Backgrounding

[Central Fl Cracker]

Being new to the cattle biz and since me and my Brother just run a cow/calf operations what is backgrounding. We have plenty of land and would like to get some info on a setup for backgrounding. I know the basics I think but unsure about the cost and returns.

 

[dun]

Backgrounding is basiclly the feeding of concentrats to get calves ready for the feedlot. If you have the high quality forage you can run the claves on that till they're in the 750-800 range instead of the feeding part. But that isn;t backgrounding, that's stocker(ing).
Our backgrounder charges 25 cents a day plus feed costs, but that may go to 35 cents this year. Feed costs have run anywhere from 46-58 cents a pound. The pounds of feed are calculated using some university (maybe perdue) formula for feed vs gain.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

How many days plus + or minus does it take a 300lb steer to get to 700 lb's if they are on grass versus grain.

Last weeks marker report
310 lb steers @1.14 = $353
713 lb steer @ .81 = $577
A dollar gain of $224
lb gain of 403 lbs
what would be the cost of gain gained on past experience and could you dry lot them and background them?

 

[dun]

I won;t send anythign to the backgorunders that isn;t at 600 lbs. so I have no idea on the cost of light weights.

 

[Brute 23]

I am in the same predicament right now.

 

[Stocker Steve]

How many days plus + or minus does it take a 300lb steer to get to 700 lb's if they are on grass versus grain.

It depends:
1) pretty easy to do 2.5#/day with a lot of grain
2) pretty easy to do 1.5#/day with good hay and a little grain
3) wide range from 0 to 1.2#/day on grass unless you have rye or some other high energy spring forage...

The pencil pushers point out you do not make money backgrounding at low rates of gain because the fixed cost of maintenance and facilities and labor just eat you up. The people I work with don't worry about fixed costs. They focus on making a low cost ration with a lot of local by products.