Navigating Nutritional Prices for Cattle Producers

Prices for feed inputs have changed significantly over the past few months, and those market changes are reason for beef producers to re-evaluate their grain versus forage feeding strategies. That’s according to University of Nebraska Feedlot Specialist Galen Erickson.
Erickson: “Forages are critical important to the beef industry. That is me as a feedlot specialist saying that and so I’m very concern about what our pasture prices are and let’s say we are going to graze those with stocker cattle. Our cost of gain or cost of per unit of pound gained is not as competitive on that type of pasture costs or that system as it would be if we penned them up and fed them a high grain diet.”
When making decisions on feedstuffs, Erickson says cattle producers should focus on the energy values associated with each available option.
Erickson: “So we’ve got some adjustments I think coming in the next few years in the beef industry on sorting out where the best or optimum place to put on weight. It may favor more grain feeding here in the near time. Pasture costs are high, in my opinion, relative at least to other costs. Something has to change, either those other costs have to catch up or probably more likely in my estimation we will see more easing on pasture costs.”