This alternative puts rapid gains on lightweight calves using high quality pasture. It requires more intensive management than backgrounding on permanent pasture, but also offers the potential to increase carrying capacity and total pounds of beef production for a given land base. It also requires higher quality health management of the younger lightweight calves. Small grain pasture must be planted in early fall and receive adequate moisture in order to begin grazing on November 1. Stocking rate is 2 steers per acre, or one-half acre per head.
Pasture expense is based on the cost of establishing one acre of small grain grazing.
Average daily gain is estimated to be 1.35 pounds per head. Actual gains will depend largely on weather conditions and stocking rate. This includes costs of vaccinations, internal and external parasites, two growth implants and 0.7 ounces of a salt and mineral mixture per head daily. Consumption of some commercial mineral mixes will be as much as double this budgeted rate.