What exactly does "Feeder Steer" mean?

[Carnivore]

They are all weighing about 825-850 pounds on the RFD-TV auction.

 

[Bullbuyer]

Might want to re-write the question. Not really understanding the issue.

 

[msscamp]

They are all weighing about 825-850 pounds on the RFD-TV auction.

As I understand it, a feeder steer (or heifer) is an animal that weighs between a certain amount (I think the bottom range is somewhere around 800 pounds, but I'm not sure about that) and is sold to a feedlot for fattening and subsequent butcher. Also, as I understand it, feeder heifer's are usually spayed to prevent cycling and the loss of weight that results from cycling.

 

[BlackBaldyMan]

They usually are backgrounded a bit and ready to go into the feedlot to be fed out to finish.

 

[Carnivore]

They usually are backgrounded a bit and ready to go into the feedlot to be fed out to finish.

What does "backgrounded" mean?

 

[DoubleK]

Carnivore

You should share with us the reason for your question. If you are buying a "feeder Heifer" and expect her to be spayed, (I know a Guru said it happens) I do not think this is a practice that the feedlots use.

If your buying an animal of any gender that you are expecting value to be added because of the "feeder" in its name, look out.

I know I call any animal that gets its sole food source is from a feeder (bulk feeder, feed trough, or some other method) is called a "feeder animal"


Dub

 

[dun]

I'm pretty poor at this splainen stuff but here goes.

Backgrounding is a preperation stuff sometimes done to calves before they go to a feedlot as feeders, i.e. gettting fed on a ration that will end up as carcass beef.
Stockers are those that aren't ready for one reason or another to go to the feedlot yet.
Feeders are those that either are on feed or are ready to go on feed in a feedlot/feeding operation to grow them out and finish them to become carcass beef.
Any of these categorys may or may not be or have been or will be implanted with growth promoting implants.
Heifers fall into the same general categorys but stocker heifers may be fed for a period of time to get the growth on them to become breeding heifers. The breeding heifers aren't implanted, some not intended for breeding are implanted.
A feeder heifer is ready to go to the feedlot/feeding operation to be grown out and finsihed to become carcass beef.

Hope that didn;t get too twisted around the axles to make sense

dun

 

[IluvABbeef]

Backgrounding is a process of feeding a low energy diet (mostly forage) to increase the weight of small calves. Its more muscle wieght that is being focused on, or growth, you might say.

We do this on our farm, buying calves from ranches up north, backgrounding them until they are about 18 months of age (average of 850 lbs) then they're sold to a local feeedlot where they're undergoing finishing (feeding high-energy diet of mostly grain and sometimes high-nutrient silage) for about 5-6 days before being trucked to a slaughter plant. And it's feeder steers that we background: we did feeder heifers one year, but I can't remember if they were ever spayed (highly doubt it)

hope this helps.

 

[AngusLimoX]

dun purdy much splained her okey dokey!

Quite often a function of feed requirements. Feedlots often buy at 800 - 900 and take em to 1400 or more. Feed requires less protein and more energy to do that.

Backgrounders take them from 400 - 500 up to 800 - 900.
Feed requires more protein and backgrounder is taking the risk on the animals health/bunk training them etc..

Economy of numbers, different cattle groups different feed requirements.

A lot of the big boys do spay the heifers to stop em from cycling and then they can implant them. I have seen 20$ a head advantage quoted for spaying on arrival at feedlot.

 

[somn]

Backgrounding is a process of feeding a low energy diet (mostly forage) to increase the weight of small calves. Its more muscle wieght that is being focused on, or growth, you might say.

We do this on our farm, buying calves from ranches up north, backgrounding them until they are about 18 months of age (average of 850 lbs) then they're sold to a local feeedlot where they're undergoing finishing (feeding high-energy diet of mostly grain and sometimes high-nutrient silage) for about 5-6 days before being trucked to a slaughter plant. And it's feeder steers that we background: we did feeder heifers one year, but I can't remember if they were ever spayed (highly doubt it)

hope this helps.

Please explain to me how a 18 month old steer only weighs 850 pounds then gets shipped to a feedlot for 5 to 6 days then is slaughtered. Not of that makes sense to me. 5 to 6 days of high energy feed I'm doubting will even replace shrink form relocation.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Backgrounding is a process of feeding a low energy diet (mostly forage) to increase the weight of small calves. Its more muscle wieght that is being focused on, or growth, you might say.

We do this on our farm, buying calves from ranches up north, backgrounding them until they are about 18 months of age (average of 850 lbs) then they're sold to a local feeedlot where they're undergoing finishing (feeding high-energy diet of mostly grain and sometimes high-nutrient silage) for about 5-6 days before being trucked to a slaughter plant. And it's feeder steers that we background: we did feeder heifers one year, but I can't remember if they were ever spayed (highly doubt it)

hope this helps.

Please explain to me how a 18 month old steer only weighs 850
pounds then gets shipped to a feedlot for 5 to 6 days then is slaughtered. Not of that makes sense to me. 5 to 6 days of high energy feed I'm doubting will even replace shrink form relocation.

See, this depends on the types of feed calves:

Light calves (325-495 lbs) are kept on grass/forage for 120-150 more days before backgrounding and finishing, then are slaughtered at 18-24 months

Medium calves (the type we have:495-605 lbs) go through a period of backgrounding before finishing. They are then slaughtered at 14-18 months. (Note: these calves (at least, the ones we've raised) are fed moderate energy diet of timothy/alfalfa/fescue hay, silage barley/silaged alfalfa, pasture grass(timothy, fescue, alfalfa, and another type I can't remember), and grain (barley) too (about 25% of diet). Calves grow fast and gain a lot of weight on good feed! I notice that they really start growing once we put them on pasture for a few months before they are shipped out.)

Heavy calves (605+ lbs) get a high energy finishing diet (75% grain) for approximately 225 days. This is the highest energy diet that can be fed: these animals will grow and fill out at a faster rate than the previous two. These animals are slaughtered at 12-14 months.

The amount of time that cattle are finished depends on the diet that they get at the feedlot. Don't quote me that they are finishing for 5 to 6 days, BTW, because, as I mentioned earlier, it depends in what is in the feed that gets them fattened up sufficently prior to slaughter. And that 850 pounds, that's just an average. We get some animals weighing 1000 pounds going out to the feedlot! BTW, the feedlot is only a few miles away from our place as the crow flies. So there really isn't a worry about our calves losing weight from relocation.

I know, it's a bit longwinded, but I hope that explains it.

 

[somn]

Backgrounding is a process of feeding a low energy diet (mostly forage) to increase the weight of small calves. Its more muscle wieght that is being focused on, or growth, you might say.

We do this on our farm, buying calves from ranches up north, backgrounding them until they are about 18 months of age (average of 850 lbs) then they're sold to a local feeedlot where they're undergoing finishing (feeding high-energy diet of mostly grain and sometimes high-nutrient silage) for about 5-6 days before being trucked to a slaughter plant. And it's feeder steers that we background: we did feeder heifers one year, but I can't remember if they were ever spayed (highly doubt it)

hope this helps.

Please explain to me how a 18 month old steer only weighs 850
pounds then gets shipped to a feedlot for 5 to 6 days then is slaughtered. Not of that makes sense to me. 5 to 6 days of high energy feed I'm doubting will even replace shrink form relocation.

See, this depends on the types of feed calves:

Light calves (325-495 lbs) are kept on grass/forage for 120-150 more days before backgrounding and finishing, then are slaughtered at 18-24 months

Medium calves (the type we have:495-605 lbs) go through a period of backgrounding before finishing. They are then slaughtered at 14-18 months. (Note: these calves (at least, the ones we've raised) are fed moderate energy diet of timothy/alfalfa/fescue hay, silage barley/silaged alfalfa, pasture grass(timothy, fescue, alfalfa, and another type I can't remember), and grain (barley) too (about 25% of diet). Calves grow fast and gain a lot of weight on good feed! I notice that they really start growing once we put them on pasture for a few months before they are shipped out.)

Heavy calves (605+ lbs) get a high energy finishing diet (75% grain) for approximately 225 days. This is the highest energy diet that can be fed: these animals will grow and fill out at a faster rate than the previous two. These animals are slaughtered at 12-14 months.

The amount of time that cattle are finished depends on the diet that they get at the feedlot. Don't quote me that they are finishing for 5 to 6 days, BTW, because, as I mentioned earlier, it depends in what is in the feed that gets them fattened up sufficently prior to slaughter. And that 850 pounds, that's just an average. We get some animals weighing 1000 pounds going out to the feedlot! BTW, the feedlot is only a few miles away from our place as the crow flies. So there really isn't a worry about our calves losing weight from relocation.

I know, it's a bit longwinded, but I hope that explains it.

I own a smaller 2500 head feedlot I know all about the different weights and feeds. That part that confused me was the 18 months old weighing 850 pounds then 5 to 6 days at the feed yard prior to slaughter. I've never fed a steer for that short of a period of time even the lungers that the backgrounders slip in on a load of cattle in live longer than that. But we also like to send the cattle to kill around 1500 pounds. More profit for us anyway everyone runs a feed yard different.

 

[BlackBaldyMan]

Depends on the type of backgrounding, we are feeding a pen that was backgrounded with some pretty hot feed and now not closed to being finished are done and starting to fall off, pretty much ruined them, but USUALLY takes them from weaning weight up to 8-900lbs to be ready for feedlots to finish.

 

[msscamp]

Carnivore

You should share with us the reason for your question. If you are buying a "feeder Heifer" and expect her to be spayed, (I know a Guru said it happens) I do not think this is a practice that the feedlots use.


Dub

I didn't say the feedlots spayed heifers. I said feeder heifers were usually spayed. I should have added 'around here' and 'prior to selling', and didn't - my error - but spaying feeder heifers is a routine practice in this area because it prevents cycling, riding, and the subsequent weight loss. It usually costs somewhere around 5 bucks a head (if memory serves) in this area, is announced by the auctioneer when they go through the ring, and - as already stated by AngusLimoX - the heifers bring a premium price.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Backgrounding is a process of feeding a low energy diet (mostly forage) to increase the weight of small calves. Its more muscle wieght that is being focused on, or growth, you might say.

We do this on our farm, buying calves from ranches up north, backgrounding them until they are about 18 months of age (average of 850 lbs) then they're sold to a local feeedlot where they're undergoing finishing (feeding high-energy diet of mostly grain and sometimes high-nutrient silage) for about 5-6 days before being trucked to a slaughter plant. And it's feeder steers that we background: we did feeder heifers one year, but I can't remember if they were ever spayed (highly doubt it)

hope this helps.

Please explain to me how a 18 month old steer only weighs 850
pounds then gets shipped to a feedlot for 5 to 6 days then is slaughtered. Not of that makes sense to me. 5 to 6 days of high energy feed I'm doubting will even replace shrink form relocation.

See, this depends on the types of feed calves:

Light calves (325-495 lbs) are kept on grass/forage for 120-150 more days before backgrounding and finishing, then are slaughtered at 18-24 months

Medium calves (the type we have:495-605 lbs) go through a period of backgrounding before finishing. They are then slaughtered at 14-18 months. (Note: these calves (at least, the ones we've raised) are fed moderate energy diet of timothy/alfalfa/fescue hay, silage barley/silaged alfalfa, pasture grass(timothy, fescue, alfalfa, and another type I can't remember), and grain (barley) too (about 25% of diet). Calves grow fast and gain a lot of weight on good feed! I notice that they really start growing once we put them on pasture for a few months before they are shipped out.)

Heavy calves (605+ lbs) get a high energy finishing diet (75% grain) for approximately 225 days. This is the highest energy diet that can be fed: these animals will grow and fill out at a faster rate than the previous two. These animals are slaughtered at 12-14 months.

The amount of time that cattle are finished depends on the diet that they get at the feedlot. Don't quote me that they are finishing for 5 to 6 days, BTW, because, as I mentioned earlier, it depends in what is in the feed that gets them fattened up sufficently prior to slaughter. And that 850 pounds, that's just an average. We get some animals weighing 1000 pounds going out to the feedlot! BTW, the feedlot is only a few miles away from our place as the crow flies. So there really isn't a worry about our calves losing weight from relocation.

I know, it's a bit longwinded, but I hope that explains it.

I own a smaller 2500 head feedlot I know all about the different weights and feeds. That part that confused me was the 18 months old weighing 850 pounds then 5 to 6 days at the feed yard prior to slaughter. I've never fed a steer for that short of a period of time even the lungers that the backgrounders slip in on a load of cattle in live longer than that. But we also like to send the cattle to kill around 1500 pounds. More profit for us anyway everyone runs a feed yard different.

Well, maybe I'm wrong about the 5 to 6 days at the feedlot. How old are the 1500 lb cattle usually?

 

[Carnivore]

Carnivore

You should share with us the reason for your question.

Dub

Nothing sinister, just didn't understand the terminology. That's all.

 

[Beefmaker]

Backgrounding is a process of feeding a low energy diet (mostly forage) to increase the weight of small calves. Its more muscle wieght that is being focused on, or growth, you might say.

We do this on our farm, buying calves from ranches up north, backgrounding them until they are about 18 months of age (average of 850 lbs) then they're sold to a local feeedlot where they're undergoing finishing (feeding high-energy diet of mostly grain and sometimes high-nutrient silage) for about 5-6 days before being trucked to a slaughter plant. And it's feeder steers that we background: we did feeder heifers one year, but I can't remember if they were ever spayed (highly doubt it)

hope this helps.

Please explain to me how a 18 month old steer only weighs 850
pounds then gets shipped to a feedlot for 5 to 6 days then is slaughtered. Not of that makes sense to me. 5 to 6 days of high energy feed I'm doubting will even replace shrink form relocation.

See, this depends on the types of feed calves:

Light calves (325-495 lbs) are kept on grass/forage for 120-150 more days before backgrounding and finishing, then are slaughtered at 18-24 months

Medium calves (the type we have:495-605 lbs) go through a period of backgrounding before finishing. They are then slaughtered at 14-18 months. (Note: these calves (at least, the ones we've raised) are fed moderate energy diet of timothy/alfalfa/fescue hay, silage barley/silaged alfalfa, pasture grass(timothy, fescue, alfalfa, and another type I can't remember), and grain (barley) too (about 25% of diet). Calves grow fast and gain a lot of weight on good feed! I notice that they really start growing once we put them on pasture for a few months before they are shipped out.)

Heavy calves (605+ lbs) get a high energy finishing diet (75% grain) for approximately 225 days. This is the highest energy diet that can be fed: these animals will grow and fill out at a faster rate than the previous two. These animals are slaughtered at 12-14 months.

The amount of time that cattle are finished depends on the diet that they get at the feedlot. Don't quote me that they are finishing for 5 to 6 days, BTW, because, as I mentioned earlier, it depends in what is in the feed that gets them fattened up sufficently prior to slaughter. And that 850 pounds, that's just an average. We get some animals weighing 1000 pounds going out to the feedlot! BTW, the feedlot is only a few miles away from our place as the crow flies. So there really isn't a worry about our calves losing weight from relocation.

I know, it's a bit longwinded, but I hope that explains it.

I own a smaller 2500 head feedlot I know all about the different weights and feeds. That part that confused me was the 18 months old weighing 850 pounds then 5 to 6 days at the feed yard prior to slaughter. I've never fed a steer for that short of a period of time even the lungers that the backgrounders slip in on a load of cattle in live longer than that. But we also like to send the cattle to kill around 1500 pounds. More profit for us anyway everyone runs a feed yard different.

Well, maybe I'm wrong about the 5 to 6 days at the feedlot. How old are the 1500 lb cattle usually?

I took the 5 to 6 days as a typo. Average on feed time for an 850# steer would be 100-150 days.

 

[somn]

Backgrounding is a process of feeding a low energy diet (mostly forage) to increase the weight of small calves. Its more muscle wieght that is being focused on, or growth, you might say.

We do this on our farm, buying calves from ranches up north, backgrounding them until they are about 18 months of age (average of 850 lbs) then they're sold to a local feeedlot where they're undergoing finishing (feeding high-energy diet of mostly grain and sometimes high-nutrient silage) for about 5-6 days before being trucked to a slaughter plant. And it's feeder steers that we background: we did feeder heifers one year, but I can't remember if they were ever spayed (highly doubt it)

hope this helps.

Please explain to me how a 18 month old steer only weighs 850
pounds then gets shipped to a feedlot for 5 to 6 days then is slaughtered. Not of that makes sense to me. 5 to 6 days of high energy feed I'm doubting will even replace shrink form relocation.

See, this depends on the types of feed calves:

Light calves (325-495 lbs) are kept on grass/forage for 120-150 more days before backgrounding and finishing, then are slaughtered at 18-24 months

Medium calves (the type we have:495-605 lbs) go through a period of backgrounding before finishing. They are then slaughtered at 14-18 months. (Note: these calves (at least, the ones we've raised) are fed moderate energy diet of timothy/alfalfa/fescue hay, silage barley/silaged alfalfa, pasture grass(timothy, fescue, alfalfa, and another type I can't remember), and grain (barley) too (about 25% of diet). Calves grow fast and gain a lot of weight on good feed! I notice that they really start growing once we put them on pasture for a few months before they are shipped out.)

Heavy calves (605+ lbs) get a high energy finishing diet (75% grain) for approximately 225 days. This is the highest energy diet that can be fed: these animals will grow and fill out at a faster rate than the previous two. These animals are slaughtered at 12-14 months.

The amount of time that cattle are finished depends on the diet that they get at the feedlot. Don't quote me that they are finishing for 5 to 6 days, BTW, because, as I mentioned earlier, it depends in what is in the feed that gets them fattened up sufficently prior to slaughter. And that 850 pounds, that's just an average. We get some animals weighing 1000 pounds going out to the feedlot! BTW, the feedlot is only a few miles away from our place as the crow flies. So there really isn't a worry about our calves losing weight from relocation.

I know, it's a bit longwinded, but I hope that explains it.

I own a smaller 2500 head feedlot I know all about the different weights and feeds. That part that confused me was the 18 months old weighing 850 pounds then 5 to 6 days at the feed yard prior to slaughter. I've never fed a steer for that short of a period of time even the lungers that the backgrounders slip in on a load of cattle in live longer than that. But we also like to send the cattle to kill around 1500 pounds. More profit for us anyway everyone runs a feed yard different.

Well, maybe I'm wrong about the 5 to 6 days at the feedlot. How old are the 1500 lb cattle usually?

It is hard to ever know the true age of cattle everyone lies the cow calf guy lies about their birth date to make them sound like they have had a great rate of gain the backgrounder lies about days on feed to show an even better rate of gain. I'm no better we lie to the cattle buyer about something usually what the other cattle buyer offered us. Maybe we all aren't liars we are all just polishing the apple so to speak.