For example, if the average weight of the cow and calf is 1,300 pounds and the average weight of steers is 600 pounds, 2.2 steers can be exchanged for each cow and calf pair. Pasture used by the cow herd for winter grazing also can be converted to yearling use in the same manner. One solution is to compare the stocking rate on areas of the ranch similar to the winter pastures and adjust animal numbers for differences in forage production. Any exchange-ratio estimate is a guess. What counts is how animals perform in relation to what is expected.
Exchange ratios assume that current stocking rates are proper.
Exchange ratios say nothing about the number of cow-calf pairs vs. steers to maximize net return. Different variable costs and selling prices are associated with different enterprises. Therefore, stocking rates that maximize profits will probably be different for the two enterprises. 1 Colorado State University professor, rangeland ecosystem science. Go to top of this page.