Optimal beef cow stocking rates in the U.S. Southern Plains

Abstract

This research investigates optimal beef-cow stocking rates under common drought management scenarios in the U.S. Southern Plains. An Angus spring calving herd utilizing native range forage and hay was modeled. The relationship of weather variables, calf birth weight, and calf weaning weight was estimated using data from two Oklahoma research stations. Historical county hay yields for the counties associated with the two research stations were used for forage yields. Data for the cattle range from 2002 to 2016 including 3,020 observations and data for the hay yields range from 1960 — 2017, including 115 observations. The simulation used historical cull cow and calf prices, and feed prices to evaluate the economics of various stocking rates ranging from six to 14 acres per head for the 30-year period. Management strategies assessed included normally culling cows and weaning calves, early weaning and culling ten-year-old cows, early weaning and culling nine- and ten-year old cows, and early weaning and culling eight-, nine- and ten-year-old cows. Results indicated that lighter stocking (10 — 12 acres/cow) has the highest expected profit because the producer is better able to mitigate adverse effects of severe drought. Further, strategies employing deeper culling during forage-deficit years were found to be higher returning by reducing purchased forages as compared to maintaining a constant herd size.