Impact of changes in supply-prices of energy and energy-based materials of Tennessee beef backgrounding systems

The purpose of this study was (1) to determine the most efficient backgrounding systems for Tennessee beef producers in terms of energy and energy-based inputs, and (2) to examine the effects of changes in energy prices between 1972 and 1975 for four stocker systems typically used by Tennessee livestock producers. The length of the feeding periods, required feed inputs, and the average daily gains data for calves backgrounded on each stocker system were taken from field results reported by the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station. Energy price data for 1972 were obtained from the U.S.D.A. Annual Summary of Agricultural Prices for Tennessee. Compar-able figures for 1975 were collected from selected Tennessee farm supply outlets and confidential industry sources. Partial budgeting analysis was used to estimate the total cost per pound of weight gain, energy cost per pound of weight gain, and ratios of energy cost per pound of weight gain to total cost per pound of weight gain for calves fed on each backgrounding system. These estimates were used to reflect technical and economic efficiencies, and sensitivities of each backgrounding system to changes in costs of energy and energy-based inputs between 1972 and 1975. Results indicated that a backgrounding system using a feed ration of corn silage, corn, and fescue hay was the most technically and economic efficient and least sensitive to increases in costs of energy and energy-related inputs.