A study of crossbred steers at an Olds College feedlot in Alberta has shown that the Belgian Blue was the most profitable of the 18 beef breeds on test. The five Belgian Blues had an average profit margin of $297.94 per head. Limousins finished second with Charolais third. One breed actually lost money.

 

            The cattle were slaughtered by XL Meats and Cargill, with a few slaughtered at the college.

            “Cattlemen can talk about performance and carcass quality, both of which are important,” says Ken Miller, president of the Canadian Belgian Blue Association and a Saskatchewan cattleman, “but the real test is whether or not they can make you money”.

 

            Twenty-two factors were used to test performance and determine cost. They ranged from feed conversion to the cost of feed and the cost of ultrasound. The purchase price of a Belgian Blue stocker weighing 709 pounds and brought in for the test was estimated at $868.14.

 

            Blues on the test gained 3.75 pounds per day, with a feed efficiency of 1 to 5.7 and a dressed weight of 850.8 pounds. Marbling was rated AA or A. Olds’ figures show that while Blues never dominated in any area they performed well across the board.

 

            While the Blue is noted for its leanness and brings a premium on those markets, Miller says he uses them with commercial Angus cattle for terminal crosses. “The market demands marbling. The Belgian Blue and Angus give both size and marbling.”

 

            In dairy areas of Ontario, terminals crossed have been used successfully with Holsteins.

Research by L.V. Cundiff et al, US Department of Agriculture, indicates that Belgian Blues and Piedmontese terminal crosses provided five to nine percent more retail meat. Palatability ranked high.

 

            The cattle on the Olds College test were brought in during the early part of November with the first group of animals shipped to XL Meats on March 7. Steers were gradually bumped up to a 75 percent barley, 21 percent silage, 4 percent supplement ration. They remained on that ration for the duration of the trial.

 

For Further information contact:

Canadian Belgian Blue Association                            Trevor Hamilton

Box 392, Avonlea SK S0H 0C0                                  Olds College, Steer a Year

Tel/Fax 1-306-868-4903                                            Coordinator

E-mail: kejab@sk.sympatico.ca                                  Tel 1-403-556-8320