By Blake Jackson
University of Missouri Extension will offer three two-day Feedlot Schools in January and February to help cattle producers keep calves in Missouri longer and increase returns through backgrounding and finishing. The program is designed to give producers a clear, practical path to adding value beyond the cow-calf stage.
“Missouri has the cattle base to do this, but too many calves still leave the state shortly after weaning, taking opportunity to add value to the Missouri economy with them,” says Eric Bailey, MU Extension state beef nutrition specialist.
Beef production plays a central role in Missouri’s agricultural economy. According to Bailey, retaining calves for backgrounding and finishing generates added economic activity through feed purchases, veterinary services, labor, transportation and facility investment.
“Backgrounding is a low-hanging fruit to add value to beef calves in the current market,” Bailey says. “We are expanding the school because producers asked for practical training that connects the dots from weaning and receiving all the way through finishing and marketing cattle on the grid.”
For 2026, the Feedlot School has been expanded into a two-day format. Day 1 focuses on backgrounding calves, beginning with low stress handling techniques and working facility design. Sessions then move into nutrition and management strategies with profit-driven growth targets.
Participants will also learn how post-weaning health, pen design and stocking density work together to improve outcomes. The day includes a lunch-and-learn featuring MU research projects, followed by sessions on financing, risk management and benchmarking costs to build a competitive edge.
Day 2 concentrates on finishing cattle. Topics include feedlot facility maintenance, finishing nutrition, bunk management, financial planning and risk control. Producers will also learn how cattle are graded and priced, including the value differences between live sales and carcass grid marketing. A packer question-and-answer session and a feedlot tour round out the program.
The curriculum reflects feedback from a recent MU Extension needs assessment, which highlighted producer interest in boosting profitability, developing a skilled agricultural workforce and supporting the next generation of farmers.
The Feedlot Schools will be held Jan. 21-22 in Fair Grove, Feb. 4-5 in Columbia, and Feb. 18-19 in Linneus.
For registration and additional details, please reach out to Eric Bailey at baileyeric@missouri.edu or 573-884-7873.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-jacqueline-nix
Categories: Missouri, Livestock, Beef Cattle