Each spring producers are faced with decisions on when to remove cattle from wheat pasture. The following information applies to producers who want to remove cattle early enough to maximize return per acre from wheat in a wheat grain-stocker cattle enterprise.
Cattle continue to gain weight the longer they graze wheat pasture.
Assuming sale price of the cattle doesn't change significantly, the return from cattle continues to increase the longer the cattle graze. However, continuing to graze eventually decreases grain yield. There is a point where net return per acre is maximized. Based upon data collected at the Marshall Wheat Pasture Research Unit, our purpose in this publication is to provide information for determining when cattle should be removed from wheat pasture to maximize return per acre. This was true regardless of the year or yield level.