Olds College Steer-A-Year Project
1983/84 to 1996/97
Russel Horvey, Delburne, Alberta, Canada 

Presentation Outline
 
Background Olds Steer-A-Year Project 
Summary of Breeds Involved & Number of Years Involved 
ADG of Galloways and Other Breeds 
lbs. of Feed per lbs. of Gain, Galloways & Other Breeds 
Costs per Pound of Gain, Galloways & Other Breeds 
Days on Feed, Galloways & Other Breeds 
Slaughter Weight, Galloways & Other Breeds 
Carcass Weight, Galloways & Other Breeds 
Summary

Background
 
Project started in 1983/84 
Provides students with "hands on" experience in 
     "Livestock Production." 
5 Galloway Steers donated by the Alberta Galloway Association in 1983 
Started with 3 breeds: 
       5 Galloway steers 
       5 Charolais heifers 
     10 Angus/Hereford cross steers 
5 steers per breed penned separately 
Each pen fed separately, except 1992/93 
Animal slaughtered when ready/finished, all years 
       but 1988/89, 1989/90 
Finishing ration, 80% grain/concentrate and 
       20% cereal silage 
14 years, 18 breeds, 131 breed years, 651 animals 
       (9 death losses, .014%)

Breeds Involved (# of years)
 
Galloway 14 Gelbvieh 7
Blonde D'Aquitane 13 Piedmontese 7
Salers 13 South Devon 5
Simmental 13 Hereford 3**
Pinzgauer 12 Black Angus 2**
Charolais 11* Belgian Blue 1
Limousin   9 Holstein 1
Maine Anjou   8 Murray Grey 1
Shorthorn   8 Longhorn 1
*5 Charolais/Herefords 1983/84 **Hereford/Angus St's 1983/84
 
Average Daily Gain (lbs/day)
 
Galloways, highest gaining breed, 
first year, 1983/84
3.71 lbs/day
Galloways, highest gaining breed, 
last year, 1996/97
3.77 lbs/day
Galloways outgained Blonde D'Aquitane 9 out of 13 years
Galloways outgained Charolais 7 out of 11 years
Galloways outgained Limousin 5 out of   9 years
Galloways outgained Piedmontese 6 out of   7 years
Galloways outgained Salers 8 out of 13 years
Galloways outgained Simmental 7 out of 13 years
Galloways, ADG 3.08, average of 14 years 4 out of 11 breeds


Average Daily Gain (lbs/day)
 
Maine Anjou 3.18   8 Angus/Hereford 3.44   1
Charolais 3.14 11 Angus 3.20   2
Gelbvieh 3.10   7 Belgian Blue 3.23   1
Galloway 3.08 14 Murray Grey 3.23   1
Pinzgauer 3.02 12 South Devon 3.21   5
Simmental 3.00 13 Hereford 2.77   3
Limousin 2.96   9 Char/Hereford 2.56   1
Saler 2.94 13 Holstein 2.55   1
Shorthorn 2.91   8 Longhorn 2.16   1
Blonde D'Aquitane 2.90 13      
Piedmontese 2.77   7 Average (20) 3.01   
 

Pounds of feed/pound of gain
 
Blonde D'Aquitane 6.19 10 Piedmontese 6.26   6
Galloway 6.23 10 Angus 6.34   2
Charolais 6.30   8 Murray Grey 6.37   1
Saler 6.44 10 Gelbvieh 6.39   6
Limousin 6.45   7 South Devon 6.93   4
Pinzgauer 6.55 10 Belgian Blue 6.93   1
Maine Anjou 6.55   7 Hereford 7.11   2
Shorthorn 6.85   8 Longhorn 7.20   1
Simmental 6.98 10 Holstein 8.60   1
         Average (18)  6.70   
 

Cost/pound of gain
cdn. $/lb (years)
 
Galloway .329 10 Hereford .221   1
Saler .334 10 Limousin .277   7*
Pinzgauer .340 10 Gelbvieh .323   6*
Blonde D'Aquitane .345 10 Maine Anjou .358   7
Charolais .365   8 Piedmontese .377   6
Simmental .382 10 South Devon .435   4
Shorthorn .396   8 Murray Grey .510   1
Average (16) .388   Angus .550   2
*Not in hi cost years     Belgian Blue .670   1


Days on Feed
(November to May)
 
Galloway 139.8 11 Longhorn 131.0   1
Simmental 150.0 11 Murray Grey 138.8   1
Blonde D'Aquitane 151.1 11 Hereford 141.0   3
Charolais 152.7   9 South Devon 142.4   5
Pinzgauer 153.8   9 Belgian Blue 143.8   1
Saler 154.3 11 Angus 144.7   2
Maine 158.6   7 Shorthorn 150.7   6
Limousin 161.2   8 Gelbvieh 163.1   6
Piedmontese 168.0   7 Holstein 172.0   1
      Average (18 breeds) 150.1  
 

Slaughter Weight (lbs)
 
Galloway 1112 10 Longhorn   851   1
Shorthorn 1136   8 Murray Grey 1011   1
Piedmontese 1165   7 Hereford 1118   1
Limousin 1192   7 Angus 1132   2
Pinzgauer 1198 10 South Devon 1201   5
Blonde D'Aquitane 1209 10 Holstein 1215   1
Maine Anjou 1223   8 Belgian Blue 1222   1
Charolais 1228   8      
Simmental 1245 10      
Gelbvieh 1249   7 Average (18 breeds) 11260  


Carcass Weight (lbs)
 
Galloway 607.7 13 Longhorn 448.6   1
Shorthorn 619.0   8 Angus/Hereford 535.0   1
Pinzgauer 650.4   7 Murray Grey 542.7   1
Saler 666.2 12 Charolais/Hereford 569.2   1
Piedmontese 669.3   7 Hereford 584.5   2
Charolais 677.7 12 Angus 616.1   2
Simmental 684.2 12 Holstein 646.6   1
Maine Anjou 686.6   8 South Devon 669.6   5
Blonde D'Aquitane 693.4 12 Belgian Blue 701.1   1
Gelbvieh 701.2   7      
Limousin 708.0   7 Average (20 breeds) 633.9  


Summary
 
Average daily gain Galloway 3.08 ranked 4 of 11 breeds
Feed per pound of gain Galloway 6.23 ranked 2 of   9 breeds
Cost per pound of gain Galloway .329 ranked 1 of   7 breeds
Days on feed Galloway 139.7 days

ranked 1 of   8 breeds

Slaughter weight Galloway 1112 lbs. ranked 1 of 11 breeds
Carcass weight Galloway 607.7 lbs. ranked 1 of 11 breeds
Galloways for a maternal breed are competing well with the feedlot breeds.
 
 

Presentation at International Galloway Congress
Calgary, Alberta,Canada
July, 1997