Dollars and sense considerations of extending days on feed in the feedlot
3/6/25
AMES, Iowa – Increasing days on feed for feedlot cattle isn’t a new idea. However, several research studies in recent years have shown that as cattle get bigger a large percentage of their weight gain is in the form of carcass weight gain. Grant Crawford, associate director of cattle technical services at Merck Animal Health, said this concept, termed carcass transfer, allows cattle feeders the opportunity to extend days-on-feed and increase profitability on certain groups of cattle. This is particularly true if cattle are sold on a carcass-weight basis.
Crawford, who spoke at the 2025 Feedlot Forum in northwest Iowa, said the current situation with low grain prices, near record-high fed cattle prices, and near record-high feeder cattle prices offers a unique situation.
“Current feeder cattle prices make profit projections very narrow, and there may be an advantage to adding more pounds to the cattle that are already in the feedlot-and already paid for,” he said. “Especially compared with purchasing and placing a lighter weight feeder and taking the risk that these new cattle may not produce a profit.”
Crawford explained some recent research regarding increased carcass weight and live weight gain per day.
“A very rough estimate of carcass transfer is that 75% of live weight gain during the extended feeding period (extending past the normal finishing weight) is in the form of carcass weight,” he said. “The research we have conducted shows steers gain approximately 2 lbs/day carcass weight, and 2.6 lbs/day live weight with extended days-on-feed. These estimates can be used to predict performance, incremental cost-of-gain, and added revenue from extending days-on-feed.”
Extending days-on-feed typically makes more sense for cattle feeders who sell their cattle on a carcass weight basis rather than a live weight basis. This is because of the high percentage of weight gain in the form of carcass weight toward the end of the feeding period, Crawford said.
Also, extending days can be risky when selling cattle on a grid basis. Though extending days may be advantageous for increasing premium quality grades like Prime and Certified Angus Beef, it will likely also increase potential carcass discounts such as Yield Grades 4 and 5 and overweight carcasses.
Heifers versus steers also can make a difference. Heifers are earlier maturing and therefore may realize carcass discounts - Yield Grades 4 and 5 especially - earlier than steers. They’re also less efficient than steers.
While current market dynamics allow producers this opportunity, changes in those dynamics of higher feed prices and lower fed and/or feeder cattle prices, the opportunity to extend days-on-feed may diminish.
Producers interested in learning more about how more days on feed could work in their operation can compare past similar groups, Crawford said. Finished weights and carcass weights at typical days-on-feed, feed intakes at heavy weights, and carcass characteristics are important to know. It also is important to know how often the producer sees late-term deads or morbidities, as this can vary greatly across feedlots.
Bottom line, Crawford said, is it’s important to be pragmatic.
“’One in the hand vs two in the bush’ is fitting here, because there definitely is risk in feeding cattle longer,” he said. “For example, larger cattle can be hard on pens, fences, and feeders. Any death loss in market-ready fed cattle is expensive. Weather can also play a major factor and any potential gains can easily be offset by mud, heat stress, cold stress, etc.
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The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University was established in 1996 with the goal of supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s beef cattle industry. It comprises faculty and staff from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and works to develop and deliver the latest research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information about IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org.
Contact:
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Beef Center, 515-294-4496, shoyer@iastate.edu
