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COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will host three two-day Feedlot Schools in January and February giving cattle producers a practical roadmap for retaining calves longer in Missouri and capturing more value through backgrounding and finishing.
“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.
Missouri agriculture is a major economic engine, and beef is a cornerstone of it, Bailey says. Retaining calves beyond the cow-calf stage matters because backgrounding and finishing drive additional local spending on feed, veterinary services, transportation, labor and infrastructure.
“Backgrounding is a low-hanging fruit to add value to beef calves in the current market,” he 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 school has been expanded to include a dedicated backgrounding session on Day 1, followed by a finishing and marketing session on Day 2.
Day 1: Backgrounding calves
The backgrounding day starts with practical facility-focused instruction, including low-stress cattle handling and working facility design, then moves into backgrounding nutrition and management with profit-focused targets for growing calves.
The program includes a systems-based session on post-weaning calf health management that connects pen design and stocking density to enhance health outcomes. This is followed by a lunch-and-learn session highlighting MU demonstration and research projects. The afternoon closes with financing and risk management and a capstone session on building a competitive advantage by benchmarking costs and identifying where your operation can win.
Day 2: Finishing cattle
Sessions include facility design and upkeep, practical finishing nutrition and bunk management, finance and risk management, and grading and pricing fed cattle, including the dollar difference between selling live versus marketing on a carcass grid. A packer Q&A and a feedlot tour are included.
The program also reflects results from a recent MU Extension statewide needs assessment, Bailey says., Missourians said they want MU Extension to prioritize improving agricultural production and profits, training a skilled workforce for agriculture and natural resources, and developing the next generation of farmers.
Dates and locations
- Fair Grove, Jan. 21-22: Missouri State University Shealy Farm, 5607 S. 222nd Road.
- Columbia, Feb. 4-5: University of Missouri Beef Research and Teaching Farm, 5169 Old Millers Road.
- Linneus, Feb. 18-19: University of Missouri Cornett Research Farm, 21262 Genoa Road.
Details and registration. For more information, contact Bailey at baileyeric@missouri.edu or 573-884-7873.