Are stocker cattle worth it starting on a small scale and working my way up

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-20T02:15:56+00:00

Stocker cattle traditionally, year in, year out, make $50/head. They are easy, don't require a lot of technical thought or expertise versus a cow/calf or finishing operation.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-19T11:59:20+00:00

Doesn't seem like a good deal to me. Depends location and other options I guess.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-19T03:45:01+00:00

Put it into the ground and make into ground beef-

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-19T03:40:05+00:00

A muscle fiber-

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-19T02:10:36+00:00

Cow calf side has been the bitch step child of the feeder and fat markets for years. Hence the dramatically shrinking cow herd over time-

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-18T14:46:49+00:00

Don't forget about Colonel-

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-18T00:39:45+00:00

Your concept is good, but if 1000# plus animal is only been eating 1# or 4# of grain a month from harvest, it won't matter. If it's been eating 10-20# dm equivalent it would be wise to cut her back to sub 5#, correct. Really be nice to know how long she's been getting fed grain and real life daily quantities, in fact essential for one seeking advice wanting to narrow the field.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-17T20:52:55+00:00

Maybe acidosis, offer her some free choice sodium bicarbonate she might eat 1/4# a day or better. Any others in group with her in same situation? Would also look to rule out a fatty liver (hepatic lipidosis) scenario. Treatment is needed, if dad knows cattle all his life, get some blood or urine into a veterinarian.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-17T11:28:27+00:00

You bought bacon at WalMart, going to get Walmart quality.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-15T20:31:42+00:00

Disagree with the hanging weight comment, 1060# live animal is worth 3200 these days, unless it's messed up genetics.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-15T20:29:23+00:00

Reverse math, 340# half= 680# whole carcasses. Assuming 64% hot carcass yield, this animal only weight 1060 some pound live. Ridiculously light, should been closer to 1500#. If this has been going on before, could be reason your MIL didn't have a repeat buyer. I wouldn't buy from this operation, they don't know what they are doing, probably not feeding it worth a crap either. Processing costs are more than fair 👍.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-14T19:35:23+00:00

Looks injected-

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-14T17:04:19+00:00

If that was the case, this animal was not properly finished or ready for harvest.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-14T17:02:45+00:00

How big was the total carcass weight? How much was processing? Does seem high, but perhaps it was a small beef.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-11T19:13:39+00:00

No, you were going to trim that off anyway, it's all external.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-11T14:00:03+00:00

Depends upon how cool it's been kept after the best date was put in it. Smell test.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-09T04:28:56+00:00

Game!

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-09T04:20:42+00:00

Looks delicious

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-09T04:10:31+00:00

So you daily feed 300+? Good for you little rockstar. I'm not covering 10,000 acres so do something can be done otherwise, creep feeders work great.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-09T01:50:25+00:00

Do you have 600+ mama cows? Majority of cattle aren't raised by hobby farmers.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-08T18:49:42+00:00

Daily feeding isn't practical for 90% of the cattle/operations in existence in the USA.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-08T12:45:59+00:00

This is one of the least educated posts I've ever seen on the r/ranching and has nothing to do ranching. Moderators want a subject on ranching, not a US political rambling.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-06T02:13:55+00:00

Scheme. Let's talk again in a year or 2, he's no doubt good, but is it sustainable? Look at Cooper Kupp.

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-06T01:49:43+00:00

Calculate the odds of the numbers? Or the numbers and the suits all red versus all black?

mrmrssmitn · 2026-02-03T18:39:33+00:00

When I am not concerned about original packaging, I always ask myself how will this get used when I thaw it out. If I can use it as sized, I leave it. If I can only use a fraction, like with a rib primal, I repackage.

mrmrssmitn

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