Influence of vegetative diversity during the stocker phase on carcass characteristics and economic returns of beef steers

Stocker cattle can be managed in many grazing environments (variable range health, forage quality and quantity), which could impact subsequent performance and carcass attributes. The objective of this research was to determine the influence of vegetative composition and diversity driven by grazing history during the stocker phase on carcass traits and economic returns of beef steers. Yearling steers (n = 134, 116, 131, in 2020, 2021, 2022, respectively) were assigned randomly to grazing pastures that had been managed at three levels of stocking rate (low, moderate, and high) since 1942, creating three distinct plant communities (high, moderate, and low diversity) that represent the treatments in this study. At the completion of the stocker phase, steers were maintained in their pasture groups for finishing and within year were harvested at a common compositional endpoint. Finishing phase performance and carcass data were collected. Production (kg/ha) and economic return per carcass and per ha were calculated. Vegetative diversity as a result of stocking rate treatment did not influence (<i>P</i> > 0.05) weight gain in the stocker phase, feedlot performance, carcass traits or carcass value. However, pastures with lower vegetative diversity as a result of high stocking rate returned greater overall beef production and economic value per ha due to the increase in animals produced per unit of land, thus demonstrating that stocking rate can influence the profitability of an operation without negatively impacting carcass traits.