Is there money in stocker cattle?
Stocker cattle represent a great opportunity to turn forages into profit for the savvy cattleman. Stocker calves represent a lot of potential gain, but also a lot of potential loss. The keys to a successful stocker program lie in pasture management, cost control and animal management.
What is a stocker in the cattle industry?
In the broadest sense, stocker cattle are animals to which producers can add value. Most often, the term “stocker cattle” refers to 300- to 900-pound calves grazed on pastures after being weaned. Generally, the longest anyone will own a stocker calf is eight months, but it can be as short as two months.
Can you make money on stocker calves?
In a 150-day stocker program, calves might gain 2-3 lbs./day for the first 90 days and less than 1 lb./day for the last 60 days. You made money the first three months and lost money the final two. Most stocker graziers just get a beginning and ending weight and don’t know when the gain occurred.
What can I feed stocker cattle?
To make full-feeding of stockers economically sensible, besides having the necessary facilities, Sawyer emphasizes you’ve got to be flexible. “I can get 2.4 lbs. of gain with a ration consisting of 50% alfalfa, 40% corn and 10% cottonseed meal.
Which is more profitable cow/calf or stocker?
His results suggest that stockers are less profitable, on average, than cow-calf-yearling. (2010) indicated a profit potential for some stocker cattle systems in California, but not all. The narrow margin between purchase and sale prices (the buy-sell margin) is often a significant risk for stocker operations.
When should I sell stocker cattle?
spring
Purchasing calves (stockers) in spring and selling them in the fall as feeder cattle may be a way to convert pasture to profit for those with a surplus of grass but not a lot of facilities. But managing pasture, animals, costs, and markets plays a key role in determining the level of profit producers can expect.
How much does a feeder calf cost?
As most cattle producers know, feeder calf prices per pound almost always decreases as weight increases. Alternatively, when feeder steer prices are expressed as dollars per head, the 300-pound feeder steer price was the lowest at $501 per head. The highest price was $861 per head for the 700-pound feeder steer.
What is the difference between stocker and feeder cattle?
Stockers Refers to weaned calves grazing pasture to enhance growth prior to finishing and slaughter; they are usually younger, weigh less, and are of lower condition (finish) than “feeders.” Slaughter Cattle Refers to cattle grazing on pasture and suitable for slaughter.
What do you feed a 400 pound calf?
A full feed of good-quality corn silage supplemented with protein, minerals and Vitamin A will produce from 1.5 to 1.8 pounds of daily gain on a 400- to 500-pound calf. Some grain additions will usually be needed to get 2.0 pounds daily gain.
How do stocker operations work?
Stocker operations look for “bargain” cattle, put weight on them and then sell them to a feedlot for finishing, according to Dale Blasi, a professor/extension specialist at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit. The school’s 1,120 acres of native warm season grass is divided into 20 paddocks.
