Stocker cattle summits will be held at multiple locations throughout the Southern Tier of New York State. Stocker cattle are typically acquired as young lightweight calves that spend a summer grazing on pasture lands, which allows them to add weight inexpensively. At the conclusion of the grazing season, the stockers, as they are referred to, generally are sold to other farmers that finish the animals to market weight.

“Cattle and beef values are at an all-time high, especially for locally-produced products and livestock finished on grain or grass. And there is great demand for those products from institutional buyers such as schools and hospitals,” said Senior Extension Associate Michael Baker, who will lead the initiative. “Those market developments, along with the region’s abundant high quality forage lands, make Southern Tier counties well suited to grow their position in the stocker cattle market.”

A major appeal to growing stocker cattle is that the venture requires minimal investment in machinery and buildings, creating a low barrier to entry. The only major requirements are access to grazing lands, which can be leased, and the capital to purchase cattle.

“This project is especially exciting to me, because the stocker cattle enterprise is one of the few agricultural businesses that beginning farmers can get involved in without a lot of overhead. What they do need is training and this project will provide intensive training to increase their opportunity for success,” Baker said. “I think it will also appeal to farmers looking to transition out of dairy production.

The summits will describe what a stocker enterprise is, the opportunities and barriers to entering a stocker enterprise, and economics. Each location will also feature a seasoned stocker farmer who will describe their experience with a stocker enterprise. To attend any one of the summits please contact that location to make a reservation. Cost to attend is $10.00 per person.

For more information on the Stocker Initiative, contact Mike Baker, Cornell Beef Extension Specialist, mjb28@cornell.edu, 607-255-5923.