-weaning, in the feedlot and on the rail. This bull lost money (Table 1). Early trends would indicate some differences in feed efficiency and carcass traits resulting in $25 dollar spread in market adjusted net return (Table 1) among the different Angus bulls. Additional calves will be produced to build the data set and increase the confidence in the baseline data.

The DREC heifers did very well, earning more per head than did the steers. Questions that remain are as follows:

• Were the calves weaned at the right age?
• Were the calves backgrounded for the right number of days?
• Should the calves be fed at a greater rate of gain or were they at their maximum?
• Did net return change as hot carcass weight, yield grade and quality grade changed?

These and other questions will be explored as the data base grows and hopefully these answers will result in a positive net return back to the operation. The authors concluded these North Dakota calves are in the ball park relative to the current beef industry.

They also noted DATALINE^TM is the vehicle that ties all segments of the beef industry together. DATALINE^TM provides source verification, performance and carcass data, quality data and economic opportunity. These concepts are very useful to producers in making professional management decisions which affect profitability, improve product quality and insure consumer safety.

• Individuals wanting more information can contact the NDBCIA, 1133 State Avenue, Dickinson, ND 58601. Telephone: 701-483-2348. Email: ndsu.chaps@ndsu.edu