232 Effect of Beef-dairy Cross Breed Description on the Sale Price of Lots of Steer Calves Sold Through Superior Livestock Auction in 2020 Summer Video Sales

Abstract The objective was to determine the effect of beef-dairy cross breed description as compared to Holstein and beef breed descriptions on the sale price of steer calf lots sold through Superior Livestock Auction in 2020 summer video sales. Data were available on 589 lots of weaned steer calves sold via six video auctions during the summer of 2020. Steer lots from the Rocky Mountain/North Central and South Central regions were included in the analysis. All lot characteristics that could be accurately quantified or categorized were used to develop a multiple regression model that evaluated effects of independent factors on sale price using backwards selection. A value of P < 0.05 was used to maintain a factor in the final model. Based upon reported breed descriptions, lots were subsequently categorized into one of five breed groups: 1) English-English cross, 2) English-Continental cross, 3) Brahman influenced, 4) Holstein, and 5) Beef-dairy cross. The mean weight of weaned steer calves was 277.5 ± 60.1 kg. Among weaned steer calf lots, Holstein lots sold for the lowest (P < 0.05) sale price ($113.21/45.36 kg of BW;Table1). Beef-dairy cross lots sold for the second lowest (P < 0.05) sale price ($153.07/45.36 kg of BW), but were only $15.21/45.36 kg of BW below English-English cross. Brahman-influenced lots sold for the third lowest (P < 0.05) sale price ($160.30/45.36 kg of BW). English-Continental cross lots sold for the second greatest (P < 0.05) sale price at $164.01/45.36 kg of BW. English-English cross lots sold for the greatest (P < 0.05) sale price ($168.38/45.36 kg of BW) compared with all other breed descriptions. Beef-dairy cross steer calves were closer in value to beef combinations than to Holstein steer calves.