As cool season pastures begin to slump and isolated showers get more isolated, producers begin to consider methods of stretching forage resources. Extending pastures is accomplished in one of two ways: grow more forage or decrease stocking rates. Since the planting window for summer annual pastures has passed and moisture is scarce, growing more forage will be difficult. However, decreasing stocking rates can be accomplished while improving market opportunities of cull cows.

According to the 1999 Market Cow and Bull Audit by National Cattlemen Beef Association, cull animal sales contribute up to 16 percent of the income to cow-calf operations. Actively marketing cull animals represents an opportunity to increase the value of a significant source of income while addressing pasture management challenges.

John Lawrence, Iowa State University economist and director of the Iowa Beef Center, maintains a 10-year (1996 - 2005) seasonality index of cull cow prices which producers may find helpful in making cull cow marketing decisions. The index indicates seasonal cull cow values peak in June at 6.5 percent above the average yearly price and then drop steadily until reaching 6.2 percent below the average yearly price in November. Based on this index, producers who want to reduce pasture stocking rates while capturing cull cow value should conduct pregnancy checks within 30 to 45 days after the end of the breeding season and cull open and unproductive cows early this summer.

Justin Sexten, 618-242-9310, sexten@uiuc.edu
Date: 7/7/2006