NCBA Carcass Merit Project

Waukaru & the NCBA Carcass Merit Project

At Waukaru, we continue to strive towards our goal of producing mainstream cattle that are documented. On June 8th, 1999, we made a big step to that end. Thru the NCBA Carcass Merit Project, 35 steers finished their feeding trial and were harvested with complete carcass data collected. We had arranged with the Sheets Family of Shadeland, IN to produce a set of Copperfield calves as well as High Five calves as a reference sire group. All 20 Copperfield steers plus the 5 High Five calves were put on feed test after weaning. They were an impressive set of calves out of a black based set of cows. The steers averaged 636# at approximately 220 days of age. According to Rex Sheets, that was a 100# more pay weight than the ones by their black bulls. Then 5 Irish Mark and 5 Gold Spear purebred steers were added.
The 35 total steers gained an average of 3.63 # for the 198 day feed period with a feed conversion of only 5.81 pounds of feed per pound of gain. That made feed cost/lb. gain a low 32 cents while the nation was averaging 42 cents at that time.

Table I shows the excellent carcass results that followed, 94% graded choice or prime, 97% were yield grade 1,2,or 3's.

Table II shows the data from the 1998 Indiana Beef Evaluation Feedout Program compared to Waukaru steers. This trial is of Indiana produced steers representing Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, Limousin, Maine Anjou, Gelbvieh & Chiangus steers.

This data will all enter into Carcass EPD analysis and will document the strengths of our sires. We do know that the Copperfield calves had 1.7 sq in more rib eye and substantial more retail product / days of age before any adjustments were made.
In Augaust 2000, a set of eleven steers sold "on the grid" at IBP Joslin, IL: 100% graded CHOICE< 100% were yield grade 1, 2, or the lower half of 3! That means 100% of Waukaru steers hit the target, while less than 25% of Black steers on average hit that target nationally.
In September 2000, ninety-three calves by Coppperfield & Eagle 192nd hit the ground at Kimball International in Sturgis, KY, destined for feedout trials at North Platte, Nebraska and NCBA tenderness gene mapping. They are a uniform example of the predominately solid black calves you will get from a cross with Waukaru RED Shorthorn bulls.