KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hereford breeders and commercial cattle producers are using feedlot and carcass records to evaluate breeding decisions through the American Hereford Association’s feedout programs.
The programs allow participants to retain ownership of cattle fed at HRC Feed Yards in Scott City, Kan. Producers receive monthly closeout reports and individual carcass results to help assess how their cattle perform beyond the farm.
Adult participants can enter as few as five Hereford or Hereford-influenced steers or heifers. National Junior Hereford Association members can enter one steer or a group of three through the annual Fed Steer Shootout.
HRC fed cattle for 82 junior members representing 20 states during the latest competition, according to the association. Junior participants also complete educational activities and compete for scholarships tied to participation and cattle performance.
Justin Miller, the association’s director of commercial programs, said the results can help producers identify strengths and weaknesses in genetics and herd health management. Starting with a small group allows owners to gain feeding experience while limiting their financial exposure.
More than 100 people attended the program’s 10th annual field day in Scott City. Participants visited their cattle and took part in sessions covering feeder cattle purchasing, market conditions, food safety, implants and carcass grading.
Miller encouraged producers to consider how decisions made in breeding herds and feedlots affect the beef ultimately purchased by consumers.
The junior program also received a $15,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas through the Hereford Youth Foundation of America. The grant honors Bill House, a Kansas cattle industry leader who served as association president from 1963 to 1964, and supports educational experiences for junior members.
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