The Brangus Value Project

Everyone knows the value of a Brangus cow. The Brangus Value Project tests the value of Brangus steers.

Ninety research steers sired by five widelyused Brangus and Ultrablack sires were fed and harvested in southwest Kansas in the winter/spring of 2022.

Performance was compared against a southwest KS benchmark of same-weight steers placed on feed at the same time.

The steers were sold on a carcass merit grid.

The results didn’t surprise us because we look at Brangus data every day. But, some people may not realize what modern Brangus and Ultrablack cattle can do beyond the ranch gate.

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Payweight

Steers finished at 1449lbs and yielded well to produce average carcass weight of 936lbs.

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When sold on a carcass merit grid, they netted $64/head premium over the prevailing live price.

fEfficient Payweight yDelicious Payweight lRound 1

On 700lbs of feedlot gain, they gained 3.94lbs/day compared to southwest KS benchmark steers at 3.16. They converted feed 1/2lb per pound of gain better than the benchmark, netting $52/head in feed savings.

91% graded Choice or Prime, with over 50% grading Premium Choice or better. When tested for tenderness at a university lab, 95% tested Very Tender or Tender, with the vast majority Very Tender.

Tested 5 sires. Data is on the books.

The Brangus Value Project is on-going and we will continue to invest in it. i Round 2 7 sires represented. Steers are on feed.

RRound 3 6 sires represented. Calves on the ground.

PRound 4 Selecting Sires, Preparing to AI 800-1000 cows.

The Brangus Value Project is a highly structured birth-to-beef progeny test managed by IBBA and funded by breeders like us who invest through the International Brangus Breeders Foundation.

Randomizied mating of commercial cows and whole-life structured contemporary grouping results in very high quality data that flows into the genetic evaluation of Brangus.