stockering
n.— «Calves that have been weaned and are intended for sale as commercial feeder cattle, but that have not yet been placed in the feedlot, are commonly referred to as stocker cattle. Immediate demand for stocker cattle is largely determined by forage availability and stocker and feeder cattle prices. Stocker cattle production is an economically viable enterprise characterized by inexpensive weight gain relative to the cow-calf and finishing phases of beef production. Stockers typically weigh between 300 and 800 lbs. “Stockering” calves chiefly serves to increase their weight, and in many cases, quality, while often offsetting seasonal cattle price volatility.» —“U.S. Stocker Cattle Production” Cattle Network Aug. 19, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
To describe something tiny or insignificant compared with something vast, you might reach for phrases like a drop in the ocean or a drop in the bucket. In Mandarin, there’s an equally picturesque phrase that translates as nine cows, one hair, 九 牛 一...
In Appalachia, if you ignore better choices before choosing a lesser one, such as a mate, you might be said to fly all over a daisy field and settle on a cow pile or flit like a butterfly from flower to flower and land on a cow crap. This is part of...