Fed steer challenge open

The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association is gearing up for the second year of the "Top 100" Profitability Challenge. The steers will be fed at the University of Missouri, South Farm Research Center in Columbia, Missouri, and data will be collected on each steer’s efficiency throughout the program.

Producers and Missouri students alike will benefit from the program as the FFA Fantasy Feedout component of the program involves youth as well. Students from participating FFA chapters select steers from the challenge and follow the data collected to see which chapter had the best eye for a profitable steer.

New to the challenge for the 2020-2021 year is the addition of a second division, which will be for fall calves.

Cattle competing in the Calf Fed Division must be weaned by Oct. 28 and will be delivered Dec. 11 through Dec. 13. Cattle entered in the Yearling Division must be weaned on or before July 29, and will be delivered between Sept. 11 and Sept. 13. According to Sydney Thummel, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Manager of Membership, the new division was added to accommodate the diversity of the cattle industry in Missouri.

All steers that compete in the "Top 100" Profitability Challenge must be MFA Health Track participants from BQA Certified producers and meet the weight requirements for their designated division. The yearling division steers need to be between 790 to 860 pounds while the calf division steers will be between 630 to 760 pounds. All steers will also need to be bunk broke; weaned a minimum of 45 days; two rounds of shots with one modified live; and BVD-PI negative prior to delivery.  

Visit www.mocattle.org/meetings-events/profitability-challenge-top-100-steer-feedoutto learn more and enroll. Visit www.mocattle.org/meetings-events/ffa-fantasy-feedout to learn more about the FFA component of the program.