STAVELY, Alta. — Pennies add up to big dollars in the feedlot business.
At Leighton Kolk’s 15,000-head feedlot near Picture Butte, Alta., one penny saved on cost of gain, at 3.1 pounds per day, 365 days a year on 10,000 head, could mean an additional $113,000 per year.
Kolk talked about his approach to feedlot information management Aug. 26 at an Alberta Agriculture sponsored session and tour focusing on data collection and genomics.
“For our little operation, one penny cost of gain per pound, and we do 3.1 lb. a day through the whole population, if I can change one penny, which isn’t that hard to do if you pay attention to your rolling quality, your bunk management, your vaccination protocol, your hiring policy, whatever … If we stay full, 10,000 head at the home yard for 365 days, that pays somebody’s wages and then some. It’s the power of the little things.”
Read Also
Alberta cattle loan guarantee program gets 50 per cent increase
Alberta government comes to aid of beef industry with 50 per cent increase to loan guarantee program to help producers.
Kolk uses several data collection programs, including one developed locally called Athena, to track animals from their arrival as feeders to their departure as fats.
Information is gathered on vaccinations and implants, treatments, nutrition and health. Grid marketing is the focus, with efforts made to reduce any discounts from overweight cattle, dark cutters and those older than 30 months.
The feedlot also seeks to attain any available premiums, such as those for Triple A or Sterling Silver programs.
“If they like it, they’re going to pay more money,” said Kolk.
He markets most of the animals to Cargill, which provides carcass data on every animal shipped. That allows the feedlot to measure its success and make changes where necessary.
Carcass quality is addressed through improved pen flooring, more bedding to reduce hide tag, attention to animal welfare and emphasis on low-stress handling.
“We’re really kind of into low stress handling of cattle,” he said.
“We use as much cattle psychology as we can.”
Experts on handling are brought in once a year to provide a refresher to the feedlot’s 20 employees.
Emphasis on proper handling also extends to the trucking personnel.
“We have a couple of our own trucks, but we’ve also trained people that haul from us,” he said.
“We’ve spent all this time. We’re not going to send them stressed and bruised and freaked out on the last day.”
A review with employees and the veterinarian is also done each year before the fall calf run to examine mortality and illness in last year’s animals and seek improvements.
Kolk said a program through Elanco allows him to compare his animal health data with other feedlots in the area to see if certain illnesses or conditions are more or less prevalent in his feedlot.
