Production and Management

Backgrounding is a beef production system that uses pasture and other forages from the time calves are weaned until they are placed in a feedlot. This eight-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers selecting calves for backgrounding, calf and forage management, preventative health management, backgrounding feeding programs, and other considerations, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.

The beef cow-calf business is well adapted to small-scale and part-time farmers who have land suitable for pasture and hay production. This publication discusses marketing and preconditioning, housing and facilities, health programs, using growth promotants, conditioning and feeding, and pastures. Also included are two sample beef cow-calf budgets. The first summarizes the costs and returns of a cow-calf enterprise using a feeding program of hay and pasture, and the second summarizes the costs and returns of a cow-calf enterprise using a feeding program of silage and pasture.

Cattle feeding in Pennsylvania has been a fairly stable, but high-risk business. During some years, an operation may not recover out-of-pocket costs, so beef-feeding enterprises are not as well adapted to small-scale farms as beef cow-calf operations. This six-page publication, part of the Agricultural Alternatives series focusing on small-scale and part-time farming operations, covers getting started, facilities, grazing and backgrounding, purchasing feeder cattle, health and nutrition, and includes sample budgets and references for more information.