University of Missouri Extension will host a two-part calf backgrounding program later this month designed to help cattle producers evaluate feeding strategies and market opportunities for adding value to calves before sale.
The program begins May 19 at the MU Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center near Mount Vernon and will include a follow-up session on June 30 after a live cattle feeding demonstration is completed.
Extension livestock specialist Ian McGregor says the program will focus on helping producers determine when backgrounding calves can improve profitability under current market conditions.
Participants will follow a 45 day demonstration using 12 steers weighing around 500 pounds divided into multiple feeding groups. The cattle will receive different supplementation programs designed to compare feed efficiency, weight gain and overall returns.
Extension specialists say the demonstration will allow producers to compare how various feed ingredients and management approaches perform during the backgrounding phase.
Topics during the first session will include calf acclimation to higher energy rations, herd health management, feed costs and evaluating market conditions tied to calf prices and feed availability.
Speakers scheduled to participate include MU Extension beef nutrition specialist Eric Bailey, veterinarian Mike Bloss and ag business specialist Wesley Tucker.
During the June 30 follow-up session, producers will review final performance data from the cattle trial, including cost of gain and profitability comparisons between feeding programs.
Organizers say additional discussions will focus on facility design, nutrition management and real world experiences from cattle backgrounding operations.
MU Extension says strong calf prices and lower feed costs in some areas are creating renewed interest in backgrounding opportunities as producers look for additional ways to capture value before marketing cattle.