Impact of Cow Size on Cow-Calf and Subsequent Steer Feedlot Performance

This study retrospectively evaluated the effect of cow size on cow-calf performance and post-weaning steer feedlot performance of cows at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, Whitman. Cows were categorized at small, medium, or moderate within cow age from 13 years of data. Small cows had decreased reproductive performance, weaned smaller calves, and produced steer progeny with smaller carcass weights. In this dataset and under the environmental and management conditions at Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, overall productivity of the cowherd decreased as cow size decreased with 1,150 to 1,200 lb cow being the most productive cow size