A commercial scale evaluation of the effects of post-weaning management system of dairy × beef hybrid steers compared to native beef steers on performance, carcass characteristics, and net returns

Our objective was to determine the effect of calf-fed (<b>CF</b>) or yearling-fed (<b>YF</b>) finishing systems on performance and carcass characteristics of beef × dairy (<b>DB</b>) crossbred steers compared to native beef (<b>NB</b>) steers. The NB steers (<i>n</i> = 160) were acquired from Capitol Land and Livestock in Schwertner, Texas. The DB steers (<i>n</i> = 184) were acquired from 5-Star Dairy in Hart, Texas. The CF (<i>n</i> = 194) steers were transported directly to a commercial feedyard (Buffalo Feeders, Buffalo, OK) from the source. Steers in the YF system (<i>n</i> = 150) were transported to the Marvin Klemme Research Range, near Bessie, OK, to graze mixed grass prairie for 144-d before finishing. At Buffalo Feeders, steers were sorted by finishing system and breed-type into commercial size pens, so each breed-type × system combination were in a single pen. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4 Mixed Procedure (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) with individual steer as the experimental unit. For CF, initial finishing BW did not differ for DB and NB (<i>P </i>= 0.11), while the initial finishing BW of NBYF was greater (<i>P </i>< 0.01) than DBYF due to NBYF steers having greater ADG on pasture. At reimplant, BW of YF steers was greater (<i>P </i>< 0.01) than CF steers. The DBYF steers had the greatest overall ADG (<i>P </i>< 0.01) with NBCF having the least ADG (<i>P </i>< 0.01) with NBYF and DBCF being intermediate. Back-fat thickness (<i>P </i>= 0.03) was greatest in NBCF, and DBYF having the least BFT, while DBCF and NBYF were intermediate. Overall liver abscesses had breed-type (<i>P </i>< 0.01) and finishing system effects (<i>P </i>= 0.01) with DB and YF steers having higher incidence of liver abscesses. Total net return was greatest (<i>P </i>< 0.01) in NBYF followed by DBYF, DBCF, and NBCF, respectively. Grazing beef × dairy steers before feedlot finishing can improve animal performance and certain carcass characteristics, but there is still a high incidence of liver abscesses. Since DB systems had intermediate returns, these animals can be competitive to their NB counterparts, but the higher prevalence of liver abscesses needs to be further researched.