Backgrounding

There are many types of backgrounding or growing systems for beef cattle.  Backgrounding operations’s objectives are to grow young/lightweight cattle to prepare for summer pasture or feedlot finishing.  The most common system in Wisconsin is to use high-forage diets to grow cattle from 1 – 2 lb/day through the winter.

• Preconditioning Fact Sheet (pdf)
• Preconditioning Record Sheet (pdf)
• Feeding Management for Backgrounders, North Dakota State Extension (pdf)
• Backgrounding calves in Wisconsin , when the grass is not green (pdf)
• Systems for backgrounding cattle

Stocker

Stocker operations are to prepare young/lightweight cattle for feedlot finishing and this is most commonly done on summer pasture in Wisconsin.

• Stocker Enterprise Budgets for Grass-based Systems
• Grazing Resources and Research
• Grass Clippings Newsletter
• Team Forage
• Team Forage Pasture Management and Grazing Resources
• Forage Research and Extension
• Dodge County Tested Hay Sales

UW Extension Decision Tools and Software

• UW Extension Stocker Budget (xls) 02-01-17 for use with pasture based programs
• UW Extension Feedlot Enterprise Budget (xls) 04-29-19- for use for drylot based programs
• Feedlot Yardage Calculator (xls) 04-29-19
• Annual Forage Costs Calculator (xls)
• Estimating Hay Usage Calculator (xls)
• Breakeven Calculator (xls)