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W Texas | All depends of quantity of forage on offer, soil and weather conditions, etc.
On the southern plains with mild temps and no snow cover or mud: 3 pounds per day is the goal, but there is a caveat: until first hard frost, wheat is too "washy" and they won't perform well. After a hard frost, the water content drops (the wheat "hardens") and then cattle perform well. Academics call this an "adaptation period", which is BS. It's all about the water content of the forage.....
If it gets muddy and cattle are sinking in mud up their knees, they can move backwards. If there is snow cover and they are having to plow through snow to forage, same deal. Calves and yearlings tolerate cold weather very well unless they are wet also.
Winter cereals once cold hardened and without mud or weather issues is basically the perfect forage. High protein early and then high energy in the spring if you graze it out. Start with a 500 lb steer in late November and the forage is going to be exactly what that calf needs all the way through mid June. Wind up with a rangy 1,075 lb steer that is ready for grain. Can add frame without over conditioning.
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Wheat pasture gain
