Cull cows represent a significant source of income for beef cattle producers. In fact, cull animals account for about 15 to 20 percent of the gross income in a beef cattle operation. Prices for cull cows follow seasonal price patterns with prices typically lowest in November and highest in March and April in the northern Great Plains.
Most cull cows gain weight rapidly when placed on a high concentrate diet. Rapid weight gains early in the feeding period give way to poorer feed conversions and lower weight gains when cows are fed too long.
Seasonal lows in cow prices and/or low-priced feed can make feeding cull animals an attractive and lucrative opportunity. Feeding cull cows high concentrate diets can improve returns by selling more pounds and selling them into a market that is seasonally higher than late fall and early winter markets.
