The Role of Market Price-Weight Relationships in Optimal Beef Cattle Backgrounding Programs

Abstract

Approaches to the formulation of optimal beef cattle management programs have changed significantly since they were first examined in a linear programming context in the 1950s. Models were originally designed to identify feed rations which minimize the cost of providing minimum levels of energy and selected nutrients. Subsequent efforts sought to maximize overall farm or feedlot profits, including identification of optimal feeding weights, daily gains, and ration formulations (Kearl, Harris, and Fonnesbeck; Ladd and Williams). The studies varied in attention to such details as number of head fed, variety of alternative feeds, seasonality factors, animal characteristics, and the manner in which energy requirements and appetite are modeled Wilson, and others cast the California net.