Economics of Confining Cows and Calves

Terry Klopfenstein, University of Nebraska The University of Nebraska, Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M and the Dr. Kenneth & Caroline McDonald Eng Foundation hosted a cow-calf symposium "Alternative Methods of Improving Cow Efficiency in Times of Stress." This symposium was held at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln, Nebraska on September 12 and 13, 2013. The cow-calf industry is adjusting to a new era as agriculture has become a critical player in producing fuel in addition to food and fiber. The use of grain as a fuel source has placed increasing pressure on the cow-calf sector to improve efficiency in the use of feed resources. This environment has prompted new questions and innovative thinking in regards to how the cow-calf industry will produce calves in the future.