Stocker cattle relates to - cost, and - gain

By MANDY SPIKES | Central Texas Edition

June 26, 2003 -- In the early 1970's, small quantities of feed was used to supplement grazing immature cattle, also called stocker cattle. The purpose of this was to evaluate the effects of feed and forage efficiency and to enhance individual animal gains on war-season perennial grasses.

Because of this, stocker cattle are expected to increase weight, usually at a lower rate than their genetic potential for gain, at a low cost over a relatively long time preceding a finishing period into the feedlot. This stocker period may correspond with or include a preconditioning program, which is specifically to prepare the growing cattle to thrive when placed in the feedlot. The structure of the stocker program depends on the available forage resources, which dictate type of cattle, period of grazing, and feeding program.

At the 40th Stiles Farm Field Day, which took place June 17 in Thrall, Dr. Larry Boleman, associate department head, professor and Extension program leader for animal science, discussed the stocker cattle program.

"When you talk about stocker cattle you get into the buying aspect of it. Having a stocker operation means putting together cattle to start feeding on a certain type of grass. This is a type of management system to make the cattle both bigger and cheaper."

Boleman gave two ideas to think about when dealing with stocker cattle. They are the cost of the cattle and the gain to sell. "When dealing with cost you need to consider the weight, horns, medical conditions, and the sex of the cow. There is a cost difference when selling a heifer, a steer, or a bull."

He said to also start looking at the age and the build of the cow. "You must look at the genetic potential of each cow, both where it is at and where it could be.

"Muscle scores are very important on the price of these cattle. There are four categories of feeder cattle. A muscle score of one has a heavy build and is better than a muscle score of four, which is low muscle."

In relation to age, he stated that frame is important. The frame is measured at the hip. "A large frame has the highest gain and a small frame has the poorest gain. The reason frame size influences price is because it's related to the cow's performance.

"What you don't see labeled on the animals, and it's just as important, is the grade. The quality of grade has to do with the satisfaction of the beef in a restaurant. Prime grade goes for the highest amount, then comes choice, select, and finally standard."

He stated that the qualities on British breeds include average muscle, very tender beef, they put on more fat, and a lot of them will marble. Continental cattle's qualities are they have a lot of muscle, less fat, bigger ribeye, and they are not as tender.