Implant Strategies

ANS 426

Implants

Perhaps the most studied beef management tool on the planet

Effects on performance well understood

Carcass quality effects are a byproduct of performance studies

Implants Now Available for Cattle EB20/PROG200 Synovex-S, Component E-S

EB20/TEST200 Synovex-H, Component E-H E 25.7 Compudose, E 45 Encore TBA 140 Component T-S, Finaplix-S ; TBA 200 Finaplix-H,

Component T-H E24/TBA120 Revalor-S, Component TE-S, Synovex T120 E14/TBA140 Revalor-H, Component TE-H E28/TBA200 Synovex Plus E20/TBA200 Revalor-200, Component TE-200 Z36 Ralgro, Z72 Magnum EB10/PROG 100 Synovex-C, Component E-C E8/TBA 40 Revalor-G, Component TE-G, Synovex T40 E16/TBA80 Revalor-IS, Component TE-IS, Synovex T80 E8/TBA80 Revalor-IH, Component TE-IH E10/TBA100 Synovex Choice E40/TBA200 Revalor-XS

32 Implants differing in: Delivery system -

payout duration Active ingredient Potency

How Implants Work

MUSCLE

Pituitary

Protein synthesis

Protein breakdown

Growth hormone

ESTROGENS

ANDROGENS

X

Beta agonists

Implants by active ingredient and potency

Low potency estrogen Ralgro, Synovex-C, Component E-C

Low potency combination Revalor-G, Component TE-G,

Moderate potency estrogen Magnum, Synovex-S, Synovex-H,

Component E-S, Component E-H, Compudose, Encore

Implants by active ingredient and potency

Moderate potency androgen Finaplix-H, Component T-H, Component T-S, Finaplix-S

Moderate potency combination Revalor-IS, Revalor-IH, Synovex Choice, Component

TE-IS, Component TE-IH, High potency combination

Revalor-S, Revalor-H, Component TE-S, Component TE-H, Revalor-200, Component TE-200 , Synovex Plus, Revalor-XS

Implants Improve rate and efficiency of weight

gain Have greater response in animals that

have genetic potential and proper nutrition CP of diet important

Will not compensate for poor management

Implanting Implanting castrated calves recovers

the weight gain lost from castrating Hormone replacement therapy

Bull calves are often discounted at the sale barn

Therefore implanting adds value while avoiding discounts for intact males

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Designing an implant strategy The last implant before you market the cattle is

the most important Market at weaning

calfhood implant will add 20-30 lb. to weaning weight (low dose estrogen)

Market after backgrounding weaning implant will improve ADG 10-12%, F/G 7-

8% (mod dose estrogen) Stocker cattle

moderate dose estrogen or low dose combination

Are there ever reasons not to implant stocker and feeder calves?

If gains are low(<1 lb/d) 10% of 0.5 lbs is 0.05 lbs/d

Niche marketing strategy such as "natural" beef

When calves are sold based on carcass quality grade

Strategies Thumb rule: The most important

implant is the one used the last 100 days of ownership Cow-calf -- calfhood implant Background --weaning implant Stocker -- turnout implant Feedlot -- terminal or reimplant

Implanted replacement heifers Will have reduced reproductive performance? Depend on many factors

age at implanting plane of nutrition after implanting type of implant used

Implanted at or near birth have been reduced pregnancy rates by as much as 40 percent.

Estrogen and progesterone caused their uterus at 15 months of age to be lighter, less muscular, and to have a thinner lining (endometrium).

Implanted replacement heifers Implanting older heifer calves has not necessarily resulted in

the same severe decrease in fertility as those implanted at or near birth.

Heifers implanted once between 1 and 14 months no decrease in pregnancy percentages if they were fed to gain 1.1

to 1.25 pounds per day. if the nutrition is not adequate to support this moderate rate of

growth, pregnancy rates have been decreased by as much as 42 percent.

Some studies have shown that implanting heifers may delay the occurrence of their first heat by one or two 21-day cycles.

Is implanting economically justified in heifers? Example

100-cow herd 85 calves are weaned 42 are heifers 22 to be kept as replacements

How much extra income would you receive if you implanted all the heifers? Extra gain15 lbs per heifer ($1.00 per lb) Implant cost $1.25 per hd

Bottom line on implanting replacement heifers If replacement heifers are selected before implanting, implant

only the ones to be sold as feeders at weaning. If backgrounding all calves then just implant at weaning and

only implant those to be sold as feeders If replacement heifers are not selected before implanting

Make sure heifers are implanted only if old enough (45 days of age for Synovex C; 30 days of age for Ralgro).

Do not re-implant replacement heifers since this will reduce their fertility. Insure nutrition is adequate to support growth rates of at least 1.2 lb/d.

Never implant breeding bulls. This can cause permanent damage to their testicles.

Are there ever problems with implanting and re-implanting feeder heifers?

If heifers are implanted with an estrogenic hormone shortly before weaning, and re-implanted with an estrogenic implant shortly after weaning, "estrogen stacking" may occur.

Incidence of "bullers" may rise. "Bullers" are calves which are continually

ridden by their pen or pasture mates, resulting in injury and even death.

Using androgenic implant will can avoid the buller effect

Implanting strategies for the feedlot

The implant should be payed out by the time they go to the packer. Never re-implant animals before the previous implant is payed out

Response to Implants(Younger Steers)

Comparison of Estrogen reimplant (E/E), Combination reimplant (ET/ET) and delayed implant (C/ET) vs Controls

Equally treated comparisons as part of a 7-trial ISU summary

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

E/E ET/ET C/ET

ADGF/G

Response to Implants (Yearling Steers) Comparison of Estrogen

(E), Estrogen Reimplant (E/E), Combination (ET) and Combination reimplant(ET/ET) vs controls

Equally treated comparisons as part of a 7-trial ISU summary

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

E

E/E ET

ET/ET

ADG

F/G

How much gain is 20% if gaining 3.5lbs/d for 100 days?

Return for feedlot producers $5 return above the cost of the implant can be

expected for each $1 price of a bushel of corn.

Adding androgen to an estrogen implant system will return an additional $2 above the cost of the implant for each $1 price of a bushel of corn.

If corn cost $5/bu An estrogenic implant return would =$25

Combination would return would =$35

The Normal Growth Curve

Managementfor more rapidgrowth changesthe shape

Muscle Growth

Fat Growth

Weight at 28% Body FatFrame Size

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Steer 882 954 1029 1102 1175 1250 1322 1395 1470

Heifer 705 763 824 882 939 1001 1058 1115 1177

Implants as a Growth Management Tool Importance will increase with “Value-based”

MarketingAggressive Implant Programs for:

Early-maturing, small ribeye, small carcasses Calf-fed British, heifers

No implant for: Super-large, older cattle Potential over 900# carcasses

Implant timing may be the most important decision

Effect of Implants on Performance and Marbling (50+ Trial Summary)

None Estrogen E/TBA

Initial Wt 780 776 784

Final Wt 1153 1216 1238

ADG 2.88 3.39 3.56

F/G 6.81 6.26 6.03

%Ch/Pr 64 56 54

DiCostanzo, U. of Minn

Cost of Gain with Low Feed ($85/T) and High Feed ($240/T)

None Estrogen E/TBA

Feed COG Low Feed

$29 $27 $26

Feed COG High Feed

$82 $75 $72

Total COG Low Feed

$43 $39 $37

Total COG High Feed

$96 $87 $83

Select Discount ($ per head)Estrogen E/TBA 20% lower

percent Choice

Low spread ($5)

$3 $4 $8

High spread ($20

$12 $16 $31

Return to Implants with Variable Feed Prices and Select Discounts

-$10.00

$0.00

$10.00

$20.00

$30.00

$40.00

$50.00

$60.00

Estrogen E/ TBA QG wreck

Lo Feed-Lo QGLo Feed-Hi QGHi Feed-Hi QGHi Feed-Lo QG