This is my 2nd year doing this and my plan is running them from mid April to around Labor day or Oct 1. I will not feed them except to get them to come when up to the corral. They will gain what they gain on grass, last year I ran heifers and they gained around 2.1 lbs. a day. I buy from people I know, they are fully weaned, vaccinated & wormed. They are ready to turn out and yes I will pay a little premium for that but it's worth it to me and works out in the end. Last year I ran two different groups that totaled 21 heifers and did well, right now I only got 11 steers. My plan next year is to buy a group of at least 20 steers and within 2-3 years be buying enough for a load to sell in late Summer or early Fall. I have full working facilities I built so I can doctor, worm or anything I need to do. Right now the people that live at the farm I use have very well trained horses and when I get them up they do it on the horses and it's too easy, I just sit and watch.
Forgot to add,
I usually buy 5-6 wts. I also bought 4 really nice steers that to sell for freezer beef ans they were already around 750 lb. avg.