Cull cows represent a major slice of the commercial ranch budget — often accounting for 15% to 20% of a cow-calf operation’s gross annual income. Yet too many market cows leave the ranch carrying far too little flesh, leaving substantial salvage dollars on the sale barn floor.
According to Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle nutrition specialist, in a recent Cow-Calf Corner newsletter, only about 60% of cull beef cows are marketed in the higher-value USDA Utility grades (Boning or Breaking Utility), while 20% to 25% slip into Cutter, and 5% to 15% hit the lowest tier, Canner.
“Body condition at marketing dictates where those cows land on the carcass rail,” Beck says. “Feeding thin cows to higher body condition scores (BCS) before hauling them to market makes a tremendous difference in gross return. But producers must remember: increased sale value does not automatically mean increased profit.”
Condition Score Drives Grade, Dressing Percent and Price
Research underscores the relationship between cow flesh and market grade. In a carcass cutout study by Apple and colleagues (1999), only 33% of cows entering the packing plant at BCS 3 achieved the Boning or Breaking Utility grade. By comparison, cows at BCS 6 reached 73% Utility, and 100% of cows at BCS 7 graded Utility.
Moving a thin cow from the Canner/Cutter category into Utility yields a twofold financial boost: you add saleable pounds, and each pound is worth more on the market.
“When we calculate cull cow values across expected weight and grade changes under current market prices, taking a thin cow from a BCS 3 up to a BCS 7 can increase her total market value by more than $450,” Beck notes.
Compensatory Gain: How Fast Can Thin Cows Rebound?
Thin cows are uniquely primed for compensatory growth, converting feed efficiently when placed on concentrated energy diets.
A Texas Tech University study (DeClerck et al., 2020) placed extremely thin cull cows (BCS 2) in feedlot pens on mixed diets for a 45-day feeding period:
- Low-roughage ration (10% cotton burrs): Cows consumed 30 lb. of dry matter (DM) per day, gained 6.4 lb./day, and converted feed at 4.5 lb. feed DM/lb. of gain.
- High-roughage ration (25% cotton burrs): Cows consumed 32 lb. DM/day, gained 5.8 lb./day, and posted a feed conversion of 5.5 lb. DM/lb. of gain.
Both groups gained an impressive three full condition scores in just 45 days. However, Beck cautions meeting these intake demands requires careful financial scrutiny.
“These cows can post eye-popping gains, but they consume massive amounts of dry matter to get there,” Beck explains. “You have to evaluate whether drylotting makes sense on your place or whether a forage-based supplementation program is the better fit.”
On pasture, supplemental feeding also moves the needle. Recent trial data shows grazing cull cows supplemented at 0.5% of body weight (approx. 4.7 lb./day) gained 126 lb. over 84 days (1.5 lb./day). Bumping supplementation to 1% of body weight (approx. 9.5 lb./day) lifted gains to 193 lb. (2.3 lb./day).
Comparing Three 60-Day Feeding Scenarios
To see how different management programs compare in the real world, Beck models three 60-day scenarios for cows entering the feeding period at BCS 4:
| Measure | Total Mixed Ration | Hay | Pasture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat Pasture | — | — | 3 acres |
| Hay Intake (lb./day) | — | 21 | 5 |
| Feed Intake (lb./day) | 30 | 10 | — |
| Gain (lb./day) | 3.8 | 2.0 | 3.2 |
| BCS Gain | 2.3 | 1.1 | 2.0 |
| Added Value | $326 | $150 | $282 |
| Added Cost | $217* | $162** | $188*** |
| Return | $109 | -$12 | $94 |
*Assumes $0.40/day yardage and $215/ton feed cost (25% hay, 34% corn, 40% byproducts, 1% premix).
**Assumes 25% hay waste (17 lb. consumed), $0.10/day yardage, $425/ton 20% range cubes, and $50/bale hay.
***Assumes $200/acre establishment cost over a 60-day grazing window at 3 acres/cow.
The Verdict: Choosing the Right Strategy
The economics reveal distinct winners and traps:
1. Total Mixed Ration (TMR)
Feeding a balanced TMR in a drylot generated the highest net return in the model ($109/head) due to rapid gain (3.8 lb./day) and efficient feed utilization. “A daily total mixed diet can be exceptionally cost-effective and feed-efficient,” Beck explains. “However, it demands dedicated bunks, mixing equipment and intensive management that many cow-calf operators simply don’t have on site.”
2. Hay + 20% Range Cubes
Feeding hay alongside supplement cubes is the easiest program to implement, but it was the only system in the analysis that lost money (-$12/head). “Hay feeding is familiar, but the modest 2.0-pound daily gain often fails to cover feed costs — especially once you factor in hay waste and current feed prices,” Beck warns. “When hay inventories are tight during drought, feeding costly roughage to cull cows is tough to justify.”
3. Winter Wheat Pasture
With good moisture, small grain pasture presents an attractive third alternative, returning $94/head with 3.2 lb./day of gain. “Recent rains have recharged wheat pasture, and with stocker calf prices where they are, running cull cows on wheat can be competitive with traditional stocker grazing,” Beck explains. “Cows can pack on compensatory gain very quickly on wheat, but remember they have a far higher dry matter intake than a 500-lb. calf, meaning you must manage stocking rates carefully.”
Pre-Feeding Checklist: Weighing Health, Seasonality and Margin
Before holding back cull cows this season, run an enterprise budget that accounts for:
- Cost of Gain vs. Margin: High feed costs can easily outpace the price bump between Canner and Utility.
- Animal Health and Soundness: Cull cows face higher health risks, foot problems and structural breakdowns on hard feedlot surfaces than young cattle.
- Seasonal Price Trends: Cull cow prices typically hit annual lows in late fall (October to November) when herd culling peaks, then strengthen into late winter and spring. Feeding cows through the fall slump can capture both grade improvements and seasonal price rallies — provided death loss and feed bills are kept in check.
“Adding value to thin cull cows can be profitable, but increased sale value is not the same as increased profit,” Beck concludes. “Feed expense, available forage, cow health, labor, interest, and market risk must all be considered before retaining cows for feeding.”
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