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Backgrounding
defined
Backgrounding is the growing of steers or
heifers from weaning until they enter the
feedlot for finishing . . .
650 800 pounds
Production Systems
Typical backgrounding system:
Buy 400 450 lb. calves in fall, winter on stored feed,
graze spring fall . . .
Sell 650 800 lbs
Daily rates of gain will vary from 1-1.5 lbs.
Buy 350 400 lb. calves in spring . . .
Graze spring fall . . .
Sell 700+ lbs. in late fall
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Average
1981
78.78
77.31
78.04
80.42
73.45
70.08
66.53
68.80
70.58
69.71
70.07
66.00
72.48
1982
63.91
65.05
69.71
73.00
73.80
71.10
69.84
71.12
69.51
65.40
65.00
69.29
68.89
1983
72.28
75.24
78.43
76.96
77.99
74.17
69.07
68.07
67.74
67.95
71.41
68.87
72.35
1984
70.09
72.49
72.20
73.28
71.16
67.30
66.90
68.46
67.90
66.89
69.05
70.88
69.72
1985
74.76
76.16
77.70
79.72
77.77
73.24
71.12
73.06
69.48
71.61
73.24
69.41
73.94
1986
71.59
73.34
72.97
71.99
70.00
67.50
69.91
72.71
75.57
71.94
72.27
72.18
71.83
1987
75.01
79.19
80.30
83.97
85.96
86.44
90.14
93.58
98.63
93.38
95.05
95.69
88.11
1988
96.96
104.42
101.70
105.03
102.33
93.98
95.89
99.74
97.75
100.55
102.05
101.64
100.17
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1989
104.30
106.35
107.50
101.94
96.12
105.35
103.70
103.82
100.42
100.71
102.03
99.77
102.67
1990
101.23
105.13
105.89
111.35
109.74
106.14
106.03
110.42
106.41
104.25
108.96
112.33
107.32
1991
112.25
118.44
117.58
120.38
117.80
117.99
113.10
106.46
106.32
104.63
101.67
98.13
111.23
1992
96.11
104.49
106.72
102.20
98.84
99.45
99.69
102.86
100.08
96.00
99.92
97.70
100.34
1993
104.50
106.23
108.42
111.72
109.83
109.05
107.31
106.15
105.38
103.54
101.59
103.36
106.42
1994
102.44
105.46
108.60
107.61
100.46
92.48
95.13
93.55
88.66
87.50
91.18
93.00
97.17
1995
95.18
94.62
92.14
89.23
83.50
80.83
75.48
74.95
70.42
65.33
66.88
68.46
79.75
1996
66.27
66.28
65.26
62.30
58.64
61.83
62.75
58.87
67.44
66.65
70.00
71.29
64.80
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1997
79.27
86.17
93.12
93.35
95.71
99.54
98.52
100.48
97.75
96.10
94.92
94.04
94.08
1998
96.14
97.49
101.36
102.59
102.78
85.76
78.15
78.95
77.70
82.33
88.95
87.50
89.98
1999
92.20
94.89
95.17
95.66
90.82
96.53
98.80
95.78
97.72
94.94
102.09
107.27
96.82
2000
110.65
111.12
117.57
111.14
107.57
108.58
113.90
109.75
104.46
108.34
110.27
109.97
110.28
20
year
average
88.20
90.99
88.92
Year
Short
run:
Long
run:
Feed
Costs
Livestock
Costs
Receipts
Returns Over
Variable Costs
$371/HD
$36/HD
$30/Hd
$539/HD
$102/HD
Skills
Intensive rotational
grazing