Nothing influences an outcome more than getting off to a good start, or a bad one.

With fall approaching, we expect the normal abundance of calves being sold. In the U.S., the majority of cow herds are managed for spring calving, which gives us a large run of calves in the fall.

Now is the time of year when many producers are weaning calves, and new cattle will be entering feedlots. During this stretch, stress is the number one issue that will influence performance.

It’s that time of year when spring calves will be weaned and new cattle will be entering stocker and feedlot operations.

Transportation stress is an unavoidable factor for any beef operation. The effects of transportation stress in cattle is a challenge to rectify, however, the negative health effects incurred by transporting animals can be limited by implementing a number of good management practices.

The stocker cattle segment of the beef industry takes young, lightweight, weaned calves and develops them for the finishing phase. This gain is accomplished by utilizing pasture and range grazing, as well as other forage-based diets. Calves enter the stocker operation at 300 to 650 pounds and are grown to greater than 750 pounds. The growth of these calves is focused on frame, muscle and bone development, not fat deposition. Typically, moderately framed calves work well in stocker operations. Stocker enterprises are margin operators that capitalize on low-cost weight gains, compared to the finishing phase in a feedlot. The three most important factors of a successful stocker enterprise are management, calf health, and nutrition.