By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor

Stocker and backgrounding operations play a big role in delivering quality U.S. beef at affordable prices to dinner tables at home and around the globe.

The diversity and scope of stocker cattle operations can be difficult to study for both economists and university researchers, but a recent BEEF Magazine national survey may help to better characterize and categorize these operations.

The 2021 National Stocker Survey, sponsored by Zoetis Animal Health, builds on an initial nationwide survey conducted in 2007. The latest data not only provides an update but helps researchers understand trends over time.

Some of the findings were surprising.

Stocker cattle operators are not very likely to have an off-farm job, according to both the 2007 and 2021 surveys. Only 19 percent of respondents said they had an off-farm job in 2021, 6 percent fewer than 2007.

Most family farms and ranches in the U.S. combine farm and off-farm work to generate household income. About 45 percent of U.S. principal operators of family farms and ranches in the U.S. work off the farm, according to data from a 2019 U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service report.

The disparity is likely explained by the fact most stocker and backgrounding enterprises are only one aspect of the respondents’ overall operations, the survey showed.

In addition to the stocker operations, 39 percent of those surveyed said they also farm row crops for sale. Still, almost half of all respondents said they derive 51 percent or more of annual gross income from stocker cattle.

Other survey results confirmed some generalizations in the cattle industry.

Like the majority of U.S. farms and ranches, stocker and backgrounder operations are mostly family businesses. Of the 76 percent of respondents who said family was involved in their day-to-day operations, 62 percent said their children were involved, and 57 percent said their spouse was involved.

Also like most farmers and ranchers, stocker cattle operators are mostly Baby Boomers, with 83 percent of those surveyed reporting they are aged 55 or older. Sixty percent said they were 64 or older.

The average age of all U.S. farmers and ranchers is 57.5, according to USDA’s 2017 Census of Agriculture.

Other interesting survey observations in the stocker and backgrounder sector include average length of time of ownership of stocker calves, calf purchasing trends, rate of participation in value-added branded beef programs, risk management practices, means of marketing stocker cattle, herd health practices and more.

The complete survey is available here.

A recording of a video discussion of the results, part of The Virtual BEEF Experience, is also available online.