When should I sell stocker cattle?

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.

What is a stocker cattle operation?

In a stocker operation, cattle are obtained that can range from 200-650 lb. with the ultimate goal of providing a consistent pen of cattle to be sold to the next stage of the production line — the feedlot operation.

How many acres do you need for a stocker calf?

Calves need to be stocked at 1 to 1.5 acres per calf during the fall but can be stocked at 2 to 3 calves per acre during the spring. Gain per acre was found to range from 400 to 900 pounds and profits averaged $88/acre.

How long do you keep stocker cattle?

Generally, the longest anyone will own a stocker calf is eight months, but it can be as short as two months. Advantages to managing stocker cattle is the flexibility to respond to changing conditions, such as drought, because it is designed for animals to come and go relatively quickly.

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.

How long do you keep stocker calves?

What do you feed a stocker calf?

Forage sorghum, small grain and grass legume silages work well for wintering calves but are lower in energy than corn silage. It will take about 0.5 pounds of grain per 100 pounds of body weight per head daily in the ration for grass-legume silage or haylage to give similar rates of gain to a full feed of corn silage.

Can you make money on stocker calves?

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.