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There are several economic advantages to retaining raised calves or purchasing calves and selling them later in groups at heavier weights. These stocker (growing calves on pasture) or backgrounding (growing calves using mixed feeds or stored forages) programs add value to cattle for feedlots because they desire cattle that are weaned, are from a minimum of suppliers, are familiar with feedbunks and water sources and have minimal health issues.

Much has been written and is well understood about the value of heterosis (hybrid vigor) in several facets of production agriculture. Hybrid corn is a mainstay in the corn industry and has provided tremendous improvements in corn yields over the past century. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture: “About 95 percent of our corn acreage now is planted to hybrid corn. We [the U.S.] produce at least 20 percent more corn on 25 percent fewer acres than in 1930, when seed of hybrid corn became available in quantity to American farmers.”

This is a question that is commonly asked as producers try to line up spring and summer management considerations, budgets and calf marketing options. The primary objective of this management practice is to put additional weight on the calf before weaning without making the calves fleshy, especially if sold at weaning. Fleshy calves are discounted in market price. To creep or not to creep really boils down to this – can it be accomplished economically to increase the profit potential for the cow-calf enterprise?

An optimistic outlook for fall calf prices has been given by McVean Trading and Investments, along with cattle industry data giant CattleFax.

Freeze branding, also known as CryoBranding, was developed at Washington State University by Dr. R. Keith Farrell in 1966. This method of branding with extremely cold irons is characterized by white hair replacing the natural hair coat in the branded area of cattle.

Technology has definitely changed over the years, almost to the point where some wonder who’s watching who. Look on many prominent Internet websites and you can find a satellite picture of the home place. Cell phones now come equipped with locators to help parents know if children are where they’re supposed to be. Military personnel are given serial numbers to track movements or identify deceased.