Not Perfect Yet
People on the Marrs Ranch, Whitewood, S.D., say their cows have a long way to go. They’re not just talking about the trip to distant summer ranges, or finding their way to hay in a blizzard.
They’re talking about imperfections in their 600 commercial Angus cows that others can’t see. You could scarcely find fault in the 20 years of records from feeding their calves. But if you knew every nuance and measured against perfection, you might agree there is still work to be done.
The cattle already gain and convert at rates often starting with a 5, and grade more than 95% Choice with three times the typical Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand acceptance rate. But the Marrs Ranch will find ways to improve them. That’s why the brand honored the family with the 2009 Commercial Commitment to Excellence Award.
Dan and Anna Marrs, with their young son Matthew, represent the cattle specialists on the diversified operation northeast of the Black Hills. It includes older brother Paul, the hay and machinery specialist, along with his wife Linda and their children, and the wisdom and experience of their mother Alice and late father Ray.
In all the years of custom feeding, the Marrs Ranch had not seen much individual carcass data until they began sending yearlings to a standout CAB partner yard, Chappell (Neb.) Feedlot, in 2004.
After building a successful record feeding their cattle, manager Tom Williams nominated his customer for the CAB award using few words “– Marrs cattle excel both in performance and carcass value –” and an added page of data to prove it.
The 2007 calf crop of 260 steers posted an average daily gain (ADG) of 4.55 pounds (lb.) across nearly five months, with a dry-matter conversion rate of 5.9 lb. of feed to gain, 94% Choice and 51% CAB. The 106 heifers culled from replacements were a couple of points back in performance but 68.3% CAB.
Straightbred Angus cattle have allowed the Marrs family to develop just the kind of cows and performance results desired. “Crossbreeding may work for some people, but we know what our Angus cattle can do in the feedlot, as replacement heifers and in our herd,” Marrs says.
“The good beef for a superior dining experience starts on the ranch. You’ve got to know what you produce.”