Contact: Anna Hastert, Director of Communications,Iowa Cattlemen's Association, 515-296-2266
Pictured (left to right): Neal and Lydia Grant
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) recently announced the results of its 2022 Carcass Challenge.
Founded in 2010, ICA’s Carcass Challenge was created to showcase beef cattle genetics, feedyard management, and modern technology. Furthermore, Iowa’s only statewide fed-beef competition seeks to highlight continuous improvements within the cattle industry and provide cattlemen with a measurement of maximum cattle efficiency, carcass value, and net revenue of each steer.
In November, 73 steers averaging 770 pounds were delivered to Sieren Beef, located near Harper, Iowa. Mitch Sieren, of Sieren Beef, fed out the group. At time of harvest, the group averaged 1,344 pounds after 191-days on feed.
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association recognized the top 10 percent of steers based on the Retail Value Per Day on Feed (RVDoF), which highlights the profitability of a carcass. Carcass Challenge donors and participants were recognized on Wednesday, June 1 at the Carcass Challenge Banquet. Tanner Lawton, ICA director of field services, provided the following remarks at Wednesday’s event:
“This program showcases cattle in Iowa. It also teaches us what our livestock are doing, and how they are changing, adapting and growing. The data you are going to see talks about the cattle we are raising and the quality of (cattle) we have.”
This year’s champion steer had an RVDoF of $7.43. Steer 43 was donated by Lubben White Oak Farms and Devenish Nutrition, and bred by Dave Lubben.
Our second place steer had an RVDoF of $7.31. Steer 61 was donated by Sterling Cattle Co. and bred by Allan Johnson.
The third place steer, with a RVDoF of $7.17, was steer 73. Steer 73 was donated by Manco Farms and Animat, and bred by Manco Farms.
Steer 15 landed in fourth place with a RVDoF of $6.87. The fourth place steer was donated by Community Bank and Trust, Cole Greiman, and Ross Land & Cattle, and bred by Doug Schroeder.
In fifth place, steer 55 had a RVDoF of $6.70. The steer was donated by Renew Ag Supply and Iowa Gold, and bred by Beth Baudler, Jason Christensen, and Baudler Farms.
Coming in sixth place was steer 41 with a RVDoF of $6.63 donated by Kossuth County Cattlemen and JD Morris, and bred by JD Morris.
Seventh place went to steer 20 with a RVDoF of $6.62, donated by Dan Delaney and Dennis Clarahan, and bred by Dennis Clarahan.
Other awards included: largest ribeye, high marbling, chef’s choice, and highest average daily gain. Award recipients are as follows:
The largest ribeye award went to steer 3, donated by Bill’s Volume Sales and Dunlap Livestock Auction. The steer was bred by Lawton Acres - Lawton Simmentals.
Steer 44 had the highest marbling with a score of 730. The steer was donated by Lyon County Cattlemen and VanZee Enterprises, and bred by Meyer Stock Farm.
The chef’s choice award, which recognizes the most economically efficient steer, went to steer 49. The steer was donated by Mosher Angus, Lauritsen Cattle Co., and United Bank of Iowa, and bred by Jim Mosher.
Lastly, the highest average daily gain award went to steer 73, with an ADG of 4.29 pounds per day. The steer was donated by Manco Farms and Animat, and bred by Manco Farms.
A special thank you to our program sponsors: Elanco Animal Health, Allflex, Gregory Feedlots, UltraInsights Processing Lab, Producers Livestock, Critical Insights - Bonnie Larson, Hueber Feeds, Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity, Lee Denzer, and the Animal Health Center in Albia.
Recruitment efforts for next year’s program will begin as soon as July 1, 2022. Interested parties should contact Madyson Thill at 515-296-2266 or [email protected].
About the Iowa Cattlemen's Association: The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association represents nearly 8,000 beef-producing families and associated companies dedicated to the future of Iowa’s beef industry. ICA’s mission is “Grow Iowa’s beef business through advocacy, leadership and education.” www.iacattlemen.org.