Steer Feedout Finale Slated For June 29 In Mount Vernon

MOUNT VERNON — The Missouri Steer Feedout Finale will be held 7 p.m., June 29 at the University of Missouri Southwest Research Center, 14548 Highway H, Mount Vernon. The meeting location is accessible from I-44 at either Exit 38 or 44.

The program is open to the public and will reveal how 170 steers performed in the feedlot and at the packing plant since last November.

Seventeen different owners put the steers in the evaluation to learn about their overall performance after they leave the farm in Missouri and go to southwest Iowa for finishing.

“This year’s group came from northwest, northeast and southwest Missouri. They were fed in Iowa as part of their Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity,” said Eldon Cole, livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

According to Cole, there will be a powerpoint presentation to show many of the steers as they reached harvest weights.

“The pictures will show how the different cattle performed regarding rate of gain, carcass quality and yield grade as well as profitability,” said Cole. “There is a lot of difference in steer performance as those attending will be able to see.”

The goal of the feedout is to increase the awareness of producers of those differences.

“Once participants observe those they can make adjustments in their breeding and management programs. They can also compare their cattle to industry-wide standards,” said Cole. “The Finale is one of the most educational evenings of the year for participants as they learn that you can’t always look at cattle and know how they’ll perform.”

For more information, call the University Extension Center, Mount Vernon 417-466-3102.