Effects of dry or wet conditions during the preweaning phase on subsequent feedlot performance and carcass composition of beef cattle

Abstract Our objective was to determine the effects of dry and wet conditions during the preweaning on subsequent feedlot performance and carcass characteristics of beef cattle. Steers (n = 7,432) and heifers (n = 2,361) finished in 16 feedlots in southwestern Iowa through the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity Cooperative were used for a retrospective analysis. Cattle originated in the Midwest (Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota) and were born in February, March, or April of 2002 through 2013. Feedlot performance and carcass composition data were obtained for each animal. Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) values were obtained for each animal’s preweaning environment on a monthly basis. Mean PDSI values were used to classify conditions as dry (≤−2.0), normal (>−2.0 and