Factors Affecting Carcass Value and Profitability in Early Weaned Simmental Steers: Dressed Beef Price, Choice-Select Spread, and Feed Cost

Early weaned Simmental steers (n = 192) were individually fed in a 4-yr study to determine expected progeny differences, performance, and carcass factors explaining variation in carcass value and profitability across various pricing scenarios. Steers were weaned at 88.0 ± 1.1 d of age, pen-fed a high-concentrate diet for 84.5 ± 0.4 d, individually fed for 249.7 ± 0.7 d, and harvested at 423.3 ± 1.4 d of age. Input cost and output prices were standardized using 5-yr averages. Variable dressed prices ($96, 108, 120, and 132/45.4 kg), Choice-Select spreads (Ch-Se; $4, $8, $12, $16, and $20/45.4 kg), and feed costs [corn = $58.93, $78.57, $98.21, $117.86, and $137.50/tonne; soybean meal (SBM) = $165, $220, $275, $330, and $385/tonne) were evaluated. Independent variables were weaning and yearling BW, marbling, expected progeny difference, DMI, ADG, feed efficiency, hot carcass weight (HCW), calculated yield grade (YG), and marbling score (MS). With rising dressed prices, HCW importance increased, and MS decreased, for value; HCW increased for profit. With an expanding Ch-Se, MS importance increased, and HCW decreased, for value; MS increased, and ADG, HCW, and YG diminished, for profitability. With escalating feed cost, HCW and MS importance tended to decrease for profitability, and YG and performance exhibited modest non-linear changes. Second-order interactions were also analyzed. Models represent relative importance of factors contributing to value and profitability in early weaned Simmental steers based on historical pricing scenarios. Factors would be expected to change with different cattle types, management, and future marketing conditions, but may be used as a benchmark for future research.