What Are Stocker Cattle?

Maintaining and herding cattle can be a high stress profession, often calling for a variety of stock to be maintained and kept. Purchasing certain kinds of cattle at certain times can make or break an enterprise and is often determined by the time of year, the strengths of the herd and the desired outcome for the cattle themselves -- whether they are for meat or dairy production. Stocker cattle are one such kind of cattle who need to be added to a herd at a certain time to maintain the overall economic integrity.

  1. Definition

    • Stocker cattle used to simply refer to any calves bought in the spring, however, that definition has evolved as the industry has. Now, they refer to animals bought during a season, fattened up and sold for more money in one to two seasons. However, there are a variety of kinds of stockers under this umbrella of a term. There are the two different sexes of stockers -- heifers and steers. There are also lightweight stockers and heavyweight. Factors governing the need in the general cattle economy generally dictate which stockers to purchase.

    History

    • The term "stocker cattle" came about from herders living in the mountains who purchased cattle in the spring, according to Clemson University. The calves were traditionally bought out of season, or were not well managed. They were then set out on mountain pastures and brought to the same weight and health of other cattle around them, exponentially increasing in value by the time they were sold in several seasons comparatively to the beginning state.

    Purchasing

    • Stocker cattle are often used by individuals just beginning their herd, as they are cheaper to purchase than fully developed cows. Often purchased from auctions or a reputable herd, there are certain kinds of calves that people can purchase for different reasons. Calves should be calm when shown off, showing no diseases or lameness when being purchased.

    Usage

    • The calves can function as replacements for slaughtered or ailing cows, but more often than not, they are the perfect way to make quick cash over a season. Often bought in the fall and sold in the spring, beginning cattle producers can purchase the calves for a low amount of money, feed them as they grow throughout the winter, and sell them for a higher price to aid in supplementing the cash flow from a pre-existing herd. However, some producers are simply stocker operations, constantly purchasing calves, fattening them up and selling them for higher prices.